The Making of a Bonus Baby: The Story of Major League Baseball's First Black Bonus Baby

By Michelle L. Kuykendall

Throughout this book you will be told a story about a very special man. His life was an extraordinary one because he suffered a potentially fatal accident, but conquered. He achieved as much as he possibly could without the use of his hands and when he had no more to give of himself, he then created and gave the world Major League Baseball's first "Black Bonus Baby". This book is written from actual experiences and a wealth of material from 1919 through 2020. The pictures, letters, stories and excerpts from speeches and newspaper articles have been included in hopes that you, the reader, might be motivated to NEVER GIVE UP.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9781728377124

Michelle L. Kuykendall

I am a mother of two and twice divorced. I have a will to survive, a knack for making things happen, and a love for life that never seems to die. I've looked in the mirror occasionally and wondered where my drive comes from? Why, no matter how hard I fall, the stronger I get and why I am able to find the good in almost anything in my life. After some soul searching and examining what I remember of my days as a child, I think that I understand why I am who I am. You see, growing up I was surrounded by people that never quit. People that never gave up, no matter what the obstacles. There was love, but it was always a very tough love. I was never allowed to say "I can't." I was told emphatically to "find a way." Although there was an unconditional love and support of those around me, their was also a very direct order to never give up, to make the best of what you are given, and to make a way out of no way. Anything and everything is possible, but giving up was never an option. Although I did not grow up in the house with my grandfather, I saw much of him in my father, his oldest son Mack. Many of the experiences which shaped my life, though not given to me directly from my grandfather, were experienced through my own father, his son, who was taught by the best. The spirit of never giving up and making a way out of no way is mine now. It was given to me as a gift. Telling my father that I could not do something was never acceptable. I was made to find a way; to figure it out and I always did. The good and the bad, the fair and the unfair were dealt with accordingly. Growing up, I often felt that my father was unyielding and many times unfair, but he only made me stronger, usually what doesn't kill us will do that for us, if we allow it to. Understanding that everyone at some point must come to grips with the windmill of experiences that are placed before them; it is what we choose to make of those experiences, that ultimately determines who we become. We must decide whether these instances will become opportunities or obstacles. Often what we choose to do in those moments will determine the rest of our lives. There will always be good and evil, blessings and curses set before us. It is how we embraces those experiences when they are presented that determines what life holds for us. On our journey, many things will be given to us, as well as the many that will be taken. What is done with we have left, as well as what no longer remains can become our strengths or our weaknesses, the choice is our own. Having the heart to wake up each day and say, "I will make things happen, and make my dreams come true in spite of anything else going on around me," is the constant that must remain. Our journey may leave us weary and often distraught, but we must never give up. There have been great disappointments in my life, but I have found a way to turn them all into something wonderful. It has truly been a journey, one that I would not trade for the world, because even in darkness, often not knowing or understanding, I was equipped. I had everything that I needed all the time and we all do. Through it all, what remains with me now is my peace and my will to survive. I have been blessed with a daughter named Sydney Mitchell, who was born on my grandfather's birthday, October 5th-my gift to him. As it would only be expected, she embodies the same cantankerous, feisty spirit that could only be his. In pursuing her dreams she has ultimately graced the screen of several television shows and films after remaining determined to never give up on her dreams. I also have a son named BJ Mitchell, who by the age of 12 had already graced the pages of JET magazine,as my father did, in an article about television's "Little Star's with Big Talent" he has since appeared on countless national commercials, television shows and films, all as a reward for his spirit of never giving up. There also remains a family that has wrapped its arms around me every time that I have needed it. A mother, Saundra and brother, Michael who have been my backbone. My fathers brother, my uncle Don Kuykendall, now Donkor Kahlid, who also embodied a spirit of never giving up, when he became one Oklahoma State University's first black baseball players in the history of the school and has lent his endless support in all of my endeavors. Also, friends that have remained close enough to catch me every time that I fell, yet stood far enough away to allow my growth. There is truly much to be grateful for in the midst of it all. Remember, counting even the smallest blessings can fill you up and make you whole. Always give all that you have to give every day, in spite of what is going on around you. Allow yourself to experience the good and the bad, the wins and the losses, and find a peaceful place in them all. Never looking down or back, simply always finding a way to continue moving forward and remembering "Rest if you must, but don't you quit!" Lovingly, The Author Michelle Kuykendall BA/Counseling and Human Behavior

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© 2022 Michelle L. Kuykendall. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 06/13/2023

ISBN: 978-1-7283-7713-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-7712-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023900568

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Message From The Author

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Years Of Reflection

Moment Of Inpiration

My heart and this book are dedicated to my father-

Major League Baseball’s First Black Bonus Baby.

INTRODUCTION

B ASEBALL …America’s Past Time And One of the Most Beloved Sports in American History.

Major League Baseball was founded in 1876 and is said to be the oldest professional sports league in the world. It is also the second wealthiest professional sport, second only to the National Football League (NFL).

