Doc Talks Satchel Paige and Birmingham Black Barons

 

 

Things have been really busy this spring, but I knew I was due to post here! So its time for another Doc Talks vid, this time I am reading from my book "Black Baseball in Alabama: Rough Diamonds of Dixie" about one of the biggest names in the sport. 

DOC TALKS SATCH

It's a subject I was interested in from the very start, Satchel Paige and how he got his start with the Black Barons. Learning the true history of one of the most legendary pitchers was one of the most fascinating aspects of research for my book. Everyone has heard of Satchel, there are so many great stories and legends, separating his myth from fact was a big task but a lot of fun. 

I had access to some of the best info, from biographies to local reporting of the era. A deep look at the Black Barons business ledger was incredibly rewarding, covering financial details on a day-to-day basis it offered the keys to several mysteries. Satchel wrote his autobiography "Pitchin Man" fairly early on,  during his playing career. I found that gave him much control over his own narrative, some important details of his life were errant and others were omitted entirely, likely by design. Yet many of his in-game exploits were not just true, but tended to be downsized for believe-ability.  

Satchel was playing loosely organized ball with his older brother's local Mobile team when he was signed, possibly dealt for cash, and began pitching pro ball for Chattanooga. After a successful rookie season the Chattanooga White Sox sold him to Birmingham in the middle of the his second year. He was young and threw hard but had little control, which led to...

 

 

In this video I used a few of my colorization efforts, something I have been working on for a number of years now. After getting into photo editing for the many images here, it seemed a natural progression. I find the visual aspect of older images is greatly improved with the colorization process, making identification so much easier and giving a more realistic look for modern viewers.

Also we get a look at the custom baseball cards I have been designing for events. I use the local teams they played for and always include deep facts on the back. Catch me in person and I might have one for you!

Feel free to comment or ask questions below, I always look forward to them!