Let’s face it, there has never been another Jackie Robinson and there never will be. However, there was another young man who broke the color barrier in major league baseball as a pitcher.
Some time ago I heard a trivia question to which I knew the answer. The question was: “Who was the first black pitcher in major league baseball?” This has the makings of an Abbott and Costello skit.
I definitely am not a trivia buff but I knew this one. One guess was Satchel Paige while the second was Don Newcombe. Those were great guesses and I expect both participants thought they had the correct answer. Satchel Paige, at age 42, made his first start for the Cleveland Indians on July 9, 1948. He was the oldest player to ever debut in the majors. Don Newcombe’s initial start with the Brooklyn Dodgers was on May 20, 1949. He became the first black pitcher to start a World Series game. It was easy to see why those would be good guesses to the trivia question. However, both are incorrect.
The first black pitcher to pitch in a major league baseball game was Dan Bankhead who debuted with the Dodgers on August 26, 1947, a little over four months after Jackie Robinson’s major league debut on April 16, 1947.
Daniel Robert Bankhead, a right handed pitcher, was born on May 3, 1920 in Empire, Alabama. He had four brothers who all played baseball. He grew up in Empire with his brothers Sam, Fred, Garnett and Joe. Sam was said to be the best of the five brothers. Sam Bankhead played multiple positions, had a Carl Furillo arm, hit .342 in exhibition games against major league baseball players and had a Jackie Robinson craving to win. However, Dan was the only one of the five brothers to play major league baseball.
In 1940 Dan Bankhead signed with the Chicago American Giants before he reached his twentieth birthday. He had an above average curveball, a screwball that we seldom see used in present day pitching repertoires and a fastball that garnered much attention. Satchel Paige stated that: “Dan Bankhead, youngest member of the Bankhead baseball brothers, throws a faster ball than Cleveland’s speedy Bobby Feller.” Young Bankhead’s main problem, not uncommon with young pitchers throwing heat, was control. Following the family tradition, he was a versatile player and was one of the best hitting pitchers in the Negro Leagues.
Bankhead was traded to the Birmingham Black Barons in 1941. He went 6-1 in 1941 with a 0.96 ERA and was named to that year’s East-West game. As a twenty-one year old, he garnered more votes than all pitchers except Satchel Paige, Hilton Smith and “Preacher” Henry. In doing so, Bankhead was keeping lofty company. In that game, he pitched two scoreless innings allowing one hit and one walk for the West. Some thought he was the next Satchel Paige. A confident young man aware of his ability, he did not have a self esteem problem. He negotiated hard and quite often was the highest paid player on the teams for which he played.
Bankhead continued his impressive start in 1942 opening the season with three consecutive wins, running his short career record to 11-2. Like many, his career was put on hold by World War II. He served his country as a Marine in an all black unit from 1942-45.
During that time he was able to keep sharp by playing on his unit’s baseball team. In the fall of 1943 Dan was the starting pitcher for the Montford Point-MCB baseball team, comprised of the first blacks to enlist in the Marine Corps.
Following the war Bankhead returned to his first love – baseball – having given four seasons to his country. In 1946, he returned with the Memphis Red Sox as their highest paid player. He had a successful return going 7-3 with a 3.14 RA, third behind Satchel Paige and Gentry Jessup. During the winter of 1946-1947, Bankhead played for Cagnus in the Puerto Rican Winter League, striking out 179 with a record of 12-8. He appeared in both the 1946 and 1947 East-West games. His appearance in the 1947 game caught the attention of Branch Rickey and led to a contract with the Dodgers. Perhaps he had another Dodger first, as in 1947 he had an agent negotiate his contract for him.
Unlike Jackie Robinson, Dan Bankhead came directly to the Dodgers without any preparation in the Dodger minor league system. In August he made his big league debut to become the answer to the trivia question. That is, he became the first black pitcher in the major leagues. Unfortunately, his inaugural season was not a huge success, certainly not what the Dodgers were expecting. He allowed 8 runs and 23 base runners in 10 innings over four games.
