On Monday, 17 legends of Negro Leagues and pre-Negro Leagues baseball gained election to the Hall of Fame. Along with the recently elected Bruce Sutter, they’ll comprise the largest election class ever. I had thought that the special Negro Leagues committee would elect somewhere between 15 and 20, including the following nine electees: catchers Biz Mackey and Lou Santop; infielders Mule Suttles, Frank Grant, Sol White, and Jud Wilson; outfielder Cristobal Torriente; and executives Cumberland Posey and J.L. Wilkinson.

Still, there were surprises. I thought that one of the two living candidates, Minnie Minoso or Buck O’Neil, would make it. Neither did, depriving the upcoming induction ceremony of some headline pizzaz. On the other hand, some relatively little known greats did win election, including left-hander Andy Cooper and first baseman Ben Taylor.

Here are capsules on eight of the newly elected Hall of Famers, including Cooper and Taylor:

Ray Brown: Unlike many Negro Leagues stars, Brown enjoyed a stable, relatively low-traveled career. From 1932 to 1945, he pitched exclusively for the Homestead Grays, employing a variety of breaking pitches to compensate for his lack of an overpowering fastball. Willard Brown: One of the few players on the ballot to have appeared in the major leagues, Brown flopped as an American Leaguer, but no t before establishing himself as one of the greatest all-round sluggers in Negro Leagues history. Nicknamed “Home Run” for obvious reasons, Brown batted .351, with a slugging percentage of .576 and a more than respectable on-base percentage of .374 during his 15-year tenure in the Negro Leagues. And thought it shouldn’t count toward his Hall of Fame resume, Brown did play 10 seasons in the Puerto Rican Winter League and five others in the minor leagues.

Andy “Lefty” Cooper: He’s somewhat of a controversial selection, one that was not anticipated by many Negro Leagues historians. Most of those associated with pitching greatness in black baseball were right-handed pitchers (Leon Day, Smokey Joe Williams, and Satchel Paige), but there were a few legendary left-handers, too. One of them was Cooper, who lasted 19 seasons in black ball. Working during the Negro Leagues’ truncated seasons, Cooper won 10 or more games seven times. Effective as both a starter and reliever, he also emerged as the Negro Leagues all-time leader in saves, albeit with only 29. Why such a low total of saves? With smaller rosters than their major league counterparts, Negro Leagues teams had little opportunity for specialization. Non-pitchers often played several positions, and pitchers had to perform any role for a shorthanded staff, from starter to long man to relief ace.

Pete Hill: Playing at the turn of the century, the six-foot, one-inch Hill didn’t look like a center fielder but had tremendous range. He was also a diverse hitter, capable of hitting for power and average. He reached the .300 mark eight times and the .400 mark two times during his career.

Effa Manley: Manley not only becomes the first woman to win election to the Hall of Fame; she was the first to even make a ballot or a list of final nominees. Along with husband Abe, Manley served as owner of the Newark Eagles, one of the Negro Leagues’ most dominant teams of the 1930s and forties. While Abe stayed in the background, Effa took a more active role and called most of the shots, with regard to both the business side and the player personnel sides of the franchise. Regarded as a tough negotiator, Manley also helped establish an important historical precedent in the relationship between the Negro Leagues and the major leagues. After the Brooklyn Dodgers signed Jackie Robinson away from the Kansas City Monarchs, Manley criticized Branch Rickey for failing to properly compensate the Monarchs. When the Cleveland Indians sought permission to negotiate with Larry Doby, she insisted that Bill Veeck provide financial compensation. Veeck did so, setting a precedent for Negro Leagues teams to receive anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 (or more) per player on future transactions.

Jose Mendez: He was built a little like Oil Can Boyd, but threw the ball even harder, belying his wispy stature. Pitching in the first two decades of the 20th century, the five-foot, eight-inch, 170-pound right-hander emerged as an intimidating pitcher with the Cuban Stars and the team known as All Nations.

Alex Pompez: As one of the most prominent early owners in the Negro Leagues, Pompez helped internationalize black baseball by signing the first Dominican, Panamanian, Puerto Rican, and Venezuelan players. His signings included Hall of Famer Martin Dihigo and would-be Hall of Famer Minnie Minoso. Pompez later joined the New York Giants, becoming a highly respected scout of Latin American talent.

Ben Taylor: Arguably the most controversial selection, Taylor had rarely been mentioned as a candidate by the Veterans Committee in past years. Playing for Indianapolis, he established a reputation for clutch hitting and deft fielding, but little about his statistical record has been publicized.

