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{{Short description|American baseball player}}
{{About|the baseball player|the holiday|Leon Day (holiday)}}
{{Good article}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name          = Leon Day
| image         = Leon Day Baseball.jpg
| position      = [[Pitcher]]
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1916|10|30|mf=y}}|birth_place=[[Alexandria, Virginia]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{death date and age|1995|3|13|1916|10|30|mf=y}}|death_place=[[Baltimore]], Maryland, U.S.
| bats          = Right
| throws        = Right
| debutleague   = Negro leagues
| debutdate     = 
| debutyear     = 1934
| debutteam     = Baltimore Black Sox
| finalleague   = Negro leagues
| finaldate     = 
| finalyear     = 1950
| finalteam     = Baltimore Elite Giants
| statyear      =
| statleague    = Negro leagues{{efn|On December 16, 2020, Major League Baseball declared certain Negro leagues, from the span of 1920–1948, to be "Major League".<ref>{{cite web|title=MLB officially designates the Negro Leagues as 'Major League'|url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-mlb-officially-designates-the-negro-leagues-as-major-league|website=MLB.com|date=December 16, 2020|accessdate=December 3, 2024}}</ref> Day's statistics reflect his time in the Negro leagues from 1934 to 1946.}}
| stat1label    = [[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
| stat1value    = 50–22
| stat2label    = [[Earned run average]]
| stat2value    = 3.58
| stat3label    = [[Strikeout]]s
| stat3value    = 432
| teams         =
* [[Baltimore Black Sox]] ({{by|1934}})
* [[Newark Eagles|Brooklyn / Newark Eagles]] ({{by|1935}}–{{by|1939}}, {{by|1941}}–{{by|1943}}, {{by|1946}})
* [[Baltimore Elite Giants]] ({{by|1949}}–{{by|1950}})
| highlights    =
* 9× [[East-West All-Star Game|All-Star]] (1935, 1937, 1939, 1939², 1942, 1942², 1943, 1946, 1946²)
* [[Negro World Series]] champion ([[1946 Negro World Series|1946]])
| hoflink       = National Baseball Hall of Fame
| hoftype       = National
| hofdate       = [[1995 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|1995]]
| hofmethod     = Veterans Committee
}}

'''Leon Day'''  (October 30, 1916 – March 13, 1995) was an American professional baseball [[pitcher]] who spent the majority of his career in the [[Negro league baseball|Negro leagues]]. Recognized as one of the most versatile athletes in the league during his prime, Day could play every position, with the exception of [[catcher]], and often was the starting [[second baseman]] or [[center fielder]] when he was not on the mound. A right-handed pitcher with a trademark no wind-up delivery, Day excelled at striking batters out, especially with his high-speed [[fastball]]. At the same time, he was an above-average [[contact hitter]], which, combined with his effectiveness as a baserunner and his tenacious fielding, helped cement Day as one of the most dynamic players of the era.

Debuting in the Negro leagues in 1934, Day played with the [[Baltimore Black Sox]], [[Newark Eagles]], and [[Baltimore Elite Giants]] during his career. In 1937, Day had the best season of his career as a member of the Eagles, finishing with a perfect record of 13–0 and a [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] over .300. Day also played [[Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente|Puerto Rican winter ball]] in the offseasons. He holds both the Negro and Puerto Rican league records for [[strikeout]]s in a game, and appeared in the most [[East–West All-Star Game]]s.

Because of his soft-spoken demeanor, Day's accomplishments were not immediately recognized as opposed to other elite pitchers of the league like [[Satchel Paige]]. Nonetheless, Day is considered one of the best pitchers of the Negro leagues, equaling and sometimes surpassing the abilities of his rivals. In 1995, Day was elected into the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]], just six days before his death at 78 years old.

== Early life ==

Day was born to glass factory worker Ellis Day and his wife Hattie Leet in [[Alexandria, Virginia]], a city seven miles from [[Washington, D.C.]], on October 30, 1916.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/features/bal-blackhistory-day-story,amp.html|title=Leon Day|author=McCardell, Paul|work=[[Baltimore Sun]]|year=2007|access-date=January 19, 2017|archive-date=September 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902152040/https://www.baltimoresun.com/features/bal-blackhistory-day-story,amp.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nlbpa.com/the-athletes/day-leon|title=Day, Leon|publisher=Negro League Baseball Players Association|year=2012|access-date=January 19, 2017}}</ref> His family, which included five other siblings, moved the following year to [[Mount Winans, Baltimore|Mount Winans]], a predominantly black community in a poor area of Southwest [[Baltimore]], in a residence situated on Pierpont Street that lacked electricity and indoor plumbing. At a young age, Day became enamored with baseball, often playing local sandlot games or taking the long walk from his neighborhood to Maryland Ball Park where he watched the [[Baltimore Black Sox]].<ref name=baltimore>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xe5lDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA249|title=Baltimore Sports: Stories from Charm City|author=Nathan, Daniel|publisher=University of Arkansas Press|pages=245–246|year=2016|isbn=978-1-68226-005-0}}</ref>

