“Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching” - Satchel Paige
(Satchel Paige)
Satchel Paige was born as Leroy Page on July 7th, 1906 in Mobile, Alabama, USA. In the mid 1920’s his parents changed their last name to “Paige”. He got the name “Satchel” from a job toting bags at a train station. At age 10 Paige got interested in baseball. At age 13 he was arrested for shoplifting. he was committed to the Industrial School for Negro Children in Mount Meigs, AL, the state reform school. He was at the school until he was 18. While at the school he focused on his pitching skills. In 1923 he was released from the school. He then played for semi pro teams. In 1926 Paige joined the Chattanooga White Sox of the minor Negro Southern League.
(Paige in 1926)
In 1927 Paige's contract was sold to the Birmingham Black Barons of the major Negro National League. In his first big game in late June 1927, against the St. Louis Stars, Paige incited a brawl when his fastball hit the hand of St. Louis catcher Mitchell Murray. Murray then charged the mound and Paige raced for the dugout, but Murray flung his bat and struck Paige above the hip. He finished the 1927 season 7–1 with 69 strikeouts and 26 walks in 89 ⅓ innings. In 1929 Paige went 12–5 and 10–9 while recording 176 strikeouts. Paige then played winter baseball in Cuba. In 1930 he was leased to the Baltimore Black Sox. He was then leased to the Chicago American Giants. In 1931 Paige went to the Cleveland Cubs.
(Paige in 1931)
Paige then moved to the Crawford Colored Giants. He then joined a Negro all star team. He finished that season with a 6–0 record and 70 strikeouts in 58 innings. In 1932 Paige took the mound when the Crawfords opened the season on April 30 in their newly built stadium, Greenlee Field, the first completely black owned stadium in the country. Paige went 10–4, allowing 3.19 runs per game and striking out 92 in 132 ⅔ innings. In 1934 Paige had his best season he went 14–2 in league games while allowing 2.16 runs per game, recording 144 strikeouts, and giving up only 26 walks. Paige received his first East West All Star Game selection in 1934. In 1935 Paige dominated, with a 29–2 record, 321 strikeouts, and only 16 walks. Paige was banned from the NNL for the 1935 season for jumping to the Bismarck team. He was then signed to the Kansas City Monarchs.
(Paige in 1935)
In 1936 Paige returned to Pittsburgh. Paige went 5–0, allowed 3.21 runs per game, and struck out 47 in 47 2/3 innings. In 1937 Paige played in the Dominican Republic. In 1938 he went to play in Mexico. He suffered an arm injury while in Mexico causing him to be out of work. In 1939 he returned to baseball. He then played baseball in Puerto Rico. He ended the season with a 19–3 record, a 1.93 ERA, and 208 strikeouts in 205 innings. In 1940 Paige went to play for the Kansas City Monarchs. In 1941 Paige played for the New York Black Yankees.
(Paige in 1941)
In the 1942 East West All-Star Game Paige allowed three runs on five hits and was charged with the loss in the 5–2 game. Paige was the reason for the Monarchs winning the 1942 Negro World Series. In 1943 Paige was the West's starting pitcher in the East West All Star Game. The West won. In the 1946 Negro World Series the Monarchs faced the Newark Eagles. Paige didn't play for game 7 of the series and the Monarchs lost. In 1948 Paige joined the MLB team, The Cleveland Indians. Paige became the oldest man ever to debut in the major leagues, at the age of 42 years old. Paige ended the 1948 season with a 6–1 record with a 2.48 ERA, 2 shutouts, 43 strikeouts, 22 walks and 61 base hits allowed in 72 2/3 innings.
(Paige in 1948)
In the 1949 season he ended the season with a 4–7 record and was 1–3 in his starts with a 3.04 ERA. In 1950 he signed with the Philadelphia Stars in the Eastern Division of the NAL. In 1951 Paige signed with the St. Louis Browns. He ended the season with a 3–4 record and a 4.79 ERA. In 1952 Paige finished the year 12–10 with a 3.07 ERA. In 1953 Paige ended the year with a disappointing 3–9 record, but a respectable 3.53 ERA. Paige then joined the basketball team the Harlem Globetrotters. Paige would "pitch" the basketball to Goose Tatum, who would "bat" the ball with his arms, run around the "bases" and slide "home" safely. Paige never actually played on the team, though.
(Paige apart of the Harlem Globetrotters)
In 1955 Paige signed a contract with the Greensboro Patriots of the Carolina League. Paige finished the season 11–4 with an ERA of 1.86 with 79 strikeouts and only 28 walks. In 1957 Paige had a 10–8 record with 76 strikeouts versus 11 walks and 2.42 ERA. In 1961 Paige signed on with the Triple-A Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League. In 1965 Paige signed with the Kansas City Athletics.
(Paige in 1965)
In 1966 Paige pitched in his last game in organized baseball. In 1968 Paige assumed the position of deputy sheriff in Jackson County, MO. In 1969 he became a pitching coach. In 1971 Paige was the first member of the Negro wing of the Hall of Fame.
(Paige in 1971)
In 1980 Paige was named vice-president of the Triple A Springfield Cardinals. On June 8th, 1982 Satchel Paige died of a heart attack in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He was 75 years old.
(Paige’s grave)
Today is his 111th birthday and we would all like to say happy birthday and rest in peace Satchel Paige.
Videos of Satchel Paige
(John Henrik Clarke)
(Clarke in 1941)
(Clarke in 1968)
(Dr. Clarke in 1996)
