When discussing the greatest Negro League players, right-handed pitcher Satchel Paige is at the top of the list. However, he also had a prolific MLB tenure.
Paige played the majority of his professional career before Jackie Robinson broke MLB's color barrier in 1947. Before then, the Alabama native earned Negro League All-Star honors six times (1933-1934, 1936, 1941-1943) and won the Negro World Series with the Kansas City Monarchs in 1942.
Paige also played in the Dominican Republic in 1937, Mexico in 1938, and Puerto Rico from 1939 to 1940. His Negro League career spanned from 1927 to 1947, which included stints with six different teams and three with the Monarchs. He then signed his first MLB contract with the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) on July 7, 1948, his 42nd birthday.
Paige won the World Series with Cleveland that season and became a two-time MLB All-Star as well as the oldest player in MLB history. The Hall of Famer's career ended after the 1953 campaign with the St. Louis Browns (now Baltimore Orioles) before he came back for one game with the Kansas City Athletics (now Athletics) in 1965.
Satchel Paige Put Tough Road Behind Him
Paige's career was a product of his time, as he had to deal with segregation and the instability of constantly switching teams. However, the hurler didn't let that faze him.
Paige constantly looked forward, which helped him succeed despite the chaos. That attitude inspired one of his most well-known quotes, which provides a lesson that could help anyone.