Day participated in Mount Winans Athletic Club when he was 12 and 13 years old. Because his campus did not offer a baseball program, in 1933, at 17 years old, Day dropped out of [[Frederick Douglass High School (Baltimore, Maryland)|Frederick Douglass High School]] to join the semi-professional team the Silver Moons.<ref name=pastime>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenationalpastimemuseum.com/article/his-day-leon-day-was-best|title=In His Day, Leon Day Was the Best|publisher=The National Pastime Museum|author=Mendel, Tim|year=2013|access-date=January 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211155811/http://www.thenationalpastimemuseum.com/article/his-day-leon-day-was-best|archive-date=2017-02-11|url-status=dead}}</ref> With the club, he was predominantly a [[second baseman]], "but if the pitcher got in trouble", recollected Day, "I'd say 'Give me the ball'".<ref name=baltimore/>

== Baseball career ==
=== Negro leagues ===
Day was discovered by [[Rap Dixon|Herbert "Rap" Dixon]], a former [[Negro league baseball|Negro leagues]] baseball player and manager of the Black Sox, who took notice of his exceptional fielding and pitching abilities.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://irp.cdn-website.com/33d0c3d0/files/uploaded/Herbert_Rap_Dixon.pdf|title=Forgotten Heroes: Herbert "Rap" Dixon|publisher=CNLBR.org|author=Revel, Layton|year=2012|access-date=January 27, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bKSEkYoGfzwC&pg=PA56|title=Invisible Men: Life in Baseball's Negro Leagues|author=Rogosin, Donn|publisher=University of Nebraska Press|year=1983|pages=56–57|isbn=978-0-8032-5969-0}}</ref> In early 1934, Day was signed to a professional baseball contract worth $60 per month, gaining valuable insight during the season from his teammate Lamon Yokeley.<ref name=pastime/><ref name=Kansas>{{cite web|url=http://coe.k-state.edu/annex/nlbemuseum/history/players/day.html|title=Leon Day|publisher=[[Kansas State University]]|year=2006|access-date=January 30, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304022804/http://coe.k-state.edu/annex/nlbemuseum/history/players/day.html|archive-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref> However, due to the financial instability of the organization, the Black Sox disbanded at the end of the year. Day, Dixon, Yokeley, and other high-profile teammates subsequently signed with the [[Brooklyn Eagles]] in 1935. There, Day was mentored on his [[pickoff]] move by pitcher [[Ted Radcliffe|Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe]].<ref name=ahistory>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XvYg5ITURBkC&pg=PA135|title=Black Baseball: A History of African-Americans & the National Game|author=McNary, Kyle|page=135|publisher=Sterling Publishing Company|year=2003|isbn=1-85648-694-X}}</ref> The Eagles' general manager, [[Ben Taylor (Negro Leagues)|Ben Taylor]], sensed potential in the promising prospect and incorporated Day into the starting rotation. His first regular season on the mound, Day finished with a 9–2 record, highlighted by a [[one-hitter (baseball)|one-hitter]], and earned his first of seven [[East–West All-Star Game]] appearances.<ref name=sabr>{{cite web|url=http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/f6e24f41|title=Leon Day|author=Kern, Thomas|publisher=Society for American Baseball Research|year=2015|access-date=February 5, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FV0uF_RwC00C&pg=PA51|title=The Negro Leagues in New Jersey: A History|author=Martin, Arthur M.|publisher=McFarland Publishing|pages=51–52|year=2008|isbn=978-0-7864-3900-3}}</ref>

