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Joe Black: More than a Dodger
He was told that the color of his skin would keep him out of the big leagues, but Joe Black worked his way up through the Negro Leagues and the Cuban Winter League. He burst into the Majors in 1952 when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the face of segregation, verbal harassment, and even death threats, Joe Black rose to the top of his game; he earned National League Rookie of the Year and became the first African American pitcher to win a World Series game. With the same tenacity he showed in his baseball career, Black became the first African American vice president of a transportation corporation when he went to work for Greyhound. In this first-ever biography of Joe Black, his daughter Martha Jo Black tells the story not only of a baseball great who broke through the color line, but also of the father she knew and loved.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2015
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November 3, 2024
With the World Series over, each November the baseball book club reads a book paying homage to the fall classic winner. This year we actually started planning as soon as the matchup was set because the series pitted two classic franchises for the first time in over forty years. So much has been written about both the Dodgers and Yankees over the years that coming up with a new to all of us book took some critical deduction skills. This year alone, I think I have read five books featuring the Dodgers and two focusing on the Yankees. I have shelves devoted to the Brooklyn Dodgers and to one Jackie Robinson. Thankfully, when the series was two games to none in favor of the Dodgers, we came up with a book set in the Brooklyn era that none of us had read before. Before the series shifted back to the Bronx, I had just an inkling that the Dodgers would win, and I was correct. My husband is a Yankees fan so he is not to happy right now, but even he knows how much I enjoy reading about the Brooklyn Dodgers. He has to admit that the east coast version of the team is a far cry to the multi billion dollar conglomerate assembled today. I never need an excuse to read about mid 20th century Brooklyn, a time I wouldn’t have reminded growing up in. This Dodgers victory gave us a chance to read about one Joe Black, a fascinating man, who we are reminded was more than just a Dodger.
Joe Black was born in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1924, the second of six children born to Joseph and Martha Black. The elder Blacks did not receive more than an eighth grade education because they always had to work, especially after marriage when the children started coming one after another. Martha Black cleaned the homes of wealthy white families, a common practice during the first half of the twentieth century. During the depression, her children might have eaten one meal a day and wore the hand me down clothes and shoes of the families that Martha cleaned for. By age ten, the children were encouraged to get jobs to contribute to the family income. Joe got a paper route, common for boys in his age range. One day in October of 1935, Joe Black discovered the game of baseball while collecting the papers for his route. It was a radio broadcast of the World Series between the Cardinals and Tigers, and, becoming enamored by the action, Joe decided that he wanted to be a professional ball player when he grew up. His mother told him to go in the direction of his dreams, but Joe had never played ball before, and, in 1930s America, there was no future for colored men in the major leagues, or so he was told by a prejudiced scout. With Hank Greenberg as his forever hero and the fact that he grew up in an integrated community, Joe was not deterred, and pinned his future in the game of baseball on attending a historically black college (HBCU).
As a student at Morgan State College in Baltimore, Joe learned about African American history and the complex fabric of his people. This was not taught in the Plainfield school system even though the community was comprised of 60-40 caucasians to African Americans. Until college, Joe played on integrated teams attended by a mixed crowd. As a starter on the college football team, he was shocked when the entire crowd was black. He had no idea that this even existed. His parents wanted a better future for their children so they purposefully lived in an integrated community. This upbringing would benefit Joe during his adult life. During college, Uncle Sam called and Joe enlisted into a colored unit in the army. During his stint, he would never see action but became a star pitcher for the Camp Crowder baseball team managed by Detroit Tiger Tommy Bridges. Bridges taught tolerance even though Crowder was located in the south, and Joe was subject to Jim Crow laws at restaurants, hotels, and ball parks. His teammates stood by him, and this integration of army teams paved the way for baseball’s integration a few years later. Following his release from the army, Joe gave up football in favor of baseball. He joined the Baltimore Elite Giants during the waning days of the Negro Leagues and savored the time he spent there. A teammate and lifelong friend was Jim Gilliam, who was also destined for the Dodgers. Joe had not given up on his dream of playing in the majors. He experienced playing on an integrated team in the army, and read about and cheered the day that the Dodgers signed Jackie Robinson to a minor league contact. Joe foreshadowed that more players would follow and if he continued to pitch well, he would get a chance too. He would not give up on his dream.
Fast forward four years and Joe Black and Jim Gilliam got invited to Dodgers spring training. Some speculate that the only reason that Black was invited is that he was Gilliam’s friend, and the slugger needed a black roommate. The Dodgers were ahead of the curve, already fielding a lineup including Robinson, Roy Campanella, and pitcher Don Newcombe. Fans and writers hoped that Joe would be the next Newk, who was called to the army during the 1951-52 seasons. Joe knew that he was a thrower. He only possessed two pitches, a fastball and a curve that was really a slower version of his fastball. Due to a chronic injury as a child, a few of his fingers shriveled, and he could not grip other pitches properly. In 1952 the league had not caught on to twenty eight year old rookie Joe Black yet. He saved the Dodgers season as their fireman, winning and saving fifteen games each, propelling them to yet another World Series against the Yankees. The cobbled together Dodgers pitching staff stood no chance against the Yankees, who easily beat better Dodgers teams than the 1952 version. Joe was tabbed to start game one and won the game. It was his shining moment; he had fulfilled his dream, and he knew that many of his Negro league teammates would never get this chance. Following the dream season, the Dodgers attempted to tinker with Joe’s mechanics, and he was never the same. By the end of the 1957 season and the Dodgers ticketed for Los Angeles, Joe was out of baseball. His influence on improving the community around him was just beginning.
