Inscription Slight Smudge - PSA/DNA Authentic 104 $138.45 $89.99 Sam Jethroe Autographed Signed 4.5 X 5 Paper Cut Autograph ~ JSA# 13015 ~ Braves WIN $92.29 $59.99 Sam Jethroe Autographed Signed 8X10 Boston Braves Photo - Autographs BFF $69.22 $44.99 1938 Jethroe hit .333, and Cleveland's pitching dominated the Series as the Buckeyes outscored the Grays 153. Friends can be as close as family. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. How do we create a person's profile? He had a brief Negro League trial with Indianapolis in 1938, but played semi-pro before joining Cleveland in 1942. And you let it go. I get the chance to remember the Share yesterday to connect today & preserve tomorrow, Copyright 1999-2023 AncientFaces, Inc. All Rights Reserved, ADVERTISEMENT On April 15 he played his last game in the majors and spent the next five seasons with Toronto in the International League. Cleveland, There was a problem getting your location. A class action lawsuit was filed in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania contending that racial discrimination had prevented Jethroe from qualifying and receiving a major-league pension. Here the limit is $10, This 3 lev AncientFaces is a place where our memories live. Part of the Baseball Almanac Family, Last-Modified: January 11, 2021 6:14 AM EST. Please try again later. Jethroe filed a lawsuit against Major League Baseball and its Players Association in the 1990s . us, Died: I'm thankful that I was able to do what I did.''. Sam Jethroe played for 5 teams; the Indianapolis ABCs, Cincinnati-Cleveland Buckeyes, Cleveland Buckeyes, Boston Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was signed to play in the minor leagues from 1948 to 1949 with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Cleveland Indians. Research is still ongoing and well continue to publish updates as more information becomes available. In 1950, when, as the outstanding first-year player in the American League, he was named rookie of the year, Jethroe was already 32, the age at which many players think about retiring. in Lowndes County, MS A perennial Negro League All-Star, Sammy played center field for the Buckeyes. He led the National League in stolen bases in 1950 and 1951. [2] Jethroe enjoyed an almost identical but perhaps slightly improved season in 1951 when he posted better figures in batting (.280), runs (101), RBI (65), hits (160), doubles (29) and triples (10), and again hit 18 homers. On April 18, 1950, he made his debut for the Boston Braves and at age. Thanks for your help! SUMMARY Career WAR 14.7 AB 2383 H 655 HR 58 BA .275 R 416 RBI 272 136 OBP .345 SLG .436 OPS .781 OPS+ 118 The pension rule at the time was that one had to have served four full years in the majors to qualify. In 1944, he won his first batting title with a .353 average, and led the league with 14 doubles and 18 steals. The Sox wanted to hold onto Sunday baseball and so agreed to hold a tryout for a select three Negro Leaguers brought to Boston by Pittsburgh Courier sportswriter Wendell Smith. (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, N.Y.) By Josh Jackson February 2, 2011 He was. In April, 1945, due to pressure from a Boston city councilman and black sportswriter Wendell Smith, Jethroe and two other black players were given a tryout for the Boston Red Sox. Legendary Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe once said that Jethroe, nicknamed "The Jet," "was the fastest human being Ive ever seen," and a former Negro League player said Jethroe could "outrun the word of God." If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Sam Jethroe. "I can't tell you how appreciative I am of what (the owners) have done," said Jethroe, who by then had suffered a stroke and had other health issues.89 It did indeed offer him a little more hope, and a feeling of some validation, in his later years. We share yesterday, to build meaningful connections today, and preserve for tomorrow. He was selected Rookie of the Year in 1950 at the age of 33 although he was believed to be only 28 at the time. Find the obituary of Debbie Jethroe (1962 - 2021) from Ralph, AL. More about data coverage. 1954 PITTSBURGH PIRATES Official Yearbook ELROY FACE Sid GORDON Samuel JETHROE. Major League Baseball Player. Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Jethroe surname lived. Jethroe won the Negro American League batting title in 1945, hitting .393, but it was Robinson who was selected by the Dodgers' Branch Rickey to break organized baseball's color barrier with Montreal in 1946. "16 He hadn't gotten too upset, he said, because the three figured nothing was going to come of it anyway.17 As to the idea they might have actually been signed and brought into Organized Baseball, "I don't think it ever dawned on any of us. I. Jethroe had three years and seven days of service time. Arthur Daley of the New York Times noted the time Jethroe had scored from second standing up on an infield dribbler. The pressure was growing on what was then known as "Organized Baseball" to desegregate, particularly because soldiers who had come back from putting their lives on the line for the country during World War II found a color bar still preventing them from playing professional baseball other than in the Negro leagues.11 Boston City Councilor Isadore Muchnick threatened to pull the special permit that the City of Boston accorded the Red Sox which enabled them to play baseball on one of the most lucrative days of the week Sundays. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. He was 83. A photo of Samuel Jethroe on the Boston Braves team in the early 1950s. "29 Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? He did go to Venezuela for a while and was there when the news broke that Jackie Robinson had been signed. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. On April 18, 1950, Sam Jethroe became the first black player on the Boston Braves, hitting two home runs. The team moved to Milwaukee the following season. Try again. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. background-color:#ba3434; Measures may unfairly penalize players with fewer league games scheduled. In 1937, at the age of 20 years old, Samuel was alive when on May 28th, the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge opened to cars. Sid Hartman 2004-05 Minnesota Timberwolves Media Pass - SEE DESCRIPTION. Share Your Memories and Sympathies and Join the Bereaved! . He selected Robinson. This collection contains obituaries from newspapers published in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States, from the year 1822 onwards. At 18, Sam Jethroe was playing pickup ball on a segregated team in East St Louis. Only four other teams -- the Dodgers, the New York Giants, the Cleveland Indians and the St. Louis Browns -- had integrated. Pennsylvania, Erie County Obituaries. Rather than becoming the first major-league team to integrate, the Red Sox ending up being the last in 1959. President Truman had received the first Medicare card since he had been the first to propose national healthcare law. Samuel Jethroe, nicknamed "The Jet" was an American center fielder in 'Negro league' and 'Major . Sam Jethroe was born on Sunday, January 20, 1918, in East St. Louis, Illinois. On April 16, 1945, following pressure from a Boston city councilman, Jethroe was one of three black players to try out for the Boston Red Sox on the recommendation of black sportswriter Wendell Smith. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. In 1937 he was hired by the Courier and joined Washington in his campaign to allow Black players into the major leagues. This was 100% of all the recorded Jethroe's in Scotland. . He was voted rookie of the year after hitting 18 home runs and leading the league in stolen bases. Sam Jethroe, Baseball Player born. Funeral homes; Help and advice. He finished his career with a record of 460 hits, 49 home runs, 280 runs scored, 181 runs batted in and a .261 batting average. In 1943, he batted .291 while leading the league in both doubles (8) and triples (4). His home in Erie burned down in November 1994, forcing him to sleep for several months at the bar he ran in a rundown section of the city. He was a sensation; in 1949, he led the International League in hits, runs scored, stolen bases and triples, with his speed accounting for an impressive 19 three-base hits. Notes: High School: Lincoln HS (East St. Louis, IL) Buried: Erie Cemetery (Erie, PA) Played in the Major Leagues Played in the Minor Leagues Javascript is required for the selection of a player. - Columnist Richard Goldstein in The New York Times (06/19/2001, 'Sam Jethroe Is Dead At 83; Was Oldest Rookie Of The Year', Source), Sam "The Jet" Jethroe Autograph on a 1993 Ted Williams Card (#137), Sam Jethroe Miscellaneous Items of Interest. In October 1949, he was sold to the Boston Braves for $150,000. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Elsie Jethroe died on May 17, 2013. Jethroe joined Curt Roberts as Pittsburgh's first black players. See more. Where what happened yesterday is being preserved today. Research is still ongoing and well continue to publish updates as more information becomes available. Do you have a sports website? TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. After his professional career Jethroe settled in Erie and played for the Glenwood League Pontiacs. During his Rookie of the Year season he led the Majors in steals with 35, and batted .273 with 18 home runs and 100 runs scored. Select the next to any field to update. I loved to play ball and baseball was fun then. He was a Black center fielder in the Negro Baseball League and Major League Baseball . Sputnik I was only 23 inches in diameter and had no tracking equipment, only 4 antennas, but it had a big impact. on any other website. Samuel Jethroe (1917-2001) was born in Columbus, Mississippi, and grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois. Jethroe blazed way through Triple-A Negro Leagues star became 33-year-old Rookie of the Year By Josh Jackson February 2, 2011 He was well past his prime by the time he got a chance in integrated. A Baseball Group that welcomes: opinions, updates, book reviews, endorsements, news and anything that has to do with baseball. Historical Person Search Search Search Results Results Rachael Jethroe (1915 - 1935) Try FREE for 14 days Try FREE for 14 days. GREAT NEWS! He facilitated the integration of the Pirates, with Jethroe and Curt Roberts. Born: January 23, 1917 in Lowndes County, Mississippi, USA Died: June 16, 2001 (84 years old) Total Cards: 49 Tweet The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. update=copyright.getFullYear(); But as for Jethroe the Boston Globes Larry Whiteside wrote, "Unlike Robinson, he took life as it came." [2] Jethroe returned to the Buckeyes and won his second consecutive batting title with a .393 average, again leading the league with 10 triples and 21 stolen bases. Sam Jethroe Position: Centerfielder Bats: Both Throws: Right 6-1 , 178lb (185cm, 80kg) Born: January 23, 1917 in Lowndes County, MS us Rookie of the Year 7x All-Star 1945 World Series 5 20 Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. Or at least, he should've been by baseball standards. After the 1946 season, Jethroe joined the Satchel Paige All-Stars and barnstormed through 17 games, playing against a team of major leaguers headed by the entrepreneurial Bob Feller. Despite being among the league leaders in hits, runs and stolen bases during that period, his batting averages generally declined, and he never got another chance in the majors. vs. NYG 4 AB, 2 H, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB, Last Game: At 21, he played three games for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League but had to quit to return to St Louis to care for his ailing mother. 276,317 records. It was a short time after this that Jethroe filed his lawsuit against Major League Baseball in regards to his pension. Jethroe spent 1953 with the Triple-A Toledo Sox, hitting .307. Nicknamed "The Jet" for his stunning speed, Jethroe was born in Columbus, Mississippi but grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois. Try again later. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. In his quest for a better Brooklyn team and to desegregate the majors, Dodgers GM Branch Rickey reportedly interviewed Jethroe as well as Robinson. Sam Jethroe Is Dead at 83; Was Oldest Rookie of the Year, https://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/19/sports/sam-jethroe-is-dead-at-83-was-oldest-rookie-of-the-year.html. Columbus, Lowndes County, Mississippi, USA. He died at the age of 85 in Amherst, New York near Buffalo, and was interred in the Mount Calvary Cemetery in Cheektowaga, New York . Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. "It's too bad 95 percent of the guys it would matter to are all dead now. Jethroe spent the 1953 season playing with Triple-A Toledo. None of the players was signed - although the Brooklyn Dodgers eventually took on Robinson - and the Red Sox remained all-white until 1958, becoming baseball's last bastion against integration. We have set your language to It launched with eight teams: Chicago American Giants, Chicago Giants, Cuban Stars, Dayton . He was named to the East-West All-Star team five times (1942, 194447), and ended his Cleveland career with a .296 average in 1948. Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Samuel's lifetime. More were soon to follow, among them, Sam Jethroe. Since there were millions of dollars in Major League Baseball at the time, Jethroe believed that some of it could be shared with players like him. After his career in the majors ended, Jethro settled in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he worked in a factory and played semi-pro baseball with the Pontiacs in the citys Glenwood League. Make a life-giving gesture. Yet Jethroe could have been the trailblazer.