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Voice of America: Long Indian history in baseball
Friday, May 16, 2008
Filed Under: Sports

"The Iroquois Confederacy, a group of six American Indian tribes, once reigned across much of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. Today, the Iroquois Museum in upstate New York commemorates that legacy. The museum's cedar shingles resemble the elm bark of a traditional Iroquois longhouse, or meeting place.

With major league baseball's hall of fame a short drive away in Cooperstown, it's the ideal meeting place to tell the largely invisible history of American Indian ball players. Inside, you're greeted by more than a dozen black-and-white photos of players with American Indian ancestry. Many are household names.

Exhibit visitor Rosemary Joyce looks them over in amazement. "Bucky Dent and Johnny Bench and Early Wynn… I didn't know there were this many American Indians in baseball. In fact, I was surprised at the names. Names I always heard growing up when I was a teenager."

There are less famous names too. Louis Sockalexis, a Penobscott Indian from Maine, became the first American Indian to play in the major leagues, with the Cleveland Spiders in 1897. Sockalexis was a victim of alcoholism and the racist taunts of fellow players. His career lasted just three seasons.

There's Charles Bender, an Ojibwa from Minnesota, one of two American Indian Hall of Famers. His huge hand-carved bat is one of the collection's treasures.

At least 47 men of native descent have played in the big leagues. A full ten of them were simply called "Chief.""

Get the Story:
American Indians' Untold Baseball Stories (Voice of America News 5/15)