Satchel Paige
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"I ain't ever had a job, I always just played baseball." One of the many expressions attributed to the eloquent Leroy "Satchel" Paige. A dominant pitcher in the Negro Leagues, he unfortunately didn't get his shot in the big leagues until he was 41 in 1948. During that season, he went 6-1 for the World Champion Cleveland Indians. Paige toiled in the Negro Leagues for 20 years, and was most well known for his famous hesitation pitch. He was very outspoken about the abilities of his fellow Negro League performers and was instrumental in getting Negro League teams games in existing big league ball parks. Perhaps the most telling tidbit of his pitching ability occurred in 1965, when, at age 59, he was signed by the Kansas City Athletics and pitched in one game against a Boston Red Sox team that included Carl Yastrzemski and Tony Conigliaro. Paige would throw three scoreless innings, giving up only one hit and striking out one.