Following his retirement from baseball, Joe Black became a middle school teacher and baseball coach in the Plainfield school system that he once attended. Joe was everyone’s favorite teacher because he acted as an advocate for the students and encouraged them to work hard because no one gets anything by doing nothing. After the 1963 school year, Joe attended the March on Washington and wanted to lend his voice to the movement. Even though I believe that he influenced young people from his position as a teacher, Joe envisioned something bigger and became a national spokesman for Greyhound Lines, a position he held in some capacity until his death. Joe Black was always the biggest person in the room. He spoke to crowds and people listened and donated to scholarships. Although Joe started as a liaison to the black community, he rose in the company until he became a vice president, the first person of color to do so. At age forty five, Joe became a father again to Martha Jo, and five years later, he gained full custody of her, during an era when kids primarily went to their mothers. Martha Jo and Joe enjoyed a special relationship, and Martha preferred her dad because he took the time to play with her rather than doting her with presents. One could say that Joe Black was ahead of his time as a devoted girl dad, but all he did was love his daughter and devote the second half of his life to her, something that should be inherent in all parents.
Joe was on a first person name basis with a community of retired major league players as well as Bill Cosby and Sinbad the entertainer. He made the most of his life and was a keynote speaker at the 50th anniversary of baseball’s integration celebration. Joe Black was forever grateful for Jackie Robinson for opening the door for him and countless other negro players, giving them the opportunity to play in the majors. It broke his heart when young black players did not want to learn about what it was like in the negro leagues and the early days of integrated baseball, whereas white players were willing to pick his brain. It pains me as well when I encounter classes and kids do not know who Jackie Robinson is without a history lesson. Joe Black gave his all to make the world a better place from the one he found as a kid. He used his mother’s encouragement as a springboard to achieve his dream of pitching in the major leagues and appearing in the World Series. Even though he did not enjoy longevity in the majors, Joe Black will be remembered as a vital cog of the 1950s Brooklyn Dodgers teams, despite only making a difference in one season. Many pennants are one because everyday players enjoy career years. Joe Black is a reminder of this. I still wish that the Yankees had won this year rather than the Los Angeles Dodgers, but then I would not have discovered the person of Joe Black. He was quite a man, especially off of the field where he made a difference in countless lives.
4 stars
Joe Black was born in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1924, the second of six children born to Joseph and Martha Black. The elder Blacks did not receive more than an eighth grade education because they always had to work, especially after marriage when the children started coming one after another. Martha Black cleaned the homes of wealthy white families, a common practice during the first half of the twentieth century. During the depression, her children might have eaten one meal a day and wore the hand me down clothes and shoes of the families that Martha cleaned for. By age ten, the children were encouraged to get jobs to contribute to the family income. Joe got a paper route, common for boys in his age range. One day in October of 1935, Joe Black discovered the game of baseball while collecting the papers for his route. It was a radio broadcast of the World Series between the Cardinals and Tigers, and, becoming enamored by the action, Joe decided that he wanted to be a professional ball player when he grew up. His mother told him to go in the direction of his dreams, but Joe had never played ball before, and, in 1930s America, there was no future for colored men in the major leagues, or so he was told by a prejudiced scout. With Hank Greenberg as his forever hero and the fact that he grew up in an integrated community, Joe was not deterred, and pinned his future in the game of baseball on attending a historically black college (HBCU).
As a student at Morgan State College in Baltimore, Joe learned about African American history and the complex fabric of his people. This was not taught in the Plainfield school system even though the community was comprised of 60-40 caucasians to African Americans. Until college, Joe played on integrated teams attended by a mixed crowd. As a starter on the college football team, he was shocked when the entire crowd was black. He had no idea that this even existed. His parents wanted a better future for their children so they purposefully lived in an integrated community. This upbringing would benefit Joe during his adult life. During college, Uncle Sam called and Joe enlisted into a colored unit in the army. During his stint, he would never see action but became a star pitcher for the Camp Crowder baseball team managed by Detroit Tiger Tommy Bridges. Bridges taught tolerance even though Crowder was located in the south, and Joe was subject to Jim Crow laws at restaurants, hotels, and ball parks. His teammates stood by him, and this integration of army teams paved the way for baseball’s integration a few years later. Following his release from the army, Joe gave up football in favor of baseball. He joined the Baltimore Elite Giants during the waning days of the Negro Leagues and savored the time he spent there. A teammate and lifelong friend was Jim Gilliam, who was also destined for the Dodgers. Joe had not given up on his dream of playing in the majors. He experienced playing on an integrated team in the army, and read about and cheered the day that the Dodgers signed Jackie Robinson to a minor league contact. Joe foreshadowed that more players would follow and if he continued to pitch well, he would get a chance too. He would not give up on his dream.
