african american baseball players

"Nothing could stop Toni "Tomboy" Stone from playing baseball--not even her parents. The only girl on a church team, she persevered as insults were hurled her way from the boy players. She caught the attention of former major leaguer Gabby Street, who gave her a chance at his summer baseball school. With Coach Street's training--and the cleats he gifted her--Toni managed to earn a spot in the minor leagues. Though teams were hesitant to sign a woman, she pitched the idea that fans would pay to see a woman play--and it worked! But Toni's persistence and optimism were not enough to win over the Jim Crow South crowds nor her male teammates. Coaches put her in the starting lineup and then benched her early, every game, no matter her results. But her talent got noticed and she was signed by the Indianapolis Clowns, becoming the first woman to break into the pros. "Toni arrives," shouted newspaper headlines, and she delivered! In her first professional game she ripped a single and drove in two runs, and left the crowd chanting "TONI! TONI! TONI!""--Provided by publisher.

"Picture book biography about Glenn Burke, the first Major League Baseball player to come out as gay, and the story of how he created the high five, the world's most recognizable handshake"--Provided by publisher.

"Mookie Betts started playing baseball as a child and has never looked back. Betts made his major-league baseball debut in 2014. In 2018, he won the American League MVP award and helped lead the Red Sox to a World Series win. The top slugger and star fielder has also earned five Gold Glove Awards and four Silver Slugger Awards. Get the highlights of Betts's amazing career"--.

An easy-to-read graphic novel that reveals why Jackie Robinson's shattering of the color barrier in baseball is among the greatest moments in history.

"Major League Baseball superstar Willie Mays was one of the best batters and fielders ever. He won two MVP awards and the 1954 World Series. Discover more about his life on and off the diamond".

"James Thomas 'Cool Papa' Bell (1903-1991) was a National Negro League all-star who was best known for his legendary speed. A center fielder, Bell's batting average was regularly over .4, and in one season he was said to have stolen 175 bases in just 200 games. Because of segregation, Bell was never able to play for a major league team, but he was considered by many to have been the fastest man in baseball's history. His story illuminates the financial and social struggles black players faced during a time of racial and political upheaval in America"--Provided by publisher.

"The . . . athletic Monte Irvin (1919-2016) was an outfielder who started in the Negro Leagues and eventually became one of the earliest black Major League Baseball players after joining the New York Giants in 1949. He played in two World Series with the Giants and after retiring worked as a baseball scout and served in an administrative role in the MLB commissioner's office. A mentor to Willie Mays, Irvin helped pave the way for other black players in the major leagues despite encountering racism on and off the field, and he was honored . . . later in life for his achievements. This book chronicles the life of the sports hero while introducing readers to the difficulties of living in a time of segregation and political upheaval"--Provided by publisher.

"Known as one of the best pinch-hitting third baseman to ever play the game, Judy Johnson played seventeen seasons of Negro league baseball before retiring in 1937. Johnson was known for his calm and professional demeanor on the field, and he also managed many of the teams he played for. After his retirement, he went on to become one of the first black men hired to a coaching position for a Major League Baseball team. This book chronicles the life of the sports hero while introducing readers to the difficulties of living in a time of segregation and political upheaval"--Amazon.

"In 1947 Jackie Robinson became the first Black player in Major League Baseball since the 1800s. This book explores Robinson's life and groundbreaking achievements"--Amazon.

""42 Today" is an exploration of Jackie Robinson and his legacy"--.