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On This Date in Sports July 21, 1959

In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com

Pumpsie Green getting encouragement from Manager Billy Jurges upon his debut with the Boston Red Sox

Pumpsie Green getting encouragement from Manager Billy Jurges upon his debut with the Boston Red Sox

Baseball finally becomes fully integrates as Pumpsie Green makes his debut with the Boston Red Sox. The debut of Green with the Red Sox comes 12 years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. Pumpsie Green’s first appearance comes with no fanfare as he pinch runs for Vic Wertz during the eight inning in 2-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park. Green would appear in 50 games, batting .233 with Boston in his first season.

To say the Red Sox were reluctant to sign black players would be an understatement. Their longtime owner Tom Yawkey was well known to harbor racist feelings. The Red Sox had given tryouts to both Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays but Yawkey refused to considered signing either of them. By 1959 with Civil Right moment gaining momentum pressure was applied to the Red Sox by civic organizations. These efforts were led by the Massachusetts Committee Against Discrimination, who called for the Red Sox to be investigated for the hiring practices.

Born Elijah Green Jr. on October 27, 1933 in Oklahoma, he was called Pumpsie by his mother at an early age. Raised in California, Pumpsie Green played baseball at Contra Costa College. After graduating he signed with the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League, where he began his career with their affiliate in Wenatchee, Washington in 1954. After moving on the Stockton Ports, Green caught the eye of major league scots and signed with the Boston Red Sox. After spending another three years in the minors, Pumpsie Green was invited to Spring Training by the Red Sox in 1959. Despite a solid effort, Green was sent back to the minors, with the Red Sox top affiliate in Minneapolis. After batting .233 playing the second half of the 1959 season in Boston, Pumpsie Green would spend another three seasons with the Red Sox. Green’s best season was in 1961, where he posted a .260 average with six home runs and 27 RBI. In 1962, Pumpsie Green was involved in an embarrassing moment when he and teammate Gene Conley left the team bus following an embarrassing loss to the New York Yankees. The two Red Sox would not be seen for three days, until they were found at Idlewild Airport trying to board a flight to Israel without luggage or a passport. The Red Sox would trade Green to the New York Mets following the season. He would spend most on the 1963 season in the minors, before playing in his final 17 games in the majors.

The following is a list of pre-expansion teams and the players and date in which they were integrated.

Brooklyn Dodgers Jackie Robinson April 15, 1947

Brooklyn Dodgers
Jackie Robinson
April 15, 1947

Doby

Cleveland Indians
Larry Doby
July 5, 1947

St. Louis Browns Hank Thompson July 17, 1947

St. Louis Browns
Hank Thompson
July 17, 1947

New York Giants Hank Thompson & Monte Irvin July 8, 1949

New York Giants
Hank Thompson and Monte Irvin
July 8, 1949

Boston Braves  Sam Jethroe April 18, 1950

Boston Braves
Sam Jethroe
April 18, 1950

Chicago White Sox Minnie Minoso May 1, 1951

Chicago White Sox
Minnie Minoso
May 1, 1951

Pittsburgh Pirates Carlos Bernier April 22, 1953

Pittsburgh Pirates
Carlos Bernier
April 22, 1953

Philadelphia Athletics Bob Trice September 13, 1953

Philadelphia Athletics
Bob Trice
September 13, 1953

Chicago Cubs Ernie Banks September 17, 1953

Chicago Cubs
Ernie Banks
September 17, 1953

St. Louis Cardinals Tom Alston April 13, 1954

St. Louis Cardinals
Tom Alston
April 13, 1954

Cincinnati Reds Nino Escalera & Chuck Harmon April 17, 1954

Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati Reds
Nino Escalera and Chuck Harmon
April 17, 1954

Washington Senators Carlos Paula September 6, 1954

Washington Senators
Carlos Paula
September 6, 1954

New York Yankees Elston Howard April 14, 1955

New York Yankees
Elston Howard
April 14, 1955

Philadelphia Phillies John Kennedy April 22, 1957

Philadelphia Phillies
John Kennedy
April 22, 1957

Detroit Tigers Ozzie Virgil SrJune 8, 1958

Detroit Tigers
Ozzie Virgil Sr
June 8, 1958

Boston Red SoxPumpsie GreenJuly 21, 1959

Boston Red Sox
Pumpsie Green
July 21, 1959