Fast forward four years and Joe Black and Jim Gilliam got invited to Dodgers spring training. Some speculate that the only reason that Black was invited is that he was Gilliam’s friend, and the slugger needed a black roommate. The Dodgers were ahead of the curve, already fielding a lineup including Robinson, Roy Campanella, and pitcher Don Newcombe. Fans and writers hoped that Joe would be the next Newk, who was called to the army during the 1951-52 seasons. Joe knew that he was a thrower. He only possessed two pitches, a fastball and a curve that was really a slower version of his fastball. Due to a chronic injury as a child, a few of his fingers shriveled, and he could not grip other pitches properly. In 1952 the league had not caught on to twenty eight year old rookie Joe Black yet. He saved the Dodgers season as their fireman, winning and saving fifteen games each, propelling them to yet another World Series against the Yankees. The cobbled together Dodgers pitching staff stood no chance against the Yankees, who easily beat better Dodgers teams than the 1952 version. Joe was tabbed to start game one and won the game. It was his shining moment; he had fulfilled his dream, and he knew that many of his Negro league teammates would never get this chance. Following the dream season, the Dodgers attempted to tinker with Joe’s mechanics, and he was never the same. By the end of the 1957 season and the Dodgers ticketed for Los Angeles, Joe was out of baseball. His influence on improving the community around him was just beginning.
Following his retirement from baseball, Joe Black became a middle school teacher and baseball coach in the Plainfield school system that he once attended. Joe was everyone’s favorite teacher because he acted as an advocate for the students and encouraged them to work hard because no one gets anything by doing nothing. After the 1963 school year, Joe attended the March on Washington and wanted to lend his voice to the movement. Even though I believe that he influenced young people from his position as a teacher, Joe envisioned something bigger and became a national spokesman for Greyhound Lines, a position he held in some capacity until his death. Joe Black was always the biggest person in the room. He spoke to crowds and people listened and donated to scholarships. Although Joe started as a liaison to the black community, he rose in the company until he became a vice president, the first person of color to do so. At age forty five, Joe became a father again to Martha Jo, and five years later, he gained full custody of her, during an era when kids primarily went to their mothers. Martha Jo and Joe enjoyed a special relationship, and Martha preferred her dad because he took the time to play with her rather than doting her with presents. One could say that Joe Black was ahead of his time as a devoted girl dad, but all he did was love his daughter and devote the second half of his life to her, something that should be inherent in all parents.
Joe was on a first person name basis with a community of retired major league players as well as Bill Cosby and Sinbad the entertainer. He made the most of his life and was a keynote speaker at the 50th anniversary of baseball’s integration celebration. Joe Black was forever grateful for Jackie Robinson for opening the door for him and countless other negro players, giving them the opportunity to play in the majors. It broke his heart when young black players did not want to learn about what it was like in the negro leagues and the early days of integrated baseball, whereas white players were willing to pick his brain. It pains me as well when I encounter classes and kids do not know who Jackie Robinson is without a history lesson. Joe Black gave his all to make the world a better place from the one he found as a kid. He used his mother’s encouragement as a springboard to achieve his dream of pitching in the major leagues and appearing in the World Series. Even though he did not enjoy longevity in the majors, Joe Black will be remembered as a vital cog of the 1950s Brooklyn Dodgers teams, despite only making a difference in one season. Many pennants are one because everyday players enjoy career years. Joe Black is a reminder of this. I still wish that the Yankees had won this year rather than the Los Angeles Dodgers, but then I would not have discovered the person of Joe Black. He was quite a man, especially off of the field where he made a difference in countless lives.
4 stars
November 19, 2024
Edited as I listed his daughter's name incorrectly as Mary Jo. Her name is Martha Jo.
Rated 4 stars. Read on tablet with Hoopla e-book.
I was invited earlier this year by Brina to join The Baseball Book Group here on Goodreads. Love this group as I've been a baseball fan since 1959 when I was 9 years old. To give some background my family moved from Washington State to San Diego County in California in 1958. The year the Brooklyn Dodgers relocated to Los Angeles to the horror of Brooklyn fans! My sister, who is still a Dodger fan, and I received transistor radios that Christmas from Santa. Baseball Spring Training starts in 1959 & we are listening to Dodgers on our radios and that's how we learned the game of baseball: listening to the legendary Vin Scully. Eventually in 1969 San Diego Padres became a MLB team after years in the minor leagues. Went to my first Padre game in 1970 and as bad a team as they were I fell in love with going to the games and changed my allegiance from Dodgers to Padres!
This year the Padres broke my heart by falling apart in the playoffs and losing the NL Pennant to the Dodgers. But since I had been a Dodger fan as a young girl I decided to root for the Dodgers over the Yankees in the World Series. What an exciting series! Dodgers win!
So Brina & Lance, the moderators of the group, pick a book each year after the WS ends that is related to the winning team. Am so glad they picked this book as I probably wouldn't have read it otherwise.
