Only the Ball Was White

[@TheBatugan77]

Cool Papa Bell... one second in... I had the great privelege to see him inducted into the Hall of Fame the same day as Mantle and Ford. What a thrill! Saw Buck Leonard up close, and met Satchel outside the Otesaga Hotel across the street! It was a real life Field of Dreams! 1974.

[@CSDonohue11]

That’s Amazing

[@andreablack3372]

They were the best!!!

[@christian4u69]

The Negro Leagues were full of tall tales. This one is my favorite. It talks about Josh Gibson. Josh was playing for the Homestead Grays against the Washington Elite Giants in the mid 1930s. Josh hit a ball so far that it seemed to disappear into the clouds, giving the Grays the win. The next day, the same 2 teams were playing, this time in D.C. A ball came out of the sky toward the outfield, where it was caught by a Giants outfielder. An umpire saw this, pointed to Gibson and said 'You're out...yesterday in Pittsburgh!' It's stories like this that remind me of 1. Why l love baseball so much in the first place, and 2. Why we need to recognize these men for the talents they had, many of whom had more talent than their white, major league counterparts.

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

The Pirates tried to sign Gibson in 1939 and 1943 but Landis didn't allow it.

[@lloydkline1518]

@@raygordonteacheschess5501 landis was scary of negro basebzll league playing major league baseball , like seven game series

[@flame-sky7148]

Love how they talk about Josh Gibson, they are in awe.

[@TheBatugan77]

Double Duty lived to be over 100. I believe he had a brother who also did. Radcliffe's genes must've been phenomenal.

[@JamesSmith-kn3vs]

Robert Peterson was the author of the book "Only the Ball Was White" on which this documentary film was based from. We owe a large gratitude to the late Mr. Peterson for opening the eyes of America to the history of Black Baseball.

[@wemetvtillthisdaywerkings9720]

James Smith thank you & Robert Peterson for writing a book about these people who love to play the game in a time when it was really difficult josh Gibson thank you and all the players leading the way ⚾

[@ovaeastdoe6776]

The history of baseball makes the sport remarkable

[@donaldschmidt2990]

There was no real Major League until Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Until that point "The Morons Agreement" systematically blackballed the black man from big league baseball. The Pittsburgh Crawfords, Homestead Gray's and Kansas City Monarchs would have beaten the New York Yankees or St.Louis Cardinals. OR ANYONE ELSE! Why? Because they had the best talent that the black race had to offer. Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, Oscar Charleston and Satchel Paige were the predecessors of Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and all the other superstars that transcended the game. Most of the top 15 players in home runs and stolen bases were black. Talent unmatched in the history of the game. No question their talent superseded their white counterparts. Just as it did in football, basketball, track and field and boxing. That was their glory. That was their tragedy.

[@TheBatugan77]

Isn't...that...too...bad... 😢😢😰🥵😿😩😫

[@oldude979]

Negro league players: Jackie Robinson (Rookie of Year, MVP, Hall of Fame); Willie Mays (Rookie of Year, 2x MVP, Hall of Fame, more home runs than Babe Ruth); Hank Aaron (Rookie of Year, MVP, Hall of Fame, more home runs than Babe Ruth); Roy Campenella (Rookie of Year, 3x MVP, Hall of Fame); Don Newcomb Rookie of Year, MVP, Cy Young Award, Hall of Fame) I COULD GO ON AND ON

[@JABARDELLI]

Who are you alluding to as having more home runs than Babe Ruth? Josh Gibson? No way. That’s fiction. And Satchel Paige did not have “over 100 no-hitters” as the introductory commentator represents. Great ball players, I agree! But let’s not get carried away with the superlatives. By the way, the greatest of all the black ball players was not Josh, Gibson, Satchel Paige, Papa Bell, Buck O’Neil, Buck Leonard, -- Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Roy Campanella, Joe Black, Don Newcomb, Henry Lloyd, Mule Suttles, Buck Leonard, Jackie Robinson ... so many to name! But, as Casey Stengel would say: “You can look it up!” That honor goes to Smokey Joe Williams! Ty Cobb said of Williams: “If he was in the major leagues he would be winning 30 games every season.” Good Luck and be Safe!”