In 1936, Day was recognized as the ace of the recently relocated Newark Eagles pitching staff,<ref name=ahistory/> bringing "a lot of intangibles to his game—his tenacity in going after hitters, his speed and quickness in fielding the ball, and his dedication to the game", as Day's teammate of five years [[Max Manning]] recalled.<ref name=sabr/> His best season in the Negro leagues came in 1937, when Day was backed by the vaunted "million-dollar infield" consisting of [[Ray Dandridge]], [[Willie Wells]], [[Dick Seay]], and [[Mule Suttles]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RbF37P3D8cYC&pg=PA148|title=Of Monarchs and Black Barons: Essays on Baseball's Negro Leagues|author=Riley, James A.|publisher=McFarland Publishing|page=148|year=2012|isbn=978-0-7864-6542-2}}</ref> Though just 5-foot-9 inches, Day delivered a 90–95 [[miles per hour|mph]] [[fastball]]. The pitch was deceptively fast because Day delivered with no windup, and threw the competition off-balance with his pinpoint accurate [[curveball]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.mlb.com/news/article/16538706/|title=Day's fastball dominated 'black baseball'|work=[[MLB.com]]|author=Hill, Justice B.|year=2011|access-date=February 6, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211080756/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/16538706/|archive-date=February 11, 2017}}</ref> Day posted a perfect 13–0 season, coupled by a 3.02 [[earned run average]] (ERA), .320 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]], and eight [[home runs]].<ref name=baltimore/> When he was not active on the mound, Day at one point or another played at every position, with the exception of [[catcher]], and was a dangerous bat in the line-up, excelling to such an extent that Day drew comparisons to [[Babe Ruth]]'s legendary batting talent. Some writers like Daniel Nathan and Thomas Kern even argue that Day should have been a full-time outfielder to have his bat in the line-up every game.<ref name=baltimore/><ref name=sabr/>

On July 31, 1942, Day set a Negro league record for strikeouts in a single game, striking out 18 batters from the [[Baltimore Elite Giants]] in a one-hit shutout. The only hit manufactured against Day that outing was a bloop [[Single (baseball)|single]] to left field off the bat of [[Pee Wee Butts|"Pee Wee" Butts]].<ref name=sabr/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://baseballhall.org/hof/day-leon|title=Leon Day|publisher=[[Baseball Hall of Fame]]|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref> In the 1942 East-West All-Star Game, with runners threatening in the seventh inning, Day entered in relief to strike out seven batters, the most recorded by a pitcher in an East-West All-Star appearance.<ref name=Kansas/> Although the Newark Eagles failed to secure the [[Negro National League (1933–48)|Negro National League]] pennant that season, Day still participated in the [[Negro League World Series]] thanks to an odd transaction. After dropping the first three games, the [[Homestead Grays]] acquired Day on loan from the Eagles. He bested his rival [[Satchel Paige]] and the [[Kansas City Monarchs]] in a 4–1 Game Four victory.<ref name=monarch>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RbF37P3D8cYC&pg=PA148|title=Of Monarchs and Black Barons: Essays on Baseball's Negro Leagues|author=Riley, James A.|publisher=McFarland Publishing|page=155|year=2012|isbn=978-0-7864-6542-2}}</ref> In response to the upset, the ''[[Pittsburgh Courier]]'', one of the most respected newspapers covering the Negro leagues, ranked Day ahead of Paige as the best pitcher in the league in 1942 and 1943.<ref name=pastime/> For his performance, Day was rewarded with $100 and a train ride back to Baltimore.<ref name=monarch/> The outcome of the game was thrown out on appeal by the Monarchs, however, for the Grays' use of unauthorized players. Without Day, the replay of the game was won by the Monarchs, sealing the series sweep.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1995/07/31/for-leon-day-dream-is-no-longer-deferred/|title=For Leon Day, dream is no longer deferred|author=Snyder, Brad|work=Baltimore Sun|year=1995|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref>

=== World War II ===

On September 1, 1943, Day was [[conscription|drafted]] into military service.<ref name=sabr/> He entered into active service on September 22, 1943.  He eventually served in the [[818th Amphibian Battalion]] and landed on [[Utah Beach]] six days after [[Operation Overlord]] to drop supplies. Following [[VE-Day]], he was stationed in France. Day and fellow Negro leaguer [[Willard Brown]] were recruited to the Overseas Invasion Service Expedition (OISE) All-Stars; [[Philadelphia Phillies]] pitcher [[Sam Nahem]] was the player-manager of the team.<ref name=sabr/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2013/04/baseball_in_world_war_ii_the_amazing_story_of_the_u_s_military_s_integrated.html|title=The amazing story of the U.S. military's integrated 'World Series' in Hitler Youth Stadium in 1945|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|author=Weintraub, Robert|year=2013|access-date=February 7, 2017}}</ref> The team easily overcame the competition to reach the [[European Theater of Operations, United States Army|ETO]] World Series to face the [[71st Infantry Division (United States)|71st Infantry Division]] team, composed predominantly of [[Major League Baseball]] players. By contrast, the OISE club consisted of a mismatched roster of various minor leaguers, Negro leaguers, and semi-professionals. Before a crowd of 50,000 at [[Stadion Nürnberg]] in Germany, Day pitched in Game Two for a 2–1 victory as the OISE All-Stars eventually won the championship in five games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballinwartime.com/player_biographies/day_leon.htm|title=Leon Day|publisher=Baseball in Wartime|year=2008|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref>  Day's date of separation from the Army was March 14, 1946.  His honorable discharge lists his military occupational specialty as Amphibian Truck Driver (934), his decorations and citations as the European-African-Middle-Eastern (EAME) Service Medal and the WWII Victory Medal, and his final rank as Technician 5th Grade (Tec 5).  It also lists his height as 5'10" and his weight as 180 pounds.

