Jimmy Claxton

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Jimmy Claxton
Pitcher
Born: (1892-12-14)December 14, 1892
Wellington, British Columbia
Died: March 3, 1970(1970-03-03) (aged 77)
Tacoma, Washington
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
Negro leagues debut
1932, for the Pollock's Cuban Stars
Last Negro leagues appearance
1932, for the Washington Pilots
Negro leagues statistics
Win–loss record0–1
Earned run average11.05
Strikeouts8
Teams
Member of the Canadian
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction2021

James Edgar Claxton (December 14, 1892 – March 3, 1970) was a Canadian-American baseball pitcher, and the first black man to play organized white baseball in the twentieth century.

Early life and background

Jimmy Claxton was born on December 14, 1892, in Wellington, British Columbia, to American parents.[1] Claxton's parents were 32-year-old William Edgar Claxton, a miner from Lynchburg, Virginia, and 18-year-old Emma Richards from Illinois. Claxton's mother had turned 18 just 24 days before the wedding, which was January 14, 1892.[2] The Claxtons moved to Tacoma, Washington, when Jimmy was three months old.[3]

The Claxton family was of a

black, Native American, French, Irish, and English ancestry. Jimmy and his siblings have been classified as white, black, and mulatto by various census-takers. Claxton's World War I draft registration card lists his race as Ethiopian.[4] The minister officiating the marriage of Claxton's parents noted "The bridegroom is a coloured man; the bride a white woman" on the marriage record,[1]
which laid the groundwork for difficulties for Jimmy Claxton later.

Baseball career

Claxton began playing baseball at age thirteen, as a catcher for the town team of

pitcher. At age 18, he struck out eighteen players in a single game while pitching for a team from Chester, Washington.[3]

By 1916, Claxton had made his way to the Oakland, California, where he played for an all-black team. In Oakland, he came the attention of the management of the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League.[3] Claxton was introduced to the team owner by a part Native American friend as a fellow member of an Oklahoma tribe. At the time, African Americans were segregated in professional baseball, but Native Americans were allowed.[5]

On May 28, 1916, Claxton broke the

Contra Costa Times in 1964, Claxton explained that no reason was given for his dismissal, but he believed it was due to his race. Oaks manager Rowdy Elliott claimed that Claxton was released because of his performance.[6] It was nearly thirty years before another black man played organized white baseball.[7]

After leaving the Oaks, Claxton played for

bush league record by striking out nineteen players in a single game.[9] He won a state semi-professional championship while pitching with the Shastas.[8]

Claxton played for many different teams in the negro leagues, including the

Chicago Union Giants and the Cuban Stars
.

In 1932, he pitched for both

Pollock's Cuban Stars and the Washington Pilots of the East–West League.[10]

He pitched his final game at age 63, during an old-timer's game in Tacoma, Washington.[3]

Claxton died on March 3, 1970, in Tacoma.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8032-8573-6
    .
  2. ^ Hawthorn, Tom. "Jimmy Claxton". Society for American Baseball Research.
  3. ^ a b c d Hawthorn, Tom (20 April 1997). "Before Jackie there was Jimmy". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Essington 2018, pp. 22–3.
  5. ^ Essington 2018, pp. 24–5.
  6. ^ a b Essington 2018, p. 24.
  7. ^ Edes, Gordon (28 March 1997). "Opening a new, wide world". The Boston Globe. p. 39 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8032-8425-8
    .
  9. ^ "Shastas and St. Dominics in 11 Inning Tie". Oakland Tribune. 23 June 1919. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Jimmy Claxton Seamheads profile". seamheads.com. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
  11. ^ Essington 2018, p. 25.

Sources

Primary sources
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