On Monday, the Hall of Fame will celebrate one of its most historic days when it announces the results of what could be its largest election class ever. In what amounts to the finishing touches of a massive research project, the Hall is holding a special onetime election designed to pay overdue honors to a number of Negro Leagues greats and 19th century standouts in black baseball.

Based on what I’m hearing from several Hall of Fame sources, as many as 15 to 20 Negro Leagues candidates could be elected on Monday. (There are a total of 39 people on the ballot, with each name being voted upon separately. In theory, all 39 could be voted in, but that definitely won’t happen.) Since this is supposed to be a one-shot deal—i.e, no future elections for the Negro Leagues—I think the voters are feeling pressure to put as many deserving candidates in as possible.

Here are the 15 standouts that I think are most likely to be selected. Those with an asterisk next to their names are virtual shoe-ins to be elected by the special12-person committee.

John Beckwith: Often mentioned as a strong candidate by the old Veterans Committee, Redding symbolized the need for versatility in the Negro Leagues, where teams operated with smaller rosters than their major league counterparts. A remarkable athlete, Beckwith played shortstop, third base, the outfield, and even behind the plate. Cutting against the stereotype of versatile players who rely on speed and slashing, Beckwith had extraordinary power, reportedly hitting 72 home runs in 1927 and 54 the following season.

Frank Grant: According to a consensus of baseball historians, Grant was the greatest black player of the 19th century. A terrific defensive second baseman and a dangerous hitter, Grant played in white minor leagues for a significant portion of his career, often facing the most vitriolic forms of racism from opponents and fans. The five-foot, seven-inch Grant encountered so much violence during games that he created a special shin guard that he wore in the field, allowing him to fend off the spikes of hateful opposing baserunners.

*Biz Mackey: The greatest defensive catcher in the Negro Leagues, the switch-hitting Mackey was also a lifetime .318 batter in league competition. The strong-armed Mackey was remarkably athletic, nimble enough to play shortstop from time to time. There’s little doubt that Josh Gibson was the greatest all-round catcher in Negro Leagues history. There’s also little doubt that Mackey ranks second.

Oliver Marcell: Aside from having the colorful nickname of “Ghost,” Marcell was a brilliant defensive third baseman who sometimes drew comparisons to Hall of Famer Judy Johnson. Marcell batted .365 in competition against white major leaguers and participated in two Negro Leagues World Series.

Minnie Minoso: Here’s a good question. Why hasn’t Minoso been voted in sooner, either by the Baseball Writers Association of American or the Veterans Committee? Unfortunately, Minoso’s career was somewhat like Larry Doby’s—split between the Negro Leagues and the major leagues—and it seems like players in that category don’t receive the full appreciation they deserve. There are a number of factors that make me want to vote yes for Minoso: a) he was terrific at getting on base, including his “ability” to get hit by pitches b) he was an excellent defensive left fielder and c) he was versatile enough to play third base, making his offensive contributions all the more valuable. I think the committee will take these strengths into account, along with his prime seasons as a member of the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox, and finally put Minoso into the Hall.

Buck O’Neil: Other than Minoso, he’s the only living candidate on the ballot. Based strictly on his performance as a player, O’Neil is not a Hall of Famer; he was basically a right-handed version of Mark Grace. But I think the committee will properly take into account O’Neil’s managerial record (which was remarkable), along with his pioneering role as an educational ambassador for the Negro Leagues. If the 94-year-old O’Neil does make it, he’ll become the headline name at this summer’s induction in Cooperstown.

Spottswood Poles: He’s been called the “Ty Cobb of the Negro Leagues,” a comparison that will help him pick up some votes. Small and speedy, Poles was an outstanding defensive center fielder and prototypical leadoff man who batted .400 or better three times. His career was interrupted by heroic service in World War I, where he earned five battle stars and a Purple Heart.

Cumberland Posey: The versatile Posey was a player, manager, and owner during a diversified Negro Leagues career that stretched from 1911 until his death in 1946. As the owner of the Homestead Grays, Posey oversaw teams that won nine consecutive league pennants from 1937 to 1945.

***** “Cannonball” Redding: As a member of the Lincoln Giants, the flamethrowing Redding teamed with Smokey Joe Williams to form what some historians have called the most dominant pitching tandem in the game’s history—white or black. Some observers claimed that Redding actually threw harder than Satchel Paige did in his prime. Beyond that, Redding also pioneered the no-windup delivery that later became popular in Negro Leagues play.

