Herb Simpson, 92, keeps important piece of Seattle baseball history alive
From Jerry Brewer at the Seattle Times on August 16, 2013:
You have to excuse Herb Simpson for not being able to do everything at 92 years old. He already has an energy level that defies his birth certificate. He already has the humor and timing of a comedian in his prime. So if he didn’t speak softly, you wouldn’t realize that he’s old enough to be a relic of a short-lived, nearly forgotten portion of African American baseball history in Seattle.
Simpson talks as if he’s trying to balance each word on a feather. As he spoke before a Mariners game at Safeco Field last week, his words were barely audible above the singing of a youth choir preparing to perform the national anthem. It wasn’t a distraction, however. It served as fitting background music for Simpson’s testimony on baseball, race and the United States’ evolution.
The New Orleans native returned to Seattle last weekend to be a part of the Mariners’ African American Heritage Day. He joined 10 others, including, former NBA stars Bill Russell and Fred Brown, former baseball stars Alvin Davis and Dave Henderson and U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones. In 1946, the World War II veteran came to Seattle for the first time with a surprising new career aspiration — baseball player.
Read the full article here: http://seattletimes.com/html/jerrybrewer/2021614377_brewercolumn15xml.html
Originally published: August 16, 2013. Last Updated: August 16, 2013.