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From: mlt@mb2c.UUCP (Mark L. Tompkins)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: First Black Baseball Player
Message-ID: <320@mb2c.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 5-Nov-85 07:21:48 EST
Article-I.D.: mb2c.320
Posted: Tue Nov  5 07:21:48 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 7-Nov-85 04:25:19 EST
Organization: Michigan Bell, Southfield, MI
Lines: 23

>Who was the first black ballplayer?  My history books and my instinct
>tells me the obvious answer: Jackie Robinson.
  
>Why then does Trivial Pursuit say that it is some other guy?  Has
>everybody else seen that question?
  
>--Evan Marcus
  
Yes, I have run across that question in the course of playing T.P., and
must admit I was very surprised.  But the whole key to the question is 
the wording.  The question reads something to the effect of, "Who was the
first black *professional* baseball player?".  Jackie Robinson was the 
first black player talented enough ( and fortunate enough, for those days )
to reach the *major leagues*.  The word "professional" encompasses every-
thing between semi-pro ball and the majors.  My guess would be that Moses
Fleetwood Walker was the first black player to be paid to play baseball;
at what level of professional baseball that occured, I have no idea.
  
Perhaps we should write the folks at Trivial Pursuit and ask them for 
whatever info they have on Mr. Walker.
  
Mark Tompkins
epsilon!mb2c!mlt