Joseph Black was born on February 8, 1924 in Plainfield, New Jersey. He began playing baseball in his youth, and after high school graduation, Black attended Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. After college, Black was signed as a pitcher to the Baltimore Elite Giants in the Negro League.
In his seven seasons with the Elite Giants, he guided the team to the Negro League Championship twice, winning both of them. While playing in the Negro League, Black – along with Jackie Robinson – pushed for a pension plan for players in the league, and succeeded.
Heading to the Big Leagues
Black dominated the Negro League until 1951, when he was called up to the big leagues to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers’ farm system for a season. The very next season, he joined the Dodgers’ major league team, five years after Robinson joined the team. In his first year with the Dodgers’, at the age of 28, Black won the Rookie of the Year Award.
He finished the season with a 15-4 record with 15 saves, a 2.15 earned run average (ERA), and 142.1 innings pitched. Though the Dodgers fell to the New York Yankees in the 1952 World Series, Black set a historical record, becoming the first African American pitcher to win a World Series game (Game 1 of the 7-game series).
Black’s next five seasons were not as distinguished as his debut, but he still remained one of the most liked and well-respected players in Major League Baseball (MLB). Even in the midst of horrid racism during the time, players and coaches loved him.
After ending his career in the late 1950s, Black briefly stayed active in the sport, scouting potential players for a couple of years. He later moved back to New Jersey and taught health and physical education at Hubbard Junior High School in Plainfield. He continued to lobby for black players, years after retirement, up until his death in 2002. Joe Black was an inspiration for all players of the sport; his hard work and dedication helped him break boundaries in baseball, and become one of the most influential athletes to ever play game.
Hero (Top) Feature Image: © Carly Weaver / Best of NJ
Additional Image Courtesy: Morgan.edu