Oakland Pitcher Jimmy Claxton Broke Color Line in 1916 Game

Editor’s note: Reprinted courtesy of the Oakland Tribune. The National Baseball Library and Archive and William J. Weiss of the Society for American Baseball Research contributed to this article.

 

A tiny trading card is a precious reminder of the East Bay’s bold efforts to end racial discrimination in baseball.

In 1916, the African American whose likeness is printed on the card, Jimmy Claxton of the Oakland Oaks, accomplished what no other member of his race had done in 27 seasons nor would do again for 30—he played baseball on a team of Caucasians. His appearance on a baseball card was a first for a black player, according to Pacific Coast league historian William J. Weiss of San Mateo.

A shortage of strong, healthy throwing arms had the old Oaks of the Pacific Coast League mired in last place in the powerful PCL. Throughout the spring of 1916, team secretary Herb McFarlin tried desperately to deal for some decent pitchers. Nothing worked out.

State of emergency

Bitter rivals, the Los Angeles Angels were coming to town for a Memorial Day weekend series that featured a Sunday doubleheader. The Oaks pitching staff was not physically equipped to endure the weekend. The state of emergency forced McFarlin to reach into the thriving East Bay baseball community for someone who could throw a baseball. He found Claxton—a hard-throwing 23-year-old from Canada. The Oaks attributed Claxton’s dark skin to his race—American Indian—and produced an affidavit to that effect, Weiss said.

But East Bay fans knew better. The lefty was pitching for a local all-black team, the Oakland Oak Leafs. He was no Indian—he was black. His mother was white, his father was French, American Indian and black. That trace of African ancestry was enough to keep Claxton out of the league

He played anyway.

The “big Indian” showed up early at the park on May 28, 1916 for his first assignment—a start in the opener that day against the Angels.

Full of nerves, he struggled into the third inning, allowing three Angel runs to cross the plate. The Oaks came back to tie the score, only to lose in the last inning after a close call at first base. Umpire Bill Guthrie, who made the call, was rewarded with a hail of debris tossed from the crowded grandstands by angry Oaks fans.

After peace was restored, a photographer snapped pictures of the Oaks for a San Francisco candy company for use on that year’s baseball cards enclosed in packs of Zee-Nut caramelized peanuts. Claxton delivered his best overhand motion for the camera.

In the second game, the Angels continued their batting display. Oakland ace Speed Martin began the parade of Oaks pitchers who gave up 10 runs going into the final inning. The Angels threatened to score even more before Claxton was called in to get the final out in a 10-5 Los Angeles victory.

It turned out to be Claxton’s last out as well, at least in the organized professional baseball leagues. According to Weiss, Claxton “stayed around the rest of the week” before being quietly released.

Unimpressive ERA

The “big Indian’s” career across the color line lasted 2 1/3 innings, ending with his earned run average at a forgettable 7.71, when he returned to obscurity on the sandlots with his fellow black players.

Except for the baseball card in several collections, Claxton left behind few traces during a long pitching career that took him across the country—to cities like Oakland and villages like Good Thunder, Minnesota—playing on black and Indian teams.

He was born in 1892 in Wellington, British Columbia, Canada but his family immigrated to Tacoma, Washington when he was just 3 months old. By age 13, he was playing ball as a catcher for a town team in Roslyn, Washington. In 1912, he switched to pitcher, and joined a team across the state in Chester, outside Spokane. In his first start, he struck out 18 batters. In 1916, Claxton found his way to the East Bay, pitching effectively for the Oak Leafs. After his brief stay in the PCL, he returned to the all-black Oakland team and later hooked up with the Shasta Limiteds—a local railroad-sponsored team that won titles in the 1919 and 1920 state tournaments sponsored by the Tribune. He also was among the Limiteds’ batting leaders.

A long career

By 1924, Claxton was back home in Tacoma, where he helped break the color line in the city league. He later landed a steady job pitching for the Chicago Union Giants, an independent team of black players that toured the smaller cities of the Midwest playing the House of David. He won 20 games, losing only one for the Giants. He went on to Edmonds, Wash., to win all 20 starts there.

In 1932, his name shows up alongside Luis Tiant, Sr. on the roster of the Cuban Stars—a top-level Negro League team. Tiant’s son, Luis, Jr., went on to star in the major leagues.

Again he returned to Tacoma, playing with various clubs in the area. According to Weiss, he was still pitching semiprofessionally at age 61 when he threw a two-hitter. He last played in an oldtimers game in 1955 and died March 3, 1970 as an unsung hero of racial discrimination.