[@CSDonohue11]

@@JABARDELLI Facts

[@flame-sky7148]

AL: Elston Howard (12 time all star, MVP); Minnie Minoso (13 time all star, Hall of Fame), Larry Doby (9 time all star, Hall of Fame). By the way Don Newcombe isn't the hall of fame, and its a shame. He and many others also missed time due to military service which also hindered their career stats. Oh and Ernie Banks played with the Monarchs (2 time MVP, 14 time all star, Hall of Fame).

[@METALMISFIT6]

I love the game of baseball ⚾ and all the stories

[@TheBatugan77]

Sam Hairston... Patriarch of a three generation baseball family.

[@williamdillard5060]

Great video. Baseball crosses all racial, economical, social lines in itself. It's this racist, genocidal, cutthroat country that made life so dangerous and so hard for so many. Baseball ❤

[@MrCoursair77]

I'm met Double Duty several times... With my father he was very funny very comical... He would spit tobacco on your baseball shoes ..hhaahhaa

[@CSDonohue11]

Your cleats

[@christian4u69]

The following story illustrates WHY Jackie Robinson was picked to be the first black major league ball player over men like a Satchel Paige, both of whom had INFINITELY much more talent than Robinson... Branch Rickey was being interviewed by a Brooklyn reporter, and was asked if he thought that Robinson was strong enough to fight back against the hatred he was sure to face. Rickey explained that that wasn't the reason Robinson was picked. Rickey told the reporter that the reason Robinson was picked is because Rickey wanted someone that was strong enough to NOT fight back.

[@robertpoet5503]

You say "both of them," so I presume you meant Josh Gibson, too. But don't sell Jackie Robinson short. Much of his talent lay deep in his chest cavity and between his ears.

[@christian4u69]

@@robertpoet5503 Robinson was a talented player, but NOWHERE NEAR the caliber of a Paige or a Gibson. Let's face it here, people...The picking of Robinson over a Paige or a Gibson was as much of a PR ploy as it was for purely baseball reasons. Maybe more.

[@TheBatugan77]

@@christian4u69 Jackie helped Bklyn to six NL pennants and their only WS win in just ten years. No matter what the motive, the results were astounding.

[@christian4u69]

@@TheBatugan77 No doubt, however, there were MORE than a few players with more baseball talent than Robinson, with Satchel and Josh topping the list.

[@epm5433]

@@robertpoet5503 Josh Gibson died before Robinson played for Brooklyn.

[@africanamericanmuseumofsou6100]

Thank you for recording these stories.

[@richardhausig9493]

Great stuff. What incredible, great people these guys were.

[@wemetvtillthisdaywerkings9720]

Josh Gibson made babe the white Gibson thank you for your videos

[@TheBatugan77]

Ruth was first. All props to Josh. Wish the two could've played on the same field at the same time.

[@MrCeora]

This is a priceless video of interviews with class of men. Thank you for sharing this intimate portrait of these titans of the game, heard from their own mouths.

[@robertpoet5503]

40 years ago now... I believe they've all passed. Thanks for reminding us who you were. RIP

[@darneasamuels2834]

Thank you so much, Ryan, for posting this documentary. It was VERY helpful to me in a project I did regarding African-Americans in the baseball.

[@robertpoet5503]

Good luck with your project. If you care to, visit the Historical Negro League Baseball Site on facebook. You will enjoy!

[@TheBatugan77]

I read a book with the same title decades ago. I believe the author was Sol White.

[@jamonit444]

Thank you, this is a awesome documentary

[@samuelreyna7158]

9:11 definitely my favorite part of this documentary

[@waynearrington8411]

If you guys would have hung in there you would have ran them out of business the dream was killed

[@DiamondyardSportscards]

I've always loved this documentary, great stuff, just subbed.

[@devlinmcgregor8785]

Ruth-#1

[@andyandy1737]

Yes

[@oldude979]

WE WILL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE

[@robertpoet5503]

@@oldude979 we know for sure. Ruth faced black pitching, too. He hit everybody. Pretty damn good pitcher, too!

