LeRoy Robert “Satchel” Paige is perhaps the best-known player in the history of the Negro Leagues. He played for a number of teams between 1924-1947 and again in 1950, including the Kansas City Monarchs in 1935 and 1939-1947.

He’s perhaps best known for his flamboyant style, both on and off the field. His pitching style included a high leg kick and a blinding fastball. He liked to experiment, throwing from a variety of arm angles and using his famed “hesitation pitch.” Joe DiMaggio said 40-something Paige was the best he ever faced.

In 1948, Cleveland owner Bill Veeck signed Paige to his first Major League contract, on his 42^nd birthday making him the first black pitcher in the American League. In 1965, Kansas City Athletics owner Charles O. Finley signed Paige, age 59, to pitch one game. He started the game and pitched three scoreless innings, retiring the last six batters he faced in order. He left the game to a standing ovation in the fourth inning.

I have long been interested in the history of the Negro Leagues, which I’ve studied extensively for more than 30 years. Stories from that history are both heartwarming and heartbreaking for me. This piece is one in a series I am working on to honor some of the greats of that era, and to serve as a reminder that we must diligently fight against injustice. This piece was created using only palette knives and three Gamblin paint colors: ivory black, titanium white, and torrit grey.

This original oil painting on a cradled birch panel measures 12” tall by 9'“ wide. It sells in a black box frame and ready to hang. Free shipping in the U.S.