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I was just thinking about this. In the NL, it's Jackie Robinson. But I had a hard time coming up with anyone in the AL. Elston Howard doesn't strike me as superstar. That would mean it wasn't until Frank Robinson- 19 years after Jackie- in 1966. And after him would be Reggie Jackson in the 1970s. Am I leaving someone out?
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Last edited by bryanac625; 09-23-2012, 11:08 AM. -
Minnie Minoso could have been considered somewhat of a superstar."(Shoeless Joe Jackson's fall from grace is one of the real tragedies of baseball. I always thought he was more sinned against than sinning." -- Connie Mack
"I have the ultimate respect for Whitesox fans. They were as miserable as the Cubs and Redsox fans ever were but always had the good decency to keep it to themselves. And when they finally won the World Series, they celebrated without annoying every other fan in the country."--Jim Caple, ESPN (Jan. 12, 2011) -
Larry Doby was an allstar 1949-1955 inclusive, lead league in HR 1952 & '54 (Top Ten 7x), MVP runnerup 1954 ... ?Comment
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Doby is very underrated, he was a much better player than what most fans give him credit for, thus in my opinion he was never a superstar. I never thought about this but the OP brings up a very good point. I really can't think of any true Black superstar until Reggie....maybe Carew?Originally posted by westsidegrounds View Post
That's quite amazing and shows how much slower the AL was to integrate; can't chalk up the NL having all those Black superstarts to just coincedence. 
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Baseball fans at the time knew how good Doby was...I think it was him."If I drink whiskey, I'll never get worms!" - Hack WilsonComment
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I can see where the op is coming from and I don't think Doby was considered a Mays or Aaron type of player. So I guess Frank Robinson would have been the first real superstar. I guess the first African American pitcher superstar in the AL would have to be Vida Blue.Originally posted by Dude Paskert View Post"(Shoeless Joe Jackson's fall from grace is one of the real tragedies of baseball. I always thought he was more sinned against than sinning." -- Connie Mack
"I have the ultimate respect for Whitesox fans. They were as miserable as the Cubs and Redsox fans ever were but always had the good decency to keep it to themselves. And when they finally won the World Series, they celebrated without annoying every other fan in the country."--Jim Caple, ESPN (Jan. 12, 2011)Comment
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Back around 1953-54, Minoso was arguably the best player in the AL.Originally posted by chicagowhitesox1173 View PostThey call me Mr. Baseball. Not because of my love for the game; because of all the stitches in my head.Comment
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I just have to wonder how big of a superstar he was outside of Chicago. Do you think he had the same type of label as Banks, Mays or Aaron. I really don't know because I didn't live during that time.Originally posted by ol' aches and pains View Post"(Shoeless Joe Jackson's fall from grace is one of the real tragedies of baseball. I always thought he was more sinned against than sinning." -- Connie Mack
"I have the ultimate respect for Whitesox fans. They were as miserable as the Cubs and Redsox fans ever were but always had the good decency to keep it to themselves. And when they finally won the World Series, they celebrated without annoying every other fan in the country."--Jim Caple, ESPN (Jan. 12, 2011)Comment
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Doby and Minoso were the first outstanding black ALers. At the time neither was considered to be a "superstar" but both were really fine players. On merit, Doby would qualify in my book. In popular perception, no.Comment
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Larry Doby: hands down. I could never begin to explain why there's any question about this at all - EXCEPT for one inescapable fact: When Doby broke in, so did Satchel Paige ... and with the very same ball club.
Nobody, but nobody, with the possible exception of Jackie Robison for being FIRST, was ever going to steal headlines from Satchel Paige, who was already on Mt. Olympus [as legend] long before he donned a Cleveland uniform. If you had told fans that Satchel Paige was 50 or 55 years old when he made his first MLB appearance, they would have swallowed it: hook, line and sinker.
Doby didn't arrive with that aura surrounding him; but he sure made his point for years after that.Comment
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If we use the word SUPERSTAR, then it's clearly Frank Robinson. Then it's Reggie, as the OP suggests.This week's Giant
#5 in games played as a Giant with 1721 , Bill TerryComment
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Tony Oliva looked like he was going to be the guy, but then his knees went bad....Comment
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This week's Giant
#5 in games played as a Giant with 1721 , Bill TerryComment
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The first black superstar in the AL was Satchel Paige, although he was never an MLB superstar. I think the first AL black player who was a legitimite superstar was Frank Robinson.Comment
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Tony Oliva and Minnie Minoso are "Morenos", dark skinned Latinos. Both Oliva and Minoso were born in Cuba so they are NOT African-American/black. As everyone who posts on BBF knows Frank Robinson was a Red. The 1st. AL developed "superstar" was Reggie Jackson.Originally posted by BigRon View Post
Larry Doby was a upper-level All Star who was the best AL CFer between DiMaggio and Mantle.
The term "superstar" was coined by Andy Warhol as a phrase for actors in the films he produced. It was an ironic tag given to thespians who had never appeared in Hollywood films or Broadway plays. "Superstar" is a phrase of the 70's that isn't relevant until then although it is often applied in retrospect.
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