The sport rose in popularity in the 1920s and then survived its potential demise during The Great Depression and World War II. Shortly after the war, Jackie Robinson again broke baseball’s color barrier.

The word again is placed before this statement because it was actually six decades before Jackie Robinson that another black man broke the color barriers in Major League Baseball.

In May 1884, Moses Fleetwood Walker became an American professional baseball catcher. He is credited as the first to play major league baseball openly as a black man when he made his MLB debut with the Toledo Blue Stockings. Walker’s brother, Weldy, became the second black athlete to do the same later that year, also playing for the Toledo ball club.

Walker was born October 7, 1856, and played Major League Baseball sixty-three years before Jackie Robinson became credited as the first African American to play in a Major League Baseball game.

Walker made his last MLB appearance on September 4, 1884, after suffering a broken rib earlier in the season. Still, racist objections to integrating baseball are believed to have been at the root of his release from the team.

Walker was the first to be open about his black heritage and face the vicious bigotry prevalent in the late 19th century in the United States and Major League Baseball.

Before a game in Richmond, Toledo’s manager received a threatening letter stating that a lynch mob of 75 men would attack Walker if he tried to take the field. Needless to say, Walker never took the field for that game.

Walker enrolled at Oberlin College in 1878, majoring in philosophy and the arts. While enrolled in Oberlin’s preparatory program, Walker became the team’s catcher and leadoff hitter.

Walker gained recognition when a writer mentioned him in the school newspaper for his ball handling and ability to hit excessively long home runs. This later convinced the University of Michigan to recruit him.

1.jpg

1882 University of Michigan baseball team

(Walker front row, third from right)

In August of 1881, while at Michigan, a White Sewing Machine Company in Cleveland recruited Walker to play for their semi-professional team.

Walker’s presence in the league became very controversial. Louisville, Kentucky, was the first place to openly express issues with Walker’s race. When the team arrived in the city for the game, Walker was turned away from the Saint Cloud Hotel, where the team was staying.

More issues arose during the game when members of the Louisville team objected to Walker participating. Cleveland submitted to the team’s demands and kept Walker from playing that day.

Walker’s substitute complained after one inning that his hands were too severely bruised to continue. After Walker reluctantly walked on to the field for warm-ups, Louisville began protesting again and refused to resume playing with Walker on the field. Finally, one of Cleveland’s other team members volunteered to catch for the team, and it was not until then that the game continued.

In mid-1883, Walker left his studies at Michigan and was signed to his first professional baseball contract by William Voltz, the Toledo Blue Stockings manager. Voltz was a former sports writer who had seen Walker play at Oberlin.

Although Walker had an above-average batting average, he was better known for his outstanding playing behind the plate and his durability during a time when catchers wore little or no protective equipment, and injuries were very frequent.

Walker was said to have occasionally worn ordinary lambskin gloves with the fingers slit and slightly padded in the palm, and more often, he caught barehanded. Amazingly Walker played 60 of Toledo’s 84 games during their championship season.

Even with Walker consistently playing at the top of his game and his team’s success, Walker’s entrance into professional baseball caused immediate and lasting friction in the league.

Before he could even appear in a game, the executive committee of the Northwestern League had put forth a motion prohibiting all colored ballplayers from entering the league. After intense arguments, the motion was dropped, which ultimately allowed Walker to play.

On August 10, 1883, in an exhibition against the Chicago White Stockings, Chicago’s manager refused to play if Walker was kept in the lineup. In response, Toledo’s manager challenged Chicago’s team manager by warning him of the risk of his forfeiting the gate receipts. He also went on to boldly start Walker at right field. The Chicago’s team manager was reported to have said, We’ll play this here game, but won’t play never no more with the nigger in.

While many of Walker’s white Toledo teammates supported him, at least one shared the same racist views as many of their opponents. Throughout Walker’s 1884 debut season, he consistently caught for ace pitcher Tony Mullane. Mullane described Walker as the best catcher I ever worked with, although he also admitted that he purposefully threw pitches that were not signaled just to cross Walker up. In a 1919 interview, Mullane said, He was the best catcher I ever worked with. But I disliked a Negro, and whenever I had to pitch to him, I used anything I wanted without looking at his signals.

By the time Walker left baseball, MLB owners had established a gentlemen’s agreement to keep any other African Americans off all team rosters.

Ultimately, because of this gentlemen’s agreement, Walker was the last African-American allowed to participate on the major league level until Jackie Robinson again broke baseball’s color lines in 1947 when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The history of the African American athlete in relation to Professional Baseball is a bitter-sweet one. Even though many talented baseball players of color have been allowed to showcase their talent through professional sports over the years, a racially and culturally divided allegiance often continues in the shadows.

Being immensely talented as an athlete, yet consistently fighting to merely survive in an arena that historically sought to break and bury you, simply because of the fear that success would prove that you are worthy, is enough to destroy any man.

The courage it took for black