Setting
Josh and Satch weaves a tapestry across the Americas, stretching from the bustling United States to the vibrant landscapes of Argentina. It chronicles the adventures of two peripatetic baseball players, tirelessly hopping from one professional league to the next. In pursuit of year-round baseball and livelihoods for their families, they embarked on a journey that defied borders. Satchel Paige, in particular, roamed with more fervor than Josh Gibson, driven by the lure of lucrative opportunities. At times, he lent his talents to a Negro league team; at others, he found his calling in Latin America or crisscrossed the western United States, barnstorming with fellow African-American players in endless matchups against local semiprofessional teams. Early in his journey, Paige became a magnet for spectators, securing a share of gate receipts simply for gracing a game with his presence and pitching a few brief innings. By the 1930s, he was a national sensation, frequently borrowed by Negro league teams from his parent club for a weekend game, in hopes of drawing enough fans to cover the team's weekly payroll.
Much like Paige, Gibson also engaged in barnstorming, though he often remained more loyal to his Negro league team than Paige did to his. While a beloved icon in America, Gibson's fame soared even higher in Latin America, particularly in Mexico. There, team owners eagerly offered him more substantial pay than their American counterparts, captivated by his remarkable ability to attract crowds. Josh and Satch delves into the harsh realities of its era, journeying through the segregated American South, where, as one player recalls, a team bus might travel fifty miles to find a service station that would grant black players access to the facilities. The narrative spans bustling metropolises like Pittsburgh and Birmingham, and tiny, uncharted hamlets; showcasing ballparks ranging from the grand Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., to those crafted for Negro league teams, down to humble fields more gravel than soil, with timeworn wooden grandstands. In certain towns, a Negro league team found refuge solely due to Satchel Paige's presence; in others, players passed a hat through the crowd, collecting donations to share amongst themselves.
During the 1920s, two Negro leagues thrived as Gibson and Paige embarked on their professional journeys. The magnetic allure, artistry, and sheer flair of the Negro leaguers captivated both white and black fans, enabling teams to dedicate entire seasons to league play, boasting up to a hundred games. Yet, the stability of this era crumbled under the weight of the Great Depression, which left over a quarter of American workers unemployed. As discretionary spending dwindled, attendance at Negro league games plummeted sharply. Some teams vanished, while others were reborn as independent clubs, playing exhibitions against major league teams, all-star squads, and fellow Negro league teams. The 1930s presented harsh challenges for Negro leaguers seeking to earn a living. Surviving teams endured shortened seasons, sometimes as brief as thirty games, focusing much of their energy on elaborate playoff systems and all-star games designed to reignite fan interest. These Negro league all-star games held at Chicago's American League ballpark became marquee sporting events of the decade, drawing throngs of fans. Paige and Gibson often emerged as heroes of these contests, with Gibson once launching one of his legendary home runs clear out of the ballpark, perhaps soaring over 550 feet from home plate.
Holway distinguishes himself as a meticulous historian, exemplified by his precise depiction of Gibson's prodigious hitting prowess. He offers independent eyewitness accounts from various perspectives to attest to Gibson's monumental feats. Over the span of three decades, he delved deep into the research necessary...
(This entire section contains 641 words.)
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forJosh and Satch, poring over newspaper articles, devouring books on the Negro leagues, and conducting interviews with hundreds of players and eyewitnesses. This dedication culminated in an exceptionally vivid portrayal of the people and places that colored this unforgettable era.
Literary Qualities
The tapestry of Josh and Satch is woven with chapters that meticulously recount the annual triumphs and trials of legends Paige and Gibson. These narratives primarily spotlight their baseball heroics, while glimpses into their personal lives serve only as subtle backdrops to their public personas. As a result, the world beyond baseball seems distant, with even the cataclysmic events of World War II appearing as mere echoes from afar. To bridge this chasm, Holway opens each chapter with a vivid chronicle of significant global and national happenings of the year in question. This narrative device, familiar to enthusiasts of young adult biographies, is reminiscent of techniques employed in acclaimed works like Ann Petry's Harriett Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad.
Overflowing with statistics, Josh and Satch details the impressive feats on the baseball diamond—Gibson's home run tallies and Paige's victories, inviting those with a passion for the sport into a numerical nirvana. Holway delves into playing styles, capturing moments like a batter's unmistakable flat-footed stance or a pitcher's penchant for curveballs. While these intricacies might not captivate every reader, Holway adeptly balances the scales by weaving in compelling insights about the era's daily life. From the persistent shadow of racial discrimination to the stirrings of the civil rights movement, his narrative deftly intersperses gravity with humor. One amusing episode recounts the exodus of Negro league players to Santo Domingo, lured by lucrative offers from dictator Rafael Trujillo. There, baseball was played under the watchful eyes of armed troops, and as "El Presidente doesn't lose!" echoed