Jones: Searching for a Satchel Paige appearance in Fayetteville
From Sonny Jones at the Fayetteville Observer on August 23, 2017, with mention of SABR member Donna Halper:
Benny Pearce remembers going to Pittman Stadium on Aug. 22, 1955, to watch the Kansas City Monarchs play the Southern League All-Stars in the 1st Annual All-Star Game.
The former Cumberland County educator wanted to see baseball legend and future Hall of Famer Satchel Paige pitch for the Monarchs. Who wouldn’t? And, says Pearce, Paige did pitch some that night.
I believe Benny Pearce. At least I have no reason to doubt him.
However, documenting that the game was actually played has been elusive, even for baseball historians such as Donna Halper and the Society for American Baseball Research. Paige biographer Larry Tye isn’t sure, either, although he did tell Up and Coming Weekly sports editor Earl Vaughan Jr. that Paige had a barnstorming team at that time and almost always pitched an inning or two in games. Satchel was still a big draw two years after retiring from the majors.
Read the full article here: http://www.fayobserver.com/sports/20170823/paige-definitely-might-possibly-have-pitched-in-fayetteville
Originally published: August 23, 2017. Last Updated: August 23, 2017.