=== Return to baseball ===

Following his discharge from the military, Day returned to the Eagles in time for [[Opening Day]] on May 5, 1946. Despite not having pitched professionally for so long, he threw a [[no-hitter]] against the [[Philadelphia Stars (baseball)|Philadelphia Stars]] in a 2–0 victory, allowing just three base runners via a walk and two errors charged to his teammates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nonohitters.com/2016/05/05/70-years-since-leon-days-opening-day-no-hitter/|title=70 years since Leon Day's Opening Day no-hitter|publisher=No-No Hitters|author=Lammers, Dirk|year=2016|access-date=February 4, 2017}}</ref> Hampered by a lingering arm injury, Day nonetheless led the league that season in wins, strikeouts, and [[complete games]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blackbaseball.com/2010/12/leon-day/|title=Leon Day|publisher=Black Baseball|year=2012|access-date=February 4, 2017|archive-date=February 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211075939/http://blackbaseball.com/2010/12/leon-day/|url-status=dead}}</ref> That same year, in the Negro League World Series, he pitched in two games as the Eagles edged the Monarchs in seven games, winning the championship.<ref>{{cite book |last=Holway |first=John B. |title=The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues: The Other Half of Baseball History |place=Fern Park, FL |publisher=Hastings House Publishers |year=2001 |pages=438–440 |isbn=0-8038-2007-0}}</ref> He played his final season in the Negro leagues in 1949 with the Baltimore Elite Giants.<ref name="Kansas" /> Record keeping was poor during Day's career; partial statistics credit him with a 67–29 record, but league historians claim he won as many as 300 games.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vej4vBiD-UsC&pg=PA67|title=Baseball's Other All-Stars: The Greatest Players from the Negro Leagues|author=McNeil, William|publisher=McFarland Publishing|page=67|year=2000|isbn=0-7864-0784-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/amp/archives/sports/hall-shame-fame-finds-leon-day-late-legend-walk-shrine-article-1.678947|title=Hall of a shame: Fame finds Leon Day too late for legend to walk through shrine|work=[[New York Daily News]]|author=James, Michael|year=1995|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref>

=== Other leagues ===

During the 1935 offseason, Day traveled to Puerto Rico to participate in the country's [[Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente|winter ball league]]. Beginning with his first trip in 1935, he played six seasons of winter ball in Puerto Rico, spending most of his time with the [[Tiburones de Aguadilla|Aguadilla Sharks]].

Much as with the Negro leagues, records of games were poorly documented, but some statistics show Day went 34–26 in his career with the team, and he established the league's record for most strikeouts in a game, posting 19 in 1939.<ref name=pastime/><ref name=sabr/>

In 1940, Day spent parts of the winter playing in the [[Venezuelan Professional Baseball League|Venezuelan League]], and for the [[Rojos del Águila de Veracruz|Veracruz Red Eagles]] of the [[Mexican Baseball League]], where he finished the season with a record of 6–0.<ref name=pastime/>

He returned to the Mexican League in 1947 and 1948 for the financial remuneration, however, comparatively speaking, the venture was unsuccessful for Day, who finished with a combined record of 18–20 and a 4.00 ERA.<ref name=sabr/>

Following his departure from the Negro leagues in 1950, Day spent a season with the semi-professional Winnipeg Buffalos of the [[Mandak League]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yTr-8vzj0LQC&pg=PA128|title=The Baltimore Elite Giants: Sport and Society in the Age of Negro Leagues|author=Luke, Bob|publisher=JHU Press|page=128|year=2009|isbn=978-0-8018-9116-8}}</ref> Finally, in 1951 Day made his debut in organized baseball, albeit in the minors, with the [[Toronto Maple Leafs (International League)|Toronto Maple Leafs]], a [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] club where Day tallied a 1–1 record with a 1.58 ERA through 14 games. Lastly, Day also played for two other Class-A teams in the St. Louis Browns [[farm system]], the [[Scranton Miners]] and the [[Edmonton Eskimos (baseball)|Edmonton Eskimos]], before retiring from professional baseball in 1955 at age 39.<ref name=sabr/>

