Integrating the Negro Leagues.

December 7, 2010 8:33 AM

Who was Eddie Klep? Everybody knows about the black man who integrated the major leagues in 1947, but hardly anyone knows about the white man who integrated the Negro Leagues the year before. Eddie Klep was no role model, but he deserves to be remembered, and Chuck Brodsky (who's written a bunch of baseball songs) did his part with the "Ballad of Eddie Klepp" (YouTube, lyrics). The name actually has just one p; Brodsky regrets the error (which is also made in this short piece, with lively quotes from Klep's wife). (Thanks, Ken!)
posted by languagehat (9 comments total)

Everybody knows about the black man who integrated the major leagues in 1947

I beg to differ.
posted by biffa at 9:07 AM on December 7, 2010

Jackie Robinson
posted by ankurd at 9:11 AM on December 7, 2010

Interesting story...and one I'm surprised I've never heard before. There's a comment in there that Klep wasn't good enough for even the (white) minor leagues, so I wonder how he even got to play in the Negro League. The skill level there certainly wasn't below the white minor leagues.
posted by rocket88 at 9:43 AM on December 7, 2010 [1 favorite]

My dad moved to Muskogee to work on the paper there in the early Fifties, and joined the local black ball club when the white one said they didn't need another pitcher. He always said he enjoyed it, the were good ball players. One white team, he mentioned, forfeited rather than play a mixed team. He told me once a player from the Negro Leagues, he thought, played in a few games with his team. He remarked on the guy's ability, how there was a discernible gap between he and his buddies as inspired amateurs and the professional.
posted by atchafalaya at 10:08 AM on December 7, 2010 [1 favorite]

There's a comment in there that Klep wasn't good enough for even the (white) minor leagues, so I wonder how he even got to play in the Negro League.

He only played for three games. Always remember that "Win more games than every other team" is only the second priority on any professional sports team's list, far behind "Put butts in the seats." viz Eddie Gaedel.
posted by Etrigan at 10:41 AM on December 7, 2010 [1 favorite]

I first heard of Klep via Chuck Brodsky and thought he might be a good subject for an FPP. I obviously never got around to it, so thanks languagehat for stepping up to the plate.
posted by TedW at 12:28 PM on December 7, 2010

That is cool, thanks for posting this. I'd never heard of him.
posted by LobsterMitten at 2:35 PM on December 7, 2010

One of my favorite "what ifs" is What if MLB integrated by taking in 2-4 entire teams from the Negro Leagues. MLB loves tooting their horn about Jackie Robinson - with some justification - but gloss over the fact that they put a bunch of black-owned businesses out of business as they plucked out the best black players over the course of the 50's. This eventually contributed to MLB expanding by 4 teams in the early 60's.

Anyway, thanks for posting this. I'd never heard of Eddie Klep before.
posted by Rarebit Fiend at 8:34 AM on December 9, 2010

Was there any way of integrating Major League Baseball that wouldn't put the Negro Leagues out of business? This kinda sounds like undertakers complaining about how medicine is bad for their business.
posted by Etrigan at 10:26 AM on December 9, 2010