Satchel Paige is considered one of the greatest Negro League players of all time. This uniform belonged to and was worn by the great Satchel Paige himself. The uniform consists of both his game used jersey and pants. The jersey has his number “25” in red numerals on the back. The uniform is from the late 1940’s.

Satchel Paige - Kansas City Monarchs

Satchel Paige was the biggest draw in Negro League baseball during the 1930’s through 1948 when he signed with the Cleveland Indians of the American League. The Satchel Paige All-Stars barnstormed all over the United States and Canada from the late 1930’s through the mid 1960’s. During the 1930’s and 1940’s, Paige would put together an all-star team from the Negro Leagues after the season was over. He would have the best Negro League players on his team. The team would often tour with another top baseball team like the House of David, Dizzy Dean’s All-Stars or Bob Feller’s All-Stars. During the 1930’s and 1940’s, games played against Bob Feller’s All-Stars would sell out Major League stadiums all over the country. Satchel even had his own airplane at one time to fly his team from one game to another.

Satchel Paige was born in Mobile, Alabama. Paige always kept his birth date somewhat of a mystery . Satchel started playing organized baseball for teams in the Mobile area like the Mobile Tigers and Mobile Dodgers. His first entry into the Negro Leagues was with the Chattanooga Black Lookouts in 1926. From the late 1920’s through the 1950’s Satchel played at one time or another for virtually all top Negro League teams. Some of the teams that he played for were the Birmingham Black Barons, Pittsburgh Crawfords, Homestead Grays, Chicago American Giants, New York Black Yankees and Kansas City Monarchs. Satchel also played winter league ball in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and California. It is virtually impossible to have the complete career pitching statistics for Satchel Paige because during his Negro League career, Paige also pitched dozens of games for independent clubs. It was common practice of Paige to hire himself out for one game as the special “draw” for a team or as a ringer for a local team’s “big” game.

Satchel Paige's All Stars

After Jackie Robinson integrated Major League baseball in 1947, Paige was signed by the Cleveland Indians of the American League in 1948. His debut into “white” organized ball was so successful that he won the Sporting News Rookie of the Year for the 1948 season.Paige was in his early 40’s at the time. He pitched for the Cleveland Indians from 1948-1949 and the St. Louis Browns from 1951-1953. In 1951 and 1952 he was selected to the American League All-Star team. When Paige finished his Major League career, he continued to play Minor League baseball and barnstormed on a full time basis until the mid-late 1960’s. His achievements in baseball reached its pinnacle when he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1971.