== Later life and legacy ==

In his post-baseball career, Day worked as a [[bartender]] in Newark before returning to his hometown in Baltimore in 1970, where he held a position as a security guard until 1979. Before Day's death in 1995, there were numerous efforts to celebrate his career and induct Day into the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] in Cooperstown, a long-time dream of his.<ref name=baltimore2>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xe5lDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA249|title=Baltimore Sports: Stories from Charm City|author=Nathan, Daniel|publisher=University of Arkansas Press|page=249|year=2016|isbn=978-1-68226-005-0}}</ref> One such effort was made by Mayor [[Kurt Schmoke]] who declared January 31, 1992, Leon Day's Day in Baltimore. Governor [[William Donald Schaefer]] made a similar proclamation for [[Annapolis]] later that same year on May 10. Day threw out the [[ceremonial first pitch]] to [[Pat Borders]] at the [[1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game]].  Day's discreet demeanor and humble personality often understated his several accomplishments, most likely leading to him being overlooked by the Baseball Hall of Fame's voting committee.<ref name=baltimore2/> After falling short one vote of being inducted in 1993, Day was elected to the Hall of Fame on March 7, 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-leon-day-100-20161029-story,amp.html|title=Hall of Famer Leon Day's 100th birthday celebrated at Babe Ruth Museum|work=Baltimore Sun|author=McCauley, Mary|year=2016|access-date=February 6, 2017|archive-date=February 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211235448/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-leon-day-100-20161029-story,amp.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Six days later, Day died of [[heart failure]] while in hospice at [[St. Agnes Hospital (Baltimore)|St. Agnes Hospital]] in Baltimore; he was 78 years old.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/14/sports/leon-day-78-entered-hall-of-fame-a-week-ago.html|title=Leon Day, 78; Entered Hall of Fame a Week Ago|work=[[New York Times]]|year=1995|access-date=February 6, 2017}}</ref>

Impossible to ignore was Day's disparity to his rival, Paige. Historians have noted that Paige had a boisterous approach compared to Day's reserved demeanor; Paige was tall and Day was short and slender; and Paige worked hard to promote his name while Day shied away from attention.<ref name=sabr/> The pitchers' infrequent head-to-head matchups led to remarkable pitching duels, three of which Day won.<ref name=sabr/>

Posthumous efforts were designed to honor Day. Baltimore renamed a west city park in 1997, refurbished with a baseball field and a sign welcoming visitors to "Negro League Hall of Famer Leon Day Park". Day's widow, Geraldine, established the Leon Day Foundation in 2001 to sponsor organized sports and preserve the cultural significance of the Negro leagues.<ref name=baltimore2/>

In 2013, the [[Bob Feller Act of Valor Award]] honored Day as one of 37 Baseball Hall of Fame members for his service in the United States Army during World War II.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://actofvaloraward.org/hof-players/|title=WWII HOF Players – Act of Valor Award|access-date=2021-08-18|archive-date=2021-10-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008204152/https://actofvaloraward.org/hof-players/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{Bbhof|day-leon}}
* {{Baseballstats|mlb=819827|br=d/dayle99|brm=day---001leo}} and [https://www.seamheads.com/NegroLgs/player.php?playerID=day--01leo Seamheads]
* {{Find a Grave|20712}}

{{Newark Eagles}}
{{1995 Baseball HOF}}
{{Baseball Hall of Fame members}}
{{1946 Newark Eagles}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Day, Leon}}
[[Category:1916 births]]
[[Category:1995 deaths]]
[[Category:National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Baltimore Black Sox players]]
[[Category:Baltimore Elite Giants players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Baltimore]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Alexandria, Virginia]]
[[Category:Brandon Greys players]]
[[Category:Brooklyn Eagles players]]
[[Category:Newark Eagles players]]
[[Category:United States Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Winnipeg Buffaloes players]]
[[Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada]]
[[Category:African Americans in World War II]]
[[Category:Scranton Miners players]]
[[Category:Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players]]
[[Category:Diablos Rojos del México players]]
[[Category:Azules de Veracruz players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:American expatriate baseball players in Mexico]]
[[Category:Homestead Grays players]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Stars players]]
[[Category:Edmonton Eskimos (baseball) players]]
[[Category:United States Army officers]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Virginia]]
[[Category:African-American United States Army personnel]]