Louis Santop: Like Redding, Santop’s name was often brought up during Veterans Committee discussions, but he always fell short. A powerfully-built, strong-armed catcher, Santop emerged as one of the earliest stars in black baseball. After Josh Gibson and Biz Mackey, he was arguably the third greatest catcher in Negro Leagues history.

*Mule Suttles: Narrowly missing election by the old Veterans Committee, he’s a lead-pipe cinch to be elected by this committee. Along with a group that includes Hall of Famers Josh Gibson and Turkey Stearnes, The Mule was likely one of the five greatest pure power hitters in Negro Leagues history. Though limited in range at first base, the 230-pound Suttles was deceptively fast, once leading the Negro National League with 19 triples.

*Cristobal Torriente: As with Suttles, there’s no doubt about the case for Torriente’s election. The native Cuban was a dynamic outfielder who had power and speed, described by some as an early version of Roberto Clemente but with far more capacity for the long ball. Like Martin Dihigo, Torriente was one of a number of dark-skinned Latinos who were denied entrance into the major leagues prior to 1947.

*Sol White: Another lead-pipe cinch selection. Not only a star second baseman for several outstanding Negro Leagues teams, White was a brilliant man who founded the powerhouse Philadelphia Giants team of the early 1900s and later wrote the first history of the early years of the Negro Leagues. The pioneering White was so highly regarded for his intellect and wisdom that he was called “King Solomon.” White also had a knack for making teams better, often leading Negro Leagues clubs to championships shortly after joining them.

*J.L. Wilkinson: Mark this one down, too. He was a pioneer among Negro Leagues owners, staging night games well before his major league counterparts came up with a similar idea. During his long tenure as owner of the Kansas City Monarchs, ten Hall of Famers played for him, including Cool Papa Bell, Jackie Robinson, and Satchel Paige.

*Jud Wilson: One of the most intense players in early black baseball, Wilson developed a reputation as one of the greatest hitting third basemen of the Negro Leagues—and also one of its most feared fighters. Hitting for both average and occasional power, the determined Wilson became part of the Baltimore Black Sox’ famed “million dollar infielder,” participated in three East-West All-Star games, and finished his career with the third highest batting average in Negro Leagues history. .

I received some good news the other day. After weeks of wondering, I’ve been accepted as a presenter at the annual Cooperstown Baseball Symposium, which takes place June 7th through the 9th at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. (Unlike most of the other presenters, I won’t have to worry much about travel costs; the Hall of Fame is located about 3.2 miles from my house. Heck, maybe I’ll walk.) I’ll be presenting on one of my pet projects: major league baseball’s first all-black lineup, highlighted by the Hall of Fame duo of Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell, which made its debut 35 years ago.

The Symposium, though not a highly publicized event, is arguably the most prestigious baseball-related conference in the country. (To find out how to register for the Symposium, visit the Hall’s web site and click onto the link for the research library.) Featuring interactive talks about a wide range of baseball topics, it attracts many of the game’s leading scholars, including book authors, college professors, and just-plain-rabid baseball fans who are interested in baseball from a historical perspective and as a cultural phenomenon. Each year, the Symposium is highlighted by a keynote speaker, usually a brand name who is considered a sports heavyweight, such as Marvin Miller, the late George Plimpton, Roger Kahn, or Donald Fehr. All of those men have spoken at the Symposium since its inception 18 years ago.

If you’re a baseball fan who lives somewhere in the Northeast, or within a reasonable distance of Cooperstown, I highly recommend attending the Symposium. In addition to learning something about baseball—some aspect of the game that you never could have imagined—you’ll have an opportunity to talk baseball with some legitimately nice people who are as avid about the game as you are.

And this year, you’ll get to learn more about baseball’s history-making all-black lineup of September 1, 1971—and pepper me with all sorts of obscure and embarrassing questions.

Like spring training and the winter meetings, it’s one of those baseball experiences you need to have at least once in your life.

