Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
October 07, 2006
Buck O'Neil Passes

Buck O'Neil died yesterday:

O'Neil was a smooth fielder and a two-time league-leading hitter with the Kansas City Monarchs, one of the Negro leagues' most acclaimed teams, and he also managed them. He spent more than three decades working in the Chicago Cubs' system, becoming one of organized baseball's first black scouts and then the first black coach in the majors. In all, his baseball career spanned seven decades.

O'Neil had been chairman of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Mo., since its founding in 1997 and made scores of appearances to raise funds for it. He bore witness to the exploits of figures like Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, Cool Papa Bell, Oscar Charleston and Ray Dandridge. All of those players were inducted into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown belatedly, their prime seasons in the Negro leagues coming in the years before Jackie Robinson broke the modern major league color barrier.

For the most recent generations of baseball fans, those born long after baseball became integrated, Buck was the window into the segregated past. His dignity and good humor will be missed. My thoughts go out to his family and friends, and all the people he touched.


Posted by David Pinto at 08:52 AM | Deaths | TrackBack (0)
Comments

Of course, he'll be inducted into the HoF now, but it will ring hollow.

Thank you, Buck, for everything you did to advance race relations and the game of baseball. You're a true hero in every sense. Rest easy, old man. Rest easy.

Posted by: Josh at October 7, 2006 10:06 AM

A great man.

It's a damn shame that he wasn't elected to the HOF.

Posted by: Dave at October 7, 2006 11:04 AM

From Bill James' Historical Baseball Abstract:

(Ranked 4th among Negro League 1B)

"The Great Soul of Negro League Baseball, a warm, wonderful man and an immensely talented story teller. A Mark Grace type of player, a line drive hitter and Gold Glove first baseman, very graceful, good baserunner, excellent arm. Won the Negro League batting title in 1946."

Posted by: Dave at October 7, 2006 11:05 AM

I was watching Sportscenter last night and they did a small tribute to him. I didn't know that after his playing career had ended he became a scout for the cubs and got them to sign Lou Brock and Ernie Banks. His HOF speech that he made on behalf of all the negro league players getting inducted last year was priceless. He had everyone hold hands and and follow him in song. Whate a site to see and hear.

He will be missed and never forgotten.

Posted by: Jason at October 7, 2006 01:05 PM

I met Buck on plane once, about 2 or 3 years after the Ken Burns series. He was most gracious and cheerful when I commented on his popularity at such a late age from that PBS series.

What a class act he was in his comments about not peronally making the HoF - and to still give that HoF speech on behalf of all the deceased negro league inductees. He's a great ambassador of the game, and he'll be missed.

Rest in peace,

Posted by: Allen at October 7, 2006 02:13 PM
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