[@soundofthegardenwatc]

awesome documentary

[@IceManLikeGervin]

Excellent upload- respect!!!!

[@jennilynnfarmer3719]

They were owned by the majors when they played them.

[@wmshomeinspections8139]

Jennilynn Farmer hell no bitch

[@jessiflorence8941]

Yep,ms.farmer,The Mlb destroyed those inferior players,for sure.

[@extraterrestrial9968]

Truth,miss.

[@JayeBoogie1017]

Actually that's not true

[@tjjanosko133]

Negro League Teams were 145-161-11 against full major league clubs. The MLB had a winning record but I wouldn't call it utter domination

[@janeljustin6244]

I Mean, Baseball’s Baseball. I Know Some Black Families Who Love Baseball More Than We Do.

[@almightyprime162]

Who is we? You Dominican?

[@JABARDELLI]

To Oldude979: Who are you alluding to as having more home runs than Babe Ruth? Josh Gibson? No way. That’s fiction. And Satchel Paige did not have “over 100 no-hitters” as the introductory commentator represents. Great ball players, I agree! But let’s not get carried away with the superlatives. By the way, the greatest of all the black ball players was not Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Papa Bell, Buck O’Neil, Buck Leonard, -- Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Roy Campanella, Joe Black, Don Newcomb, Henry Lloyd, Mule Suttles, Buck Leonard, Jackie Robinson ... so many to name! As Casey Stengel would say: “You can look it up!” That honor goes to Smokey Joe Williams! Ty Cobb said of Williams: “If he was playing in the major leagues he would be winning 30 games every season.” Good Luck and be Safe!”

[@epm5433]

Spot on, John. But the virtue-signaling racists and race hustlers who put out this BS scream racism whenever they're asked to produce facts. They can't be satisfied with the fact that white ballplayers who barnstormed acknowledged that some of the black players were Major League worthy, and a few were extraordinary. But there is no way to prove what their stats would have been with a full career in MLB.

[@areguapiri]

Also all MLB statistics before the integration of baseball must be wiped out, or have an asterisk.

[@GeechieDan-uu9wm]

@@epm5433BS. More than a few were good enough for the majors.

[@luciogamesmusic]

Great video. Wish they told us who these guys talking are though!

[@robertpoet5503]

they do at the beginning, each in his/her turn. Effa Manley, Newk, Dave Malarcher, Satch, Ted Page, Buck Leonard, Jimmie Crutchfield, Campy, Sam Hairston, Quincy Trouppe. I think that's everybody -- please correct me if I missed someone.

[@1qnot1qnot11]

leave abe Manley alone branch!!!!!

[@raindrop8240]

THE MLB WAS WHERE IT WAS AT.

[@kellylindley7750]

Agree,sir.

[@chrisf1967]

I own the book "Only The Ball Was White" it is a great read.

[@TheBatugan77]

I've now watched Negro Leagues Films narrated by Paul Winfield and Dave Winfield. Great jobs by both!

[@samuelwilliamson872]

Prove he was faster liars!

[@therutledges6122]

Let's be honest when baseball first started it was already integrated and there were great ballplayers both black and white. Once it became popular, that's when racism reared its ugly head once again. Now we will never know how good it could have been to see all ballplayers of that era compete.

[@KalloMoney]

🤖🦾🦾🦿

[@TheBatugan77]

I'm looking at Campanella... Wouldn't it be funny if he gained enough HRs from the Negro Leagues to break the record for catchers? After all these years?

[@boringlyawesum]

when was this made?

[@JamesSmith-kn3vs]

boringlyawesum this documentary was made in the late 1970's or 1980. I believe a t.v. station out of Chicago sponsored this documentary. Look at the credits at the end of this video.

[@dougellis7917]

This video made me very angry. Baseball fans were screwed because the Baseball Commissioner was a filthy racist. All records before 1948 need an asterisk.

[@TheBatugan77]

Isn't...that...too...bad... 😢😢😰🥵😿😩😫

[@jonwilkins1686]

1qnot 1qnot why you being racist

[@rwjy27]

Is this video a parody?