Both 1948 and 1949 were great years for Bankhead, both in the minors. In 1948 he won a total of 24 games going 20-6 with a 2.35 ERA and spinning a no-hitter for the Nashua Dodgers. He led the New England League in wins and was second in ERA. He also was 4-0 with a 3.60 ERA for the St. Paul Saints.
In 1949, Bankhead went 20-6 with a 3.76 ERA for the Montreal Royals. He was second in the International League in wins, two behind Al Widmar, and led in starts (34) and strikeouts (176). He hit .323/.353/.449 and took turns in the outfield, at first base and as a pinch-hitter. However his control continued to be an issue and his 170 walks matched his strikeout total and lead the International League.
Bankhead returned to the Dodgers in 1950 with better results. He won nine games but had a higher than expected ERA. Off to a slow start in 1951, losing his only decision, he was sent down to Montreal. Dan Bankhead was not to return to Major League Baseball. His nine wins in 1950 were to be his only wins at the Major League Baseball level. He continued to play baseball for a living until 1966, playing mostly in the Mexican League as a pitcher and more so as a position player. Bankhead suffered from a sore arm, possibly a rotator cuff injury. He was a good hitter and tried to extend his career as an everyday outfielder. He did have moderate success. Bankhead pitched and played outfield in the Minors and in Mexico until 1966 when he was 46. He had a lifetime winning percentage in the minors of more than .700, while batting .255 with 11 homers.
Dan Bankhead was the first black pitcher in Major League Baseball history. He also is the answer to another trivia question: “Who was the first black player to hit a home run in his first AB in Major League baseball?” The answer – Dan Bankhead – who hit a home run off Fritz Ostermueller of the Pittsburgh Pirates on his first swing in the big leagues.
Sadly, Daniel Robert Bankhead died from cancer one day shy of his 56th birthday.
Nice article on Dan Bankhead, DC, thank you. I see that he played for Montreal in 1951. Was he on the same team as Tommy Lasorda and, did not Chuck Conners of the Rifleman TV show play there too? Dan sure seemed to be a very good hitting pitcher. Too bad he did not have a longer major league career.
**Chuck Connors**
Tommy was there in 1951. Chuck Connors was there in 1948, 49, and 50.
Nice article. Some like Dan come close to the dream only to see it slip away. Sore arms in those days took a lot of players out of the game. Many think Karl Spooner would have been better than Koufax. He certainly showed that potential.
What if Sandy had Tommy John Surgery? What else would he have been able to do?
Alas, TJ wasn’t invented at that time…
TJ surgery would not have helped Sandy. He had severe arthritis, and surgery was not going to fix that. The doctor told him that if he kept pitching, he would lose the use of his arm eventually. Spooner’s injury at the time was simply called a sore arm. If they had today’s methods, they might have been able to get him back on the field. Big D’s career was cut short because of a rotator cuff. A condition that today is easily remedied.
I found a couple of Chuck Connors baseball cards on ebay. But he never had a topps card made. Most of them are PCL reprints. One of the original ones is selling for over 900 bucks. Bankhead on the other hand, had a 51 Bowman made of him. They are pretty reasonable.
Awesome story Harold. I love this stuff.
I must confess that I knew very little about this.
Harold, I want to read your post on your 100th Birthday.
I know you have it in planning….
😉
Great story Harold! I was unfamiliar with Bankhead. I’m glad that I now know the answer to these trivia questions. Thank you!
I’m familiar with Tallulah Bankhead. I don’t believe they are related.
I thought you were in your early 70’s Badger. This last comment leads me to believe that you’re at least 110.
Always thought Tallulah was a great name. Glad that Demi and Bruce used it for one of their daughters to keep it alive.
Someone in their 70’s would easily remember Tallulah Bankhead. Remember, back when TV was young most of the old movies were on TV, and she is in a Hitchcock classic, Lifeboat.