When you ask someone about Robert Peterson’s Only The Ball Was White, the response will inevitably include such words and phrases as “groundbreaking,” “lively,” and “one of the best baseball books of all time.” In 1970, at a time when it really wasn’t fashionable to reminisce about the Negro Leagues, Peterson helped formulate popular opinion about the history of black baseball. There are some who feel that Peterson’s work played a part in motivating the Hall of Fame to include Negro Leagues greats in the induction process. Former Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, who was presiding over the game at the time that the Hall of Fame created a special committee for the review of Negro Leagues candidates, says the Peterson book did play a role. According to Kuhn, Peterson’s masterpiece “focused greater attention on the accomplishments of Negro League players.” One year after the publication of Only The Ball Was White, Satchel Paige became the first player elected to the Hall of Fame based on his Negro Leagues accomplishments.

Peterson never publicly took any credit for influencing the Hall of Fame, but the election of Paige must have provided him with a sense of satisfaction. Within the pages of the book’s epilogue, Peterson wrote the following: “So long as the Hall of Fame is without a few of the great stars of Negro baseball, the notion that it represents the best in baseball is nonsense.” Thankfully, they got the message in Cooperstown.

Peterson recently passed away at the age of 80, just two weeks before a newly formed special Negro Leagues committee—one that he was a part of—will vote on 39 candidates for Cooperstown. The surviving members of the Hall’s newly formed Negro Leagues committee unanimously voted to include Peterson’s ballot in the upcoming election that will take place on February 27 in New York City. So while Peterson didn’t live to see the results of his ballot, he will most definitely have some influence on the future representation of the Negro Leagues in Cooperstown.

And given Mr. Peterson’s lasting contribution to the history of black baseball, that’s only right.

***

While we’re on the subject on the history of black baseball, this week’s "Fan Forum" question of the week  has to do with the Hall of Fame’s upcoming election on the Negro Leagues.

Is the Hall of Fame doing the right thing by staging a one-time election that is designed to induct all deserving Negro Leagues candidates in one fell swoop? Or should the Hall of Fame hold a special Negro Leagues election every two years, as it does with the Veterans Committee?

There are pros and cons to the current plan. If 15 or 20 Negro Leagues greats are elected this year, their accomplishments could get lost amidst the largest induction class in Hall of Fame history. Then again, some might argue that the deserving Negro League candidates have waited long enough. The Negro Leagues haven’t been around since the early 1960s, so perhaps it’s time to induct those who are deserving–and get it done now.

Sammy Sosa to the Yankees? That’s one rumor that made the rounds in recent days, but it doesn’t have much merit—other than surely raising the blood pressures of Yankee fans who feel that their team has too much collective age already. The rumor was triggered by a report in a Spanish language newspaper detailing a recent phone conversation between Sosa and Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod made the call merely to find out how Sosa was doing, and not to recruit him to play for the Yankees. With Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield on board, the Yankees already have two defensively challenged corner outfielders in their thirties. They also have the aging Bernie Williams and the defensively inept Jason Giambi as DH options, making Sosa a bad fit for the Yankees… Given his unwillingness to fight for a spring training job, it appears that Sosa will formally announce his retirement later this month. If so, it’s a sad ending for a player who at one time had more boyish enthusiasm for the game than any of his peers…

Although Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro are bigger names, the best available free agent hitter is Erubiel Durazo, who has attracted only slightly more attention than the former pair of Orioles sluggers. Although Durazo is just 32 and only two years removed from a terrific season in Oakland, most teams are scared off by his health; his recovery from Tommy John Surgery will keep him out until at least July, or possibly August. The Rangers are one of the few teams to show interest; general manager Jon Daniels has talked to Durazo about the possibility of a spring training non-roster invite. Up until now, the Mexican-born DH and 2001 alumnus of the World Champion Diamondbacks has resisted the offer, but it may be the best he receives. He has appeal to only American League teams, of which few are currently looking for help at DH. Other than the Rangers, the Yankees would seem to have a need for a major boost at DH, but they’ve indicated little interest in players who can’t play at least one position in the field. And given Durazo’s timetable for a mid-season return, only pennant contenders would likely be interested, ruling out teams like the Devil Rays, Orioles, Royals, and possibly the Tigers…

Finally, don’t believe the talk from the Roger Clemens camp that has "The Rocket" deciding to retire after the World Baseball Classic. Why would Clemens go through the process of getting in shape for the WBC and then not pitch in the upcoming major league season. It just doesn’t make sense. If Clemens does anything other than re-sign with the Astros, it will be considered a huge upset.

Jim “Mudcat” Grant and Al “Scoop” Oliver are two of my favorite people in baseball. They were both fine players, have boundless enthusiasm for baseball and its history, and only want to see the game get better in terms of its appeal to African Americans and other minorities. Two years ago, I achieved a personal and professional goal when I was given the opportunity to interview both Grant and Oliver as part of the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s celebration of Black History Month.