In other baseball books I've read Joe Black had been mentioned as a pitcher in the Negro League and then eventually with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1950's. But I didn't really know much about his life. He was so much more then just a baseball player. What an inspirational life! He wasn't a perfect man (what human is! And was divorced 7 times) but he gave so much of himself to people from all walks of life. He was out of baseball by 1958. Before baseball his family encouraged him to further his education so he went to college. This was probably the most important decision of his life as once he was out of baseball he became a high school teacher, then an executive with Greyhound. In the 1990's he was living in Arizona at the time The Diamondbacks became a MLB Team and he was hired to mentor young players. He was also very involved with BAT, Baseball Assistance Team, which helps ex baseball players and their families who have financial or medical problems. Many of the players from the early days of baseball didn't make the kind of money today's players demand.
But the most inspirational part of his life was his relationship with his 2 children, Chico and Martha Jo. Chico was born when Joe and his wife were young. Then 20 years later Martha Jo was born. After Joe's divorce he was awarded custody of Martha Jo which in those days was almost unheard of. Most of the book is written by Chuck Schoffner, a sports journalist. Martha Jo does contribute to her Dad's story and it's obvious she had a very close and special relationship with him.
Well I don't usually write such long reviews anymore because of eye issues but I guess Joe's life also inspired me!
For those who are interested in reading about the Brooklyn Dodgers from the viewpoint of a young fan in the 1940's and 1950's I highly recommend Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin. One of my favorite baseball books! Can't wait til 2025 baseball season begins!
Rated 4 stars. Read on tablet with Hoopla e-book.
I was invited earlier this year by Brina to join The Baseball Book Group here on Goodreads. Love this group as I've been a baseball fan since 1959 when I was 9 years old. To give some background my family moved from Washington State to San Diego County in California in 1958. The year the Brooklyn Dodgers relocated to Los Angeles to the horror of Brooklyn fans! My sister, who is still a Dodger fan, and I received transistor radios that Christmas from Santa. Baseball Spring Training starts in 1959 & we are listening to Dodgers on our radios and that's how we learned the game of baseball: listening to the legendary Vin Scully. Eventually in 1969 San Diego Padres became a MLB team after years in the minor leagues. Went to my first Padre game in 1970 and as bad a team as they were I fell in love with going to the games and changed my allegiance from Dodgers to Padres!
This year the Padres broke my heart by falling apart in the playoffs and losing the NL Pennant to the Dodgers. But since I had been a Dodger fan as a young girl I decided to root for the Dodgers over the Yankees in the World Series. What an exciting series! Dodgers win!
So Brina & Lance, the moderators of the group, pick a book each year after the WS ends that is related to the winning team. Am so glad they picked this book as I probably wouldn't have read it otherwise.
In other baseball books I've read Joe Black had been mentioned as a pitcher in the Negro League and then eventually with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1950's. But I didn't really know much about his life. He was so much more then just a baseball player. What an inspirational life! He wasn't a perfect man (what human is! And was divorced 7 times) but he gave so much of himself to people from all walks of life. He was out of baseball by 1958. Before baseball his family encouraged him to further his education so he went to college. This was probably the most important decision of his life as once he was out of baseball he became a high school teacher, then an executive with Greyhound. In the 1990's he was living in Arizona at the time The Diamondbacks became a MLB Team and he was hired to mentor young players. He was also very involved with BAT, Baseball Assistance Team, which helps ex baseball players and their families who have financial or medical problems. Many of the players from the early days of baseball didn't make the kind of money today's players demand.
But the most inspirational part of his life was his relationship with his 2 children, Chico and Martha Jo. Chico was born when Joe and his wife were young. Then 20 years later Martha Jo was born. After Joe's divorce he was awarded custody of Martha Jo which in those days was almost unheard of. Most of the book is written by Chuck Schoffner, a sports journalist. Martha Jo does contribute to her Dad's story and it's obvious she had a very close and special relationship with him.
Well I don't usually write such long reviews anymore because of eye issues but I guess Joe's life also inspired me!
For those who are interested in reading about the Brooklyn Dodgers from the viewpoint of a young fan in the 1940's and 1950's I highly recommend Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin. One of my favorite baseball books! Can't wait til 2025 baseball season begins!
November 9, 2024
Say the name Joe Black today to most baseball fans and the response you most likely will get is “Who’s that?” But that wouldn’t be the case back in 1952 when as a rookie he almost single-handedly pitched the Brooklyn Dodgers to the 1952 National League pennant. This book by Black’s daughter Martha Jo and Chuck Schoffner tells of that special season and why it meant so much to the young pitcher.
The book as a whole is pretty standard fare as a biography for a Black baseball player in the early 1950’s. The color barrier had just been broken by Jackie Robison and by 1952, enough Black players were playing in Major League Baseball that the talent level and interest in the Negro Leagues was waning. Having gotten his crack at professional baseball in the Negro Leagues, Black was able to overcome the significant barriers he and his fellow Black players encountered to eventually pitch in the Major Leagues. Unfortunately, he never regained the magic of his 1952 season, gradually getting worse, and was eventually released by the Dodgers in 1957. He did sign with the Washington Senators for 1958 but pitched very poorly for them as that was his last season.
While reading about his baseball career was okay, I liked the chapters on his life outside of baseball better, especially his success first as a teacher and then as an executive for Greyhound Bus. He followed his mother’s advice and made sure to complete his education which paid off for him as it was unusual for baseball players in that era to have a college degree. It also contributed to another chapter in his post-pitching career that I enjoyed reading about.
