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| Bud Fowler stands in the middle, back row. |
With the return of Pro Se, I've added a new addition, Reverence. Reverence's intent is to shed light on untold stories and reexamine stories of relavent African Americans that contributed to the struggle and to the social fabric of the United States.
Reverence was inspired by the "Props" articles found in the back of Vibe Magazine back in the early nineties. Excitement abounds with the educational potential of this new addition!
Let's get started!
So, who was Bud Fowler? Admittedly, I had no idea until I came across this short, informative NYTimes article . Bud Fowler was the first African American to play baseball on an all white professional team in the United States, pitching first for the Lynn, Mass., Live Oaks in 1878.
Mr. Fowler pitched, catch and played second base through 10 seasons with various minor league teams with a .308 batting average. He never made it to the major leagues however and his story faded into the annals of baseball history, well until now!
Undoubtedly, the inspiration for this article was intertwined with the recent release of the film "42", which tells the story of Jackie Robinson, who is credited with breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball. His legacy is rightfully cemented in history, Bud Fowler's is not.
In fact, Jackie Robinson was not the first African American to play in the major leagues, that distinction goes to one Moses Fleetwood Walker , who played catcher for the Toledo Blue Stockings in 1884. His story has been forgotten, but illumination is rightfully needed!
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| Moses Fleetwood Walker |
This Saturday there will be a street dedication for Fowler in Cooperstown, NY, finally honoring Mr. Folwer's legacy.
With the NYTimes article, a written biography coming soon, the Pro Se Blog, along with the Cooperstown's dedication this should prompt baseball fans and historians to reexamine and expound on Mr. Fowler's somewhat enigmatic past.
Please check out the NYTimes article when you have a chance.
Reverence will be a regular addition to Pro Se. If you have any suggestions for a reverence post please email me keithrobinson1@gmail.com
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