Much of what Mudcat and Al had to say is still pertinent today, as baseball simultaneously celebrates its African-American heritage while searching for ways to increase the involvement of blacks as both fans and players. Here is an excerpt from that memorable interview in the Hall of Fame’s Bullpen Theater:

Grant: Baseball, too, must try to get the black fans back. You have to make a pointed effort as you do in any other marketing scheme. I remember when Pepsi Cola outdid Coca Cola by simply getting some black girls jumping a rope [in a television commercial]. So sometimes you have to make an effort. I remember in 1958, I was the only black pitcher in the league at that time and I had won about four games. We went to Detroit, and I came off [the field] to take batting practice, and the bleachers were full of black people. I said to Larry Doby, ‘Larry, there must be a promotion out here or something.’ He said, ‘No, don’t you know why they come out? They came to see you.’ I said, ‘You’re joking.’ He said, ‘No, they came here to see you. Let’s go out to the outfield.’ And we went from foul line to foul line, just shaking hands. So we’ve got to make an effort [like that] to get them back into the game. I don’t think there’s hip-hop in baseball. There’s hip-hop in basketball and football. But there’s no hip-hop in baseball. We’re going to have to try hop-hip. {the crowd laughs}

Markusen: Mudcat, you mentioned Larry Doby. He was your hero growing up. Tell us about that.

Grant: Well, with Jackie Robinson, you had people spill out into the streets when Jackie Robinson signed. Every player, every kid, was Jackie Robinson. ‘I’m Robbie. I’m Jackie. I’m JR.’ But I was Larry Doby. I got beat up every day because I was not Jackie Robinson. I said, ‘I’m Larry Doby.’ For some reason that struck me because it was seven weeks—11 weeks later [after Robinson’s debut]—that Doby made his debut. That was 1947, ’48. And in 1958, about ten years later, Larry Doby became my roommate. In spring training—this was 1957—they told me, ‘You’re going to room with Larry Doby.’ I said, ‘Uh, uh.’ They said, ‘Yes, you are!’ So I got in the room and they were still at the ballpark. And then Larry came in a little bit later, and I was sitting in one spot. Larry said, ‘Well, you must be Mudcat Grant.’ I said, ‘Yes sir, Mr. Doby.’ He asked, ‘Do you like that bed over there?’ I said, ‘Yes sir, Mr. Doby.’ He said, ‘You like TV?’ I said, ‘Yes sir, Mr. Doby.’ He said, ‘We’re going to have to get rid of this yes sir, Mr. Doby.’ I said, ‘Yes sir, Mr. Doby.’ {the crowd laughs} He taught me just about everything. I know the history of Larry Doby, because late at night Larry would pace, late at night. He would yell, he would scream. This is how he would overcome some of the difficulties that he had to go through. I know it was difficult. And then he taught me, ‘This is what you’re going to have to face [as a black player]. You’ve got to face it, and when you cross the white lines, you better win. It ain’t about, ‘Oh, this is so bad for me.’ You better win. Because if you don’t win, good-bye, see you later.’

Markusen: Did Larry know that you were the guy that idolized him? Did you ever tell him about that?

Grant: I told him that about in the middle of the season. I couldn’t tell him [right away]. But I told him in the middle of the season and that seemed to touch him pretty good that I was rooming with my idol. But of course you know that Larry himself wasn’t hurt [physically], but he was hurt by the fact that Jackie was the first to sign. And we don’t forget Larry Doby, but Larry came 11 weeks later and went through the same thing, but it wasn’t New York City, it was Cleveland, Ohio. And even to this day, as we celebrate Black History Month, we hear Jackie, Jackie, and [basketball great] Bill Russell, and nothing about Larry Doby. That hurts me, too.

Markusen: Larry passed away recently, just this past year. Had you been keeping in touch with him? Grant: See him all the time. He got crabbier as he got older! {the crowd laughs} But I’m very close to his family and we always had good times together, Larry and I. We always had a lot to talk in baseball, but he was kind of stubborn because he knew I wanted him to tell the story. He said ‘Don’t you tell me what to do.’ And I said ‘I’m telling you what to do, you tell this story.’ He said ‘Shut up.’ I said ‘Don’t tell me to shut up.’ We didn’t get the story, but I’m gonna tell it anyway.

Markusen: Al, how about you? Did you have a baseball idol or hero growing up?

Oliver: Not so much hero because you know my dad was my mentor, but the guys that I had high respect for were Frank Robinson and Vada Pinson. So being from southern Ohio and being a Reds fan, those were the two guys. And who was ever to think later that one day I would play against Frank and [oppose] him to the World Series and then play for him as a player. So those two were the ones that I really enjoyed watch play. You know, I would tell any young person today, you know, don’t get so much hung up on us as athletes. It starts from home. Look at your parents as your role models; those are your true role models. Yes, I do feel that we have an obligation and that’s to be good citizens, be productive on the field, and do the things that we know that we’re supposed to do. But those were the two guys that I looked at, Frank and Vada.

Markusen: Robinson was one of the most hard-nosed players I can remember seeing. He would take guys out at second base. Was that an aspect of his play that you really liked, how hard he played the game?

Oliver: How hard he played, there’s no question about that. You know, and Vada’s smoothness as a runner, yeah, I always liked those hard-playing players, I always did. Because I played with a lot of them, you know, throughout my career. Hard players, hard-nosed… Frank is hard-nosed as a manager, too.

Grant: Yeah, he was hard-nosed. You speak to him, you know, you play against him and say ‘How are you doing, Frank?’ He’ll say ‘What are you speaking to me for?’

Oliver: But Frank has settled down. You know, really it’s amazing. It’s great to see because he’s such a good guy and one other thing about Frank Robinson is that he is one of the most intelligent people that I have ever been around… He can stand next to you with his manager, I’ll never forget, he could almost call every pitch. I mean he was smart.

Grant: And underrated.

Oliver: Oh yeah.

Grant: Frank deserves to be [ranked] up there.

Markusen: How’d you fare against him [Robinson]?

Grant: Not too good!

Markusen: Mudcat, let’s talk about that time period that you came up; 1958 was the year that you made your major league debut for the Cleveland Indians. Especially for the youngsters here, I think it’s important to realize how different America was, how different it was for the black player. Segregation was going on seemingly in every aspect of society. Some of it was so ridiculous, to the point of segregated water fountains, hotels, restaurants. As a major league player, how affected were you by all of that and were there any efforts made by your teammates or the organization to help shield you from it?

Grant: First, I wasn’t affected by it because by that time, I had my mother nail confidence into me where I could overcome it. But I still got training by the African Americans that were already there. You’re right, though, some of the kids here can’t associate with what was going on back in those days. It just doesn’t seem real because now we’re in a different generation. But we could not stay at the same hotels, especially in spring training. We could not drink at the same water fountain. In fact, [Indians pitcher] Gary Bell went to a fountain one day, and one said ‘white’ and one said ‘colored.’ And we looked underneath and the pipe went to the same [place]. Is it going that way or is it going that way? No, it was going the same way. [Let me talk about] Ted Williams. Some of the white players, man, they could not put up with this, but were afraid to say something. Even today some of the white players need closure because they know they should have said something and didn’t say anything. But Ted Williams did. We were in New Orleans, one of the most segregated cities there was at that time. What they did with us, we played the Boston Red Sox in an exhibition game; this was during spring training. So you flew in on the airplane, and then after you come through the airport, the white players and all of the bags [for both white and black players] went on the bus and went to the white hotel. We could not ride in a white cab so they put us outside of the airport into some grassy areas where we waited for black cabs to come and pick us up. Sometimes it would be an hour; sometimes it would be two hours that we had to wait there. Now the cab would pick us up and we would go to the black hotel or motel or bed-and-breakfast. And the bags would be over at the white hotel. Now the Boston Red Sox had been sued to get black players on the time. They had two black players, Pumpsie Green and Earl Wilson. Me and Vic Power were the only two black players on the Cleveland Indians. So four black players couldn’t merge onto a hotel. If you did, it created some problems. The four of us couldn’t go, so we pulled straws. For the first time ever I lost the pool. Now I’ve got to go to the hotel. And I did. I went over to the hotel. You had to pay the black cab driver four times as much to drive to the white hotel because it was dangerous. So I get out of the cab and this guy walked up to me and he said, ‘What are you doing here?’ I said, ‘Well actually, I’ve come to get those bags.’ The bags were still sitting in the lobby. He said, ‘You ain’t got no bags here.’ And I said, ‘Those bags belong to the colored baseball players.’ He said, ‘That’s a likely story. You ain’t coming in here.’ So Ted Williams—and this is three hours later—Ted Williams was coming back from dinner. So he saw me—Ted Williams and the trainer. Ted said, ‘Hey, how ya doing?’ I said, “Well Ted, I’m not doing too good. You know I can’t stay here.’ He said, ‘It’s a shame you can’t stay here.’ I said, ‘And our bags are sitting right over there. But this bellman won’t let me go and get the bags.’ So Ted said, ‘Mud, you know, the bellman is right. You shouldn’t be going over there to get them bags. HE should be going over there to get them bags.’ Ted then said [to the bellman], ‘That’s right, boy. Go over there and get them bags!’ {crowd erupts in laughter}

So those were some of the things that happened back in those days.

Pitchers and catchers report in three days. Yes, on Thursday, February 16, batterymen for the 30 major league teams can begin voluntarily reporting to spring training camps throughout Florida and Arizona. This must be especially good news for folks living in New York City and Boston, where horrific snowstorms unloaded nearly 30 inches of fresh snow over the weekend. It’s not bad news here in Cooperstown either; although we were spared the heavy snowfall, freezing temperatures have invaded Leatherstocking country over the past ten days. I’ve been fortunate to attend spring training about ten times in my life, and have done so as both a fan and a member of the media. One spring, I practically camped out at Municipal Stadium in West Palm Beach, where both the Braves and the Expos (remember them?) used to train. (There was a game there almost every day, which made it spring training heaven.) Simply put, spring training is one of the best times on the baseball calendar, right up there with Opening Day, the trading deadline, the postseason, the World Series, and the winter meetings. There are so many things that are right about spring training, from the sunny days and warm weather to the cozy ballparks, to the optimism that each team has that this year will somehow end up better than next year.

All of this brings us to our “Fan Forum” question of the week. What is the best part of spring training? And you don’t necessarily have to have attended spring training to answer this question, because spring training can be enjoyed from afar, as long as one has access to newspapers, the radio, TV, and/or the internet. Below are just a few of the most delightful aspects of spring training, with accessibility to the players ranking as my number one favorite.

*Smaller, more intimate ballparks with better vantage points of the playing field

*The proximity of ballparks to the beach

*Better accessibility to the players, in terms of both autographs and conversation

*The warmer weather, especially after a winter of frost in the northeast and midwest

*Watching spring training workouts

*Watching spring training games

*The chance to watch this spring’s hottest rookies

*The chance to watch your team’s major offseason acquisition for the first time

*The first boxscores and linescores

Yes, after a winter of shortened days, too many television show repeats, and overly analyzed football games, baseball is almost here. Pitchers and catchers will arrive on Thursday. Thank goodness.

The consensus is in: most of major league baseball, from Derek Jeter to the Astros’ front office, seems to think that Roger Clemens will pitch this season. That leaves just one question: which team will be the lucky recipient of his 43-year-old services? Given that Clemens has already said he doesn’t think he can put in a full season at his age, the Astros seem to be the odds-on favorites. Houston can’t sign him until May 1 anyway, which would give Clemens a month to six weeks off at the beginning of the season. The biggest obstacle to the Astros’ re-signing Clemens will be, of course, the money. They won’t go anywhere near the $20 million mark, instead trying to get Clemens to sign a deal in the $10 to 12 million range. If Clemens decides that’s not sufficient compensation, then he’ll probably turn to the Yankees, who have both a place in the rotation and the payroll maneuverability to give Clemens a contract in the range of $16 to $20 million. If Clemens were to turn down the Yankees, his next options would be the Red Sox, who are already planning a substantial one-year offer to “The Rocket.” That would leave the Rangers in fourth place in the Clemens Sweepstakes…

The Devil Rays haven’t given up on the idea of trading Julio Lugo, but are simply being cautious and waiting for the right offer to come around—preferrably one that is centered on young pitching. The Rays can afford to be patient since there are many in the organization who feel B. J. Upton isn’t ready to play shortstop and may need two or three months of seasoning in the minor leagues or some time as a DH. If the Devil Rays do come around and deal Lugo, the likeliest destination would be the Cubs, who are itching to supplant Todd Walker and his declining range…