Black was hired by MLB to guide players to be successful after baseball, but he grew increasingly frustrated by the lack of attention to this and caring about the history of the game for Black players. This was profoundly illustrated when it was written that future white Hall of Fame players like Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux wanted to talk to Black about topics like the Negro Leagues while a Black player like Vince Coleman had no idea who Jackie Robinson was. Frankly, that is very sad.
While the book didn’t have much of a “wow” factor for me as far as the baseball goes, it was nonetheless very interesting to read about Black’s life away from the diamond and it makes the title to be a very apt one for describing the man’s life.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
The book as a whole is pretty standard fare as a biography for a Black baseball player in the early 1950’s. The color barrier had just been broken by Jackie Robison and by 1952, enough Black players were playing in Major League Baseball that the talent level and interest in the Negro Leagues was waning. Having gotten his crack at professional baseball in the Negro Leagues, Black was able to overcome the significant barriers he and his fellow Black players encountered to eventually pitch in the Major Leagues. Unfortunately, he never regained the magic of his 1952 season, gradually getting worse, and was eventually released by the Dodgers in 1957. He did sign with the Washington Senators for 1958 but pitched very poorly for them as that was his last season.
While reading about his baseball career was okay, I liked the chapters on his life outside of baseball better, especially his success first as a teacher and then as an executive for Greyhound Bus. He followed his mother’s advice and made sure to complete his education which paid off for him as it was unusual for baseball players in that era to have a college degree. It also contributed to another chapter in his post-pitching career that I enjoyed reading about.
Black was hired by MLB to guide players to be successful after baseball, but he grew increasingly frustrated by the lack of attention to this and caring about the history of the game for Black players. This was profoundly illustrated when it was written that future white Hall of Fame players like Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux wanted to talk to Black about topics like the Negro Leagues while a Black player like Vince Coleman had no idea who Jackie Robinson was. Frankly, that is very sad.
While the book didn’t have much of a “wow” factor for me as far as the baseball goes, it was nonetheless very interesting to read about Black’s life away from the diamond and it makes the title to be a very apt one for describing the man’s life.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
February 12, 2015
This is a big book about a player who played a key role in just one major-league season. And yes, there's a fair amount of extraneous detail here. Joe Black does seem to have been a tremendously strong person, and I'm glad to know more about him.
April 7, 2015
When I had the opportunity to review this title, published in February, 2015 by Chicago Review Press, I was interested for two main reasons. First, I love a good baseball story! Secondly, while I enjoy the game, I am not a devout fan, and I had not heard of Joe Black. When I learned of this new title, I could tell this biography would be an interesting story. Indeed, it is well written by sports writer Chuck Schoffner, along with Joe's own daughter, Martha Jo Black. Her personal memories are aptly placed throughout the book, enriching her father's life story.
Joe Black was, as the title says, so much more than a Brooklyn Dodger. Yes, he had a remarkable first season, after a lot of hard work in the Negro League and the farm teams. Once Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball, the door was open to Joe and his colleagues to have their shot at the Majors. Yet, after that first stellar year, Joe met with confusion when his coach tried to alter his pitching style, and later faced physical injuries in his throwing arm that effectively ended his major league career. While he continued to love the game and participate in exhibition games, he had to move on in his career.
In particular, I enjoyed reading the account of Joe's career as a teacher. He had a big heart but took no nonsense, and was able to reach the kids that other teachers sometimes struggled to deal with. He later became a representative for the Greyhound company, reaching out to the African American community on their behalf. He was able to help break down racial barriers that still held strong during and after the 1960s. Joe later returned to his beloved baseball, working with the Arizona Diamondbacks when that team was formed in the 1990s.
The only fault I found with this book is that the time line jumps back and forth quite a bit. It was a little tricky to keep up at times. Otherwise it is very well written and the storytelling is compelling. While my eyes tended to glaze over a bit at some of the game stats and play-by-plays, since I am more of a casual spectator, the avid ball fan will surely be excited by these re-enactments in the hands of the skillful author. The book is rich with historical significance, not just of the life of this one man, but of Negro League ball, and the struggle that African Americans faced in trying to play organized sports for a living.
The hardcover edition of this title has a suggested retail price of $27.95 in the US, or $33.95 in Canada. ISBN 978-0-8973-753-3. I enjoyed learning about this man who I had not previously heard of. He not only was a gentleman of distinction who deserves respect and recognition, but also a man who made important strides in the history of America. This book is a fitting tribute.
Joe Black was, as the title says, so much more than a Brooklyn Dodger. Yes, he had a remarkable first season, after a lot of hard work in the Negro League and the farm teams. Once Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball, the door was open to Joe and his colleagues to have their shot at the Majors. Yet, after that first stellar year, Joe met with confusion when his coach tried to alter his pitching style, and later faced physical injuries in his throwing arm that effectively ended his major league career. While he continued to love the game and participate in exhibition games, he had to move on in his career.
In particular, I enjoyed reading the account of Joe's career as a teacher. He had a big heart but took no nonsense, and was able to reach the kids that other teachers sometimes struggled to deal with. He later became a representative for the Greyhound company, reaching out to the African American community on their behalf. He was able to help break down racial barriers that still held strong during and after the 1960s. Joe later returned to his beloved baseball, working with the Arizona Diamondbacks when that team was formed in the 1990s.
The only fault I found with this book is that the time line jumps back and forth quite a bit. It was a little tricky to keep up at times. Otherwise it is very well written and the storytelling is compelling. While my eyes tended to glaze over a bit at some of the game stats and play-by-plays, since I am more of a casual spectator, the avid ball fan will surely be excited by these re-enactments in the hands of the skillful author. The book is rich with historical significance, not just of the life of this one man, but of Negro League ball, and the struggle that African Americans faced in trying to play organized sports for a living.
The hardcover edition of this title has a suggested retail price of $27.95 in the US, or $33.95 in Canada. ISBN 978-0-8973-753-3. I enjoyed learning about this man who I had not previously heard of. He not only was a gentleman of distinction who deserves respect and recognition, but also a man who made important strides in the history of America. This book is a fitting tribute.
March 3, 2015
The story of Joe Black was a very well written book and you could tell that his daughter put a lot of thought into it by her own little story or added did bits at the end of each chapter. If you don’t know Joe Black was a pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers stating in 1952, that year he won the National League Rookie of the year, winning 15 games, saving fifteen games, with an ERA of 2.15, in 142 innings. He won the first game of the 52 World Series becoming the first African American pitcher to win a game in the World Series it was also a complete game. He would pitch two more times losing 2-0 and 4-2, in a seven day span he pitched three games. In 1953 the Manager of the Dodgers Dressen, wanted him to change his pitching motion and to come up with a new pitch as well. Neither of these worked and some felt that it actually hurt Joes arm. Joe having pitched in the Negro Leagues forgot what some of the old time ball players told him and that was don’t allow a coach to change the way you pitch. In 55 he was traded to the Reds and by 57 he was out of baseball. Fortunately he had gotten a scholarship to play football at Morgan state, and though he left school after his sophomore year to play baseball he continued to go back to finish his degree that he promised his mother. Because of that degree he became a teacher for 6 years and then by a chance meeting ending up becoming an executive for Greyhound bus in Phoenix. Started many community programs and programs in the company itself. He remained in baseball starting and being on the board of directors of Baseball Assistance Team. He then was hired when the Arizona Diamondbacks started in the league. There are stories of his times in Cuba and also traveling in the Negro League, and what it was like seeing those players and the stories they had. His first roommate with the Dodgers was Jackie Robinson, and how that became a lifelong friendship along with many other people. His life was more than baseball but at the same time it came back to the game. You can also tell from the book how he was part of his children’s lives and when he was older and his daughter was born fought for custody and won, which did not happen that much in the 70’s for any man let alone a black man. I found that I was more touched by his actions off the field than on and though being a fan I did not know all of the things he did. A very good book. I got this book from net galley.
September 18, 2017
I received this book from Goodreads and I'm happy I got the opportunity to read it. Before reading it I knew nothing about Joe Black. Although I learned a lot, I think at times there was too much detail included about each game. It is obvious the author did a lot of research. Martha Jo Black gives some personal stories throughout the book about her father which were very interesting.
April 4, 2015
Great story about a baseball player who was much more than a baseball player.
April 7, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “HERE I AM MAN. I’M IN THE W-O-O-O-RLD SERIES & NOBODY CAN DO ANYTHING ‘TIL I THROW THIS BASEBALL”
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As a lifetime born and raised Brooklyn Dodger fan… who’s youngest Granddaughter is named Brooklyn… I have read just about everything about my beloved Brooklyn “Bums” that is credible and available. I was quite excited when out of the “blue” (no Dodger-Blue pun intended) the biography of Joe Black was released. Joe had a short career (he didn’t get to the Big Leagues until he was twenty-eight due in part to racism and World War II… and a college education)… but man-oh-man… what an historical rookie year Joe had with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1952! Black was the Rookie Of The Year… had a record of 15 wins 4 losses… had 15 saves… was the Dodgers go-to workhorse down the stretch… and topped it off by being not only the second rookie in history to pitch the opening game of the World Series… against the hated Yankees… but won the game and thus became the first African American pitcher to win a World Series game. Though he was out of baseball by 1957… as the book’s title signifies… this story is about much more than Joe Black the ballplayer.
One of the co-author’s is Joe’s daughter Martha Jo Black… who along with Chuck Schoffner… do a bang-up job in sharing with the world… the dignity… intelligence… and pride in Fatherhood… that defined Joe Black as much… if not more than what he accomplished on the field.
As mentioned earlier I have an overflowing library of Brooklyn Dodger books… so in addition to wanting to know more about Joe… I was also hoping to garner as many new nuggets about the Brooklyn Dodgers… especially my all-time idol… Jackie Robinson… also… as I could. And in that area I was not disappointed. Like almost all black ballplayers of the time Jackie was more than an idol to Joe… in fact… Willie Mays and Joe used to try to figure out if there was any other black ballplayer that could have taken the abuse that Jackie did… and they couldn’t! It was actually “cute” (if a grown man can unabashedly use that term in public) when Joe finally made the Dodgers… how nervous he was to open the door to the clubhouse his first day… while daydreaming of Jackie… Campy… Duke… Pee Wee… Carl and the other “Boys Of Summer”. The fact that Jackie and Joe wound up being roommates on the road… added to Joe’s first hand education on how to be a true big leaguer in those days and times. (Brooklyn Dodger all-time fan tidbit: In the past I had read an awful lot about “The Reading Rifle” Carl Furillo being a racist. In this book there is some very flattering insight regarding Joe and Carl’s friendship which included fishing trips together along with Carl’s wife. There was also a quote regarding Carl saying he would go into the stands after anyone if the abuse towards Joe was too much.)
In addition to standing out because he was one of very few black players in 1952… he was also one of a very small amount who had a college education. An interesting part of this book is Joe’s college football career at Morgan State… as well as his time in the dwindling Negro Baseball League. My never ending hunger for insightful stories on the down and dirtiest rivalry (by dirty I mean when bean balls and spikes flew… not where if you threw one inside pitch everyone in the stadium is warned they’ll be thrown out) … yes I’m talking about the Brooklyn Dodgers versus the New York Giants! That’s where I grew up and was right in the middle of it as a child. Despite having pinpoint control… Joe had no problem dusting off any hitter… especially Giants hitters… who would do things such as ask the umpire to check the baseball after a pitch… one batter after another… on orders by Leo “The Lip” himself. Joe put that foolishness to rest quite quickly by throwing at a number of hitters in a row… including one of his good (off the field) friends. This is what baseball was like back-in-the-day… and I miss it… along with my childhood.
After his ball playing was over… Joe’s success with Greyhound… teaching… and his children is lovingly covered.
Though this is Joe’s story… I would like to share verbatim from this book for posterity one of the descriptions of Jackie Robinson the athlete… just perchance that someone reading this review only knows of Jackie from afar… and doesn’t realize that this world- changing Hall Of Fame Baseball Player’s least accomplished sport… was probably baseball:
“Jackie was carrying the burden of creating job opportunity for thousands of young men. Some, however, couldn’t understand why Jackie was picked when better, more experienced players were available. There was no doubting his athletic talent. Jackie had lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and track at UCLA. In football, he twice led the nation in punt return average and he averaged 5.9 yards rushing for his career. He led the Pacific Coast Conference’s Southern Division twice in scoring in basketball; in track, he won the NCAA broad jump title in 1940. He even played professional basketball, scoring in double figures four times during a brief stint with the Los Angeles Red Devils in the winter of 1946-47.”
By this time potential readers are wondering how I could possibly rate this book a 4-star instead of a 5-star. There is one reason only… and that’s because the authors made a decision to constantly jump backwards and forwards in time… chapter to chapter to chapter. The author’s go back and forth in dizzying fashion… to different times… from the 1952 World Series… back to childhood… back to the Negro Leagues… back to 1952… back to World War II… back to College… back to 1952… etc… etc. Wheew…. I’m glad I got that off my chest. I read one other sports book like that a few years ago and I just can’t understand why the story… other than one or two flashbacks isn’t told in chronological sequence. That being said… I still recommend this book highly to every single potential reader. I loved the book (other than this one issue.) I suppose it would be akin to telling an art lover I didn’t like the Mona Lisa’s smile… but you should still go in the museum and see the picture. Once again… a great book!
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As a lifetime born and raised Brooklyn Dodger fan… who’s youngest Granddaughter is named Brooklyn… I have read just about everything about my beloved Brooklyn “Bums” that is credible and available. I was quite excited when out of the “blue” (no Dodger-Blue pun intended) the biography of Joe Black was released. Joe had a short career (he didn’t get to the Big Leagues until he was twenty-eight due in part to racism and World War II… and a college education)… but man-oh-man… what an historical rookie year Joe had with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1952! Black was the Rookie Of The Year… had a record of 15 wins 4 losses… had 15 saves… was the Dodgers go-to workhorse down the stretch… and topped it off by being not only the second rookie in history to pitch the opening game of the World Series… against the hated Yankees… but won the game and thus became the first African American pitcher to win a World Series game. Though he was out of baseball by 1957… as the book’s title signifies… this story is about much more than Joe Black the ballplayer.
One of the co-author’s is Joe’s daughter Martha Jo Black… who along with Chuck Schoffner… do a bang-up job in sharing with the world… the dignity… intelligence… and pride in Fatherhood… that defined Joe Black as much… if not more than what he accomplished on the field.
As mentioned earlier I have an overflowing library of Brooklyn Dodger books… so in addition to wanting to know more about Joe… I was also hoping to garner as many new nuggets about the Brooklyn Dodgers… especially my all-time idol… Jackie Robinson… also… as I could. And in that area I was not disappointed. Like almost all black ballplayers of the time Jackie was more than an idol to Joe… in fact… Willie Mays and Joe used to try to figure out if there was any other black ballplayer that could have taken the abuse that Jackie did… and they couldn’t! It was actually “cute” (if a grown man can unabashedly use that term in public) when Joe finally made the Dodgers… how nervous he was to open the door to the clubhouse his first day… while daydreaming of Jackie… Campy… Duke… Pee Wee… Carl and the other “Boys Of Summer”. The fact that Jackie and Joe wound up being roommates on the road… added to Joe’s first hand education on how to be a true big leaguer in those days and times. (Brooklyn Dodger all-time fan tidbit: In the past I had read an awful lot about “The Reading Rifle” Carl Furillo being a racist. In this book there is some very flattering insight regarding Joe and Carl’s friendship which included fishing trips together along with Carl’s wife. There was also a quote regarding Carl saying he would go into the stands after anyone if the abuse towards Joe was too much.)
In addition to standing out because he was one of very few black players in 1952… he was also one of a very small amount who had a college education. An interesting part of this book is Joe’s college football career at Morgan State… as well as his time in the dwindling Negro Baseball League. My never ending hunger for insightful stories on the down and dirtiest rivalry (by dirty I mean when bean balls and spikes flew… not where if you threw one inside pitch everyone in the stadium is warned they’ll be thrown out) … yes I’m talking about the Brooklyn Dodgers versus the New York Giants! That’s where I grew up and was right in the middle of it as a child. Despite having pinpoint control… Joe had no problem dusting off any hitter… especially Giants hitters… who would do things such as ask the umpire to check the baseball after a pitch… one batter after another… on orders by Leo “The Lip” himself. Joe put that foolishness to rest quite quickly by throwing at a number of hitters in a row… including one of his good (off the field) friends. This is what baseball was like back-in-the-day… and I miss it… along with my childhood.
After his ball playing was over… Joe’s success with Greyhound… teaching… and his children is lovingly covered.
Though this is Joe’s story… I would like to share verbatim from this book for posterity one of the descriptions of Jackie Robinson the athlete… just perchance that someone reading this review only knows of Jackie from afar… and doesn’t realize that this world- changing Hall Of Fame Baseball Player’s least accomplished sport… was probably baseball:
“Jackie was carrying the burden of creating job opportunity for thousands of young men. Some, however, couldn’t understand why Jackie was picked when better, more experienced players were available. There was no doubting his athletic talent. Jackie had lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and track at UCLA. In football, he twice led the nation in punt return average and he averaged 5.9 yards rushing for his career. He led the Pacific Coast Conference’s Southern Division twice in scoring in basketball; in track, he won the NCAA broad jump title in 1940. He even played professional basketball, scoring in double figures four times during a brief stint with the Los Angeles Red Devils in the winter of 1946-47.”
By this time potential readers are wondering how I could possibly rate this book a 4-star instead of a 5-star. There is one reason only… and that’s because the authors made a decision to constantly jump backwards and forwards in time… chapter to chapter to chapter. The author’s go back and forth in dizzying fashion… to different times… from the 1952 World Series… back to childhood… back to the Negro Leagues… back to 1952… back to World War II… back to College… back to 1952… etc… etc. Wheew…. I’m glad I got that off my chest. I read one other sports book like that a few years ago and I just can’t understand why the story… other than one or two flashbacks isn’t told in chronological sequence. That being said… I still recommend this book highly to every single potential reader. I loved the book (other than this one issue.) I suppose it would be akin to telling an art lover I didn’t like the Mona Lisa’s smile… but you should still go in the museum and see the picture. Once again… a great book!
November 17, 2019
The headline for Joe Black's career was being the first black pitcher to win a World Series game, which in he did in 1952 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Martha Jo Black, his daughter, gives this, and Black's standout 1952 season good attention, but she also alternates chapters between the story of that 1952 season and Black's life. Black's great 1952 season (he was a finalist for MVP) will be interesting reading - many of the Brooklyn Dodger Greats are there - Robinson, Campy, Furillo, Pee Wee, Hodges, Erskine, Preacher Roe - but I almost found the other parts as fascinating. Black grew up in an integrated town in New Jersey. He first experienced the Jim Crow South when he attended Morgan State University, playing football with future basketball coaching legend Bighouse Gaines.
The book provides a tour of the Negro Leagues in the late 40's/early 50's and the Cuban summer league. There are also a lot of insights into the race issues in the US - the Jim Crow South Black experienced in college and the Negro Leagues; the racism he faced in the re-integrated MLB of the 1950s; and his role in the debates about the African-American community as a teacher and as a prominent Greyhound executive in the 1960s and 70s (including his interaction with a young Sinbad).
The writing for the book is uneven, but the underlying story and insights are worth a read. Black's family life was quite complicated (married and divorced 7 times), and at times, Marth Jo's family viewpoints come boiling up.
An interesting read for Brooklyn Dodger fans and those interested in this period of history for baseball and the US more broadly, particularly through the lens of African American history.
The book provides a tour of the Negro Leagues in the late 40's/early 50's and the Cuban summer league. There are also a lot of insights into the race issues in the US - the Jim Crow South Black experienced in college and the Negro Leagues; the racism he faced in the re-integrated MLB of the 1950s; and his role in the debates about the African-American community as a teacher and as a prominent Greyhound executive in the 1960s and 70s (including his interaction with a young Sinbad).
The writing for the book is uneven, but the underlying story and insights are worth a read. Black's family life was quite complicated (married and divorced 7 times), and at times, Marth Jo's family viewpoints come boiling up.
An interesting read for Brooklyn Dodger fans and those interested in this period of history for baseball and the US more broadly, particularly through the lens of African American history.
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