Yeah, there are moments I feel like an octo-oldarian. For example, I remember a tv show on our black and white tube, called Winky Dink and You, where I placed a sheet of plastic on the screen and drew a few lines of a picture every day until the whole scene was revealed at the end of the week. That feels like it predates Churchill but, obviously doesn’t. Right?
What a historically strange time to be living through.
Geez Bear, you won’t even let me razz Badger without jumping in with the facts. 🙂
Singing the Blue..got to protect my peep. He and I are close to the same age, so when you poke the Badger, ya rile the Bear !!
Winky Dink and You ??? I remember The Buster Brown Show, hosted by Andy Devine, and Kukla, Fran and Ollie. I also remember Cecil the seasick sea serpent…..I’m comin Beanie Boy!!!
How about “Dusty’s Playhouse”?
Beanie and Cecil.
Howdy Doody.
I remember, my friend. I’m a year or two older than both of you.
I’m a spring chicken. Peep! Peep!
With that mug of yours you look more like a roast chicken……..
Great article today in The Athletic about Jose Lima. He was an absolute joy with a zest for life that is very rare in baseball these days. We only had him in a Dodger uni for a very short time, but he had that one spectacular playoff game victory over the Cards.
He died of a heart attack at age 37. Way, way, way too young.
Baseball needs more players like him who get joy from just being in uniform and on the field. And he spread that joy everywhere he went.
Lima time was a musician also, Surprised Bankhead wasn’t more well known, great story
Great post DC. I think I know quite a bit about baseball history and I had never heard of Dan Bankhead. I just love this site and contributors who bring such information to the table. It seems his MLB career was sidetracked by arm trouble that with today’s medical advances could likely have repaired. When folks try to compare the differences in generations of baseball the conversations usually mentions international scouting, conditioning and nutrition, and the inclusion of black, latin and oriental players to support the contention that baseball is played better today than ever. And I agree with all that. But for me, the biggest advancement in improving the quality of the game is improved medical procedures that keep the best players, playing. I don’t remember the exact year but recently 50% of the pitchers in the All-Star game had had Tommy John Surgery or other procedures saving their careers. Just think about that. 50% of the world’s best pitchers would not have been playing prior to 1974. Keeping these guys in the game has improved baseball immeasurable.
And yet Dr. Frank Jobe is not officially in the hall of fame.
Keep getting waiting on moderation, visible after being approved
Baseball history is fun. There were so many diverse characters in the game for so long. Most of today’s players are stoic compared to those guys. Occasionally you see a real effervescent type, like Kike. He has his moments, and of course Puig, who marched to the beat of his own drummer always. One thing about the Wild Horse, he could be both exasperating, and the most exciting player in baseball. I always loved Jay Johnstone. Some of the things he did were hilarious. I remember Fred Claire talking about the time he saw Johnstone, in full uni in the concession line buying hot dogs. There was a pitcher in Baltimore, I think it was former Giant Stu Miller, who was once famously blown off of the mound at Candlestick by a gust of wind. Miller once ordered some Chinese food from a restaurant in Hong Kong from the bullpen phone! Guys just do not do stuff like that today.
Players today also don’t play in near as many games, and pitchers don’t complete games or pitch 250+ innings the way so many did years ago.. Koufax completed 137 games. True, he walked away but in his last year he threw 323 innings of 1.73 ERA. Tom Seaver threw 176 innings at age 41 and had 10 complete games after 40. He also had double digit complete games 13 times, including 21 in ‘71. Kershaw never had more than 6. Roger Clemens… nah, screw him. He was no doubt doing steroids when he threw 211 innings at age 42, but 4900+ innings is impressive. Henry Aaron played in 3,298 games with 13, 941 plate appearances. They do not make them like that anymore. In SO many ways I’ll take the play, and the players, of yesterday. I thank my lucky stars I had the opportunity to see those guys play.
In SO many ways I’ll take the play, and the players, of yesterday. I thank my lucky stars I had the opportunity to see those guys play.
I could not agree more. Perhaps yesterday’s players looked at it more as a game, while it is BIG BUSINESS to today’s players.
NBC Sports network was just showing Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
My Friday is complete!!