Post by Okwes on Jun 2, 2008 10:50:59 GMT -5
Voice of America: Long Indian history in baseball
Friday, May 16, 2008
(hehe......go Connor........go !)
"The Iroquois Confederacy, a group of six American Indian tribes, once
reigned across much of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. Today,
the _Iroquois Museum_
(http://www.indianz.com/my.asp?url=http://www.iroquoismuseum.org/) in upstate New York commemorates that legacy. The museum's cedar
shingles resemble the elm bark of a traditional Iroquois longhouse, or meeting
place.
With major league baseball's hall of fame a short drive away in Cooperstown,
it's the ideal meeting place to tell the largely invisible history of
American Indian ball players. Inside, you're greeted by more than a dozen
black-and-white photos of players with American Indian ancestry. Many are household
names.
Exhibit visitor Rosemary Joyce looks them over in amazement. "Bucky Dent and
Johnny Bench and Early Wynn... I didn't know there were this many American
Indians in baseball. In fact, I was surprised at the names. Names I always heard
growing up when I was a teenager."
There are less famous names too. Louis Sockalexis, a Penobscott Indian from
Maine, became the first American Indian to play in the major leagues, with the
Cleveland Spiders in 1897. Sockalexis was a victim of alcoholism and the
racist taunts of fellow players. His career lasted just three seasons.
There's Charles Bender, an Ojibwa from Minnesota, one of two American Indian
Hall of Famers. His huge hand-carved bat is one of the collection's
treasures.
At least 47 men of native descent have played in the big leagues. A full ten
of them were simply called "Chief.""
Get the Story:
_American Indians' Untold Baseball Stories _
(http://www.indianz.com/my.asp?url=http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2008-05-15-voa27.cfm) (Voice
of America News 5/15)
Friday, May 16, 2008
(hehe......go Connor........go !)
"The Iroquois Confederacy, a group of six American Indian tribes, once
reigned across much of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. Today,
the _Iroquois Museum_
(http://www.indianz.com/my.asp?url=http://www.iroquoismuseum.org/) in upstate New York commemorates that legacy. The museum's cedar
shingles resemble the elm bark of a traditional Iroquois longhouse, or meeting
place.
With major league baseball's hall of fame a short drive away in Cooperstown,
it's the ideal meeting place to tell the largely invisible history of
American Indian ball players. Inside, you're greeted by more than a dozen
black-and-white photos of players with American Indian ancestry. Many are household
names.
Exhibit visitor Rosemary Joyce looks them over in amazement. "Bucky Dent and
Johnny Bench and Early Wynn... I didn't know there were this many American
Indians in baseball. In fact, I was surprised at the names. Names I always heard
growing up when I was a teenager."
There are less famous names too. Louis Sockalexis, a Penobscott Indian from
Maine, became the first American Indian to play in the major leagues, with the
Cleveland Spiders in 1897. Sockalexis was a victim of alcoholism and the
racist taunts of fellow players. His career lasted just three seasons.
There's Charles Bender, an Ojibwa from Minnesota, one of two American Indian
Hall of Famers. His huge hand-carved bat is one of the collection's
treasures.
At least 47 men of native descent have played in the big leagues. A full ten
of them were simply called "Chief.""
Get the Story:
_American Indians' Untold Baseball Stories _
(http://www.indianz.com/my.asp?url=http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2008-05-15-voa27.cfm) (Voice
of America News 5/15)