AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |
Back to Blog
Pinochle cards miami11/24/2023 ![]() In 1947, after being Robinson’s Philadelphia friend, Triplett and teammate Dennis Hoggard were told Cotton Bowl officials didn’t want them to play in the Janugame because they were Negroes. That was before Robinson made his debut with Brooklyn. ![]() In 1946, Penn State was scheduled to play the University of Miami but school officials did not want to face a team with a Negro player and told that to Penn State officials. Robinson and Triplett didn’t see much of each other after 1948. Satch was a showman he knew how to handle people. “He showed Bob Feller and the others by suggesting they barnstorming (after the 1946 season). “Satch told the white boys how to make money,” said Triplett. But as Triplett pointed out everyone in baseball knew Satchel Paige and Paige was one heck of a business man. Paige finally made it to a Major League team on Jwith Cleveland. Doby and Paige did not get along as Doby thought Paige was too much of a showboat and didn’t like his act. “Larry Doby always thought he should have been the first one but…”ĭoby was not as bubbly a personality as Satchel and was more matter of fact in personality than Jackie. He understood why Robinson and not Larry Doby or Satchel Paige was the first Negro player in Major League Baseball since the 1880s. Triplett has an interesting insight into baseball history. We used to play pinochle all night and then I would drive him back to the hotel. (Branch) Rickey selected Jackie because he knew he could withstand the guff. “My mother cooked special rolls and greens for him. “I took Jackie home, let’s kill some time,” Triplett said of his role as Jackie’s driver and friend. Triplett’s role was to help Robinson find a place where he could relax. The States Rights Democratic Party was openly a segregationist political organization and nominated Strom Thurmond as the party’s presidential nominee. In 1948, the Dixiecrats held their party’s only political convention in the city. Philadelphia was a hotbed of racism then. Connie Mack, the owner and manager of the A’s wasn’t too keen on allow Negroes into his stadium to watch the A’s. Philadelphia had two Major League teams, the National League Phillies and the American League’s A’s. He would do the same thing for Major League Baseball’s second Negro player, Cleveland’s Larry Doby later on in the 1947 season. He struck up a conversation with Robinson after a game and took him home. He knew Satchel Paige and others through his father. Wally had been around baseball as a kid, his father had worked for Ed Bolden’s Philadelphia Stars Negro Leagues team. Jackie made his Major League debut on Apand soon afterward became friendly with Triplett. There is no indication that Brooklyn would have added Robinson but Triplett said Durocher wanted Jackie. Tepsic had signed with Brooklyn and had a clause in his contract that he could decline going to the minor leagues He delayed Jackie until 1947, he would not go down.”Īccording to accounts available from 1946, Tepsic’s teammates were hoping that he would accept the demotion and the team would pick up a veteran pinch hitter. ![]() In 1946, (Brooklyn manager) Leo Durocher wanted Jackie and asked Tepsic to go down to Montreal. “Jackie signed in (October 23) 1945 and was sent to Montreal,” Triplett remembered.
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |