Sam Jethroe
| Birthdate | 1/23/1917 |
| Death Date | 6/16/2001 |
| Debut Year | 1950 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Braves, Cleveland Buckeyes, Pirates |
| Position | Center Field |
Sam Jethroe broke the Boston color barrier as the 1950 Rookie of the Year for the Braves nine years before the Red Sox finally integrated.
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Jethroe and Jackie Robinson tried out for Tom Yawkey's Red Sox in 1945
Jethroe and Jackie Robinson tried out for Tom Yawkey's Red Sox in 1945
“Heartiest congratulations on your great achievement stop hope to personally shake your hand on the 21st good luck and best wishes Tom Yawkey”. The telegram originates from the Spahn estate.
Pennant-winning 1947 was Jethroe's final Negro League All Star campaign
Pennant-winning 1947 was Jethroe's final Negro League All Star campaign
Sam Jethroe’s Negro League career began in 1938. Once he became an everyday player he quickly became one of the league’s top performers. Over eight seasons, Jethroe made the All-Star team four times, showcasing his consistent performance.
He played on two pennant-winning clubs, in 1945 and 1947. His ’45 team won the Negro League World Series.
According to BaseballReference.com, Jethroe’s Negro League career spanned exactly 162 games, the same number of regular-season contests in today’s Major League Baseball. This makes Jethroe’s Negro League production easy to decode.
In those 162 games, Jethroe batted .318, with 38 stolen bases, 138 runs scored and 198 hits. He recorded 48 doubles, 16 triples, and 9 home runs, with 92 runs batted in. His on-base percentage was .368, and his slugging percentage stood at .483. These numbers reflect Jethroe’s ability to impact a game, with contact, speed, and extra-base power.
Shown here is a personal check signed by Chet Brewer, a teammate in Jethroe’s final three Negro League seasons with the Cleveland Buckeyes. Brewer was an outstanding pitcher who was named to the Veterans Committee final ballot in 2006. That year 17 of the 39 on the final ballot were elected in what remains the largest Cooperstown class.
Branch Rickey traded Jethroe to the Braves; the centerfielder debuted 6 months later
Branch Rickey traded Jethroe to the Braves; the centerfielder debuted 6 months later
On July 11, 1948, the Brooklyn Dodgers signed Cleveland Buckeye centerfielder Sam Jethroe. The fleet-footed flycatcher spent the rest of ’48 and all of the ’49 season with the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate in Montreal.
Then on October 4, 1949, Dodgers team president Branch Rickey traded Jethroe to the Braves in a five-player deal. Six months later Jethroe integrated the Boston franchise as the team’s Opening Day centerfielder.
In the collection is this letter dated May 22, 1947 – one month after Jackie Robinson’s historic color-line -breaking April 18th debut. The correspondence is signed by Hall of Fame executive Branch Rickey who signed Robinson and Jethroe. Rickey thanks fellow Dodger owner Walter O’Malley for a television set.
Negro Leaguer Sam Jethroe was the 1950 NL Rookie of the Year
Negro Leaguer Sam Jethroe was the 1950 NL Rookie of the Year
Sam Jethroe was a pioneering African American baseball player in both the Negro Leagues and in Major League Baseball.
Jethroe began his career with the Cleveland Buckeyes, helping them to two pennants and the 1945 Negro League World Series title. In the championship campaign Jethroe helped lead Cleveland with a .333/.407/.556 slash line
In 1950, Jethroe became the first Black player for the Boston Braves. The speedy outfielder had an outstanding rookie season, scoring 100 runs and leading the National League in stolen bases. His impressive performance earned him the 1950 Rookie of the Year Award.
Jethroe played four MLB seasons, three with the Braves and one for the Pirates. In 442 National League games, Jethroe tallied 460 hits, with 80 doubles, 29 triples, 49 home runs, and 280 runs scored. He swiped 98 bases and drove in 181 runs.
The card above shows Jethroe’s signature authenticated by PSA/DNA.