The Nationals made one good move and one questionable move this week in signing Matthew LeCroy to a one-year contract and offering a similar contract to Sammy Sosa. LeCroy’s powerful right-handed bat will make him a serviceable backup and complement to left-handed hitters Nick Johnson (first base) and Brian Schneider (catcher), while also giving Frank Robinson a potentially good pinch-hitter for the late innings. As for Sosa, giving him a guaranteed major league contract seems like a stretch (especially with Ryan Church available to play left field), given Sammy’s abysmal production the past two seasons. If Sosa has a good spring, it will probably increase the chances of either Alfonso Soriano or Jose Vidro being traded sometime between now and Opening Day. Soriano still wants no part of left field, while Vidro’s diminishing range at second base has become a concern. One team that may be interested in Soriano is the Cubs, who are not satisfied with either Walker or Jerry Hairston and would like to add a premier second baseman (at least one who can hit, because Soriano can’t field). But they may be unwilling to give up prized left-hander Rich Hill as part of any package. The Nationals are encountering the same problem once faced by the Rangers. No one wants to give up quality pitching for a hit-or-miss player like Soriano. The fact that Soriano lost his arbitration case and will “settle” for a $10 million salary will make him only slightly more attractive in a potential trade…

While Soriano’s presence on the trade market is no surprise, another player has strangely moved onto the block. The Brewers are quietly letting it be known that they will consider offers for Carlos Lee, who played well in his first season in Milwaukee. Why would the Brewers want to trade Lee? Well, there are two reasons. “El Caballo” can be a free agent after this season, and the Brewers are worried that they won’t be able to sign him longterm. The Brewers also have some depth in the outfield, with prospect Corey Hart and the newly acquired Gabe Gross available as potential replacements. If the Brewers do decide to unload Lee, they’ll have several serious suitors, including the Angels, Blue Jays, and Cubs.

Throughout the year, I’ll be writing about baseball’s first all-black lineup, which occurred 35 years ago. It’s an event that has received very little publicity, but one that deserves more recognition and analysis.

A recent post that I did about the film Glory Road has stirred some debate about the first all-black lineup that the Pittsburgh Pirates used on September 1, 1971. Some fans object to the use of the term "all black," saying that is inappropirate in describing the players who comprised that historic lineup, which featured the likes of Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell. In light of that, let’s make a few additional points:

*Clemente himself reguarly referred to himself as a double minority, in other words, both Latino and black. If black is used to describe skin color, then Clemente, Manny Sanguillen, and Jackie Hernandez were all black. For those not comfortable with the use of the word "black," then I think "minority" would be the better word.

*There has never been another all-black, or all-minority, or all-African American lineup in major league history. The Cardinals came close during the 1980s, but never quite had an all-black or all-minority nine. Right now, it’s a onetime event, with the Pirates of September 1, 1971, holding exclusive rights to the "title."

*I don’t think that an all-black lineup during the regular season is as noteworthy as what Texas Western did in the national championship game, but let’s keep two things in mind:

1) baseball requires nine players, as opposed to five, so naturally it’s more difficult to field an all-black lineup in a sport like baseball

2) the ’71 Pirates won the World Championship one month after the all-black lineup, while using a lineup that had more minorities than white players. Sanguillen, Dave Cash, Hernandez, Stargell, and Clemente played virtually every day in that World Series, the center fielder was always black (Al Oliver or Gene Clines), and Jose Pagan started a couple of games at third base. Aside from the pitching staff, the only whites who played regularly in that Series for Pittsburgh were Bob Robertson at first base and Richie Hebner at third base.

An author friend of mine, Dan Schlossberg, was kind enough to send me his latest book. (This is Dan’s 29th book, which makes me feel highly inadequate as an author.) It’s called Making Airwaves: 60 Years at Milo’s Microphone, and tells us about the well-traveled career of longtime broadcaster Milo Hamilton.

Currently the radio play-by-play voice of the Houston Astros, Hamilton has broadcast games for a number of teams, including the Braves, Cubs, Pirates, and Cardinals. Unlike some books featuring broadcasters, Hamilton foregoes diplomacy and political correctness, instead choosing to be very candid throughout Making Airwaves. He criticizes fellow Hall of Fame broadcasters Harry Caray and Bob Prince, current Braves voice Skip Caray, former Pirates pitcher Bruce Kison, and the late Carl Morton, formerly a pitcher with the Braves.

Hamilton also talks openly about a perceived feud between himself and Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, with whom he had some disagreements during his tenure with the Braves. Thankfully, those problems have been put aside. But Hamilton’s less-than-flattering portrayal of other baseball legends will likely garner some headlines throughout spring training camps in Florida and Arizona.