The Entangled Story of Race and Baseball in Boston

Boston is a city with a rich baseball history. The city is home to two of the most storied teams in Major League Baseball, the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Braves. However, the city's baseball history is also marked by a long and painful history of racism.

Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston

by Howard Bryant

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	872 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	290 pages

FREE

The first professional baseball team in Boston was the Boston Red Stockings, founded in 1869. The Red Stockings were one of the first teams to field a racially integrated lineup, with two black players, Moses Fleetwood Walker and George Washington Stovey, joining the team in 1884. However, the experiment was short-lived, and by the end of the 1887 season, both Walker and Stovey had been forced out of the league.

For the next half-century, baseball was a segregated sport. No black players were allowed to play in the major leagues, and black teams were relegated to playing in their own leagues.

In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson's arrival in the major leagues was a watershed moment in American history, and it helped to pave the way for other black players to follow in his footsteps.

However, Boston remained a hostile environment for black players. In 1959, Ted Williams was traded to the Red Sox from the Cleveland Indians. Williams was one of the most popular players in baseball, but he was also a known racist. He refused to room with black players, and he often made derogatory remarks about them.

Despite the racism, a number of black players went on to have successful careers with the Red Sox. Jim Rice was one of the most popular players in Red Sox history, and he helped the team win the World Series in 1975.

In recent years, the Red Sox have made a concerted effort to address their racist past. The team has hired a number of black coaches and executives, and they have created a number of programs to promote diversity and inclusion.

The story of race and baseball in Boston is a complex and often painful one. However, it is a story that is important to tell. It is a story that reminds us of the progress that has been made, and it also reminds us of the work that still needs to be done.

Timeline of key events

• 1869: The Boston Red Stockings are founded.
• 1884: Moses Fleetwood Walker and George Washington Stovey join the Red Stockings, becoming the first black players in the major leagues.
• 1887: Walker and Stovey are forced out of the league.
• 1947: Jackie Robinson breaks the color barrier in Major League Baseball.
• 1959: Ted Williams is traded to the Red Sox.
• 1975: Jim Rice helps the Red Sox win the World Series.
• 2004: The Red Sox hire their first black general manager, Theo Epstein.
• 2013: The Red Sox hire their first black manager, John Farrell.

The story of race and baseball in Boston is a complex and often painful one. However, it is a story that is important to tell. It is a story that reminds us of the progress that has been made, and it also reminds us of the work that still needs to be done.

Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston

by Howard Bryant

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	872 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	290 pages

FREE