Samuel Jethroe (1918-2001) was one of three of Negro league
players, along with Marvin Williams and Jackie Robinson, urged to try
out for the Boston Red Sox in 1945, but was ultimately turned away as
Boston had no interest in being the catalyst of integration in Major
League Baseball.
Sam played eight seasons in the Negro Leagues with the
Indianapolis ABCs (1938) and the Cincinnati/Cleveland Buckeyes
(1942-1948) before getting his shot at the Major Leagues. Sam was a
two-time batting champion and was instrumental in the Cleveland Buckeyes
four-game sweep of the Homestead Grays in the 1945 Negro League World
Series.
He also helped lead the Buckeyes to the 1947 pennant, but they
then lost to the New York Cubans in the 1947 Negro League World Series.
Just as Brooklyn Dodgers manager Branch Rickey had done with Hall of
Famer integrator Jackie Robinson, Jethroe signed with the Dodgers
organization and began playing with their minor league affiliate, the
Montreal Royals.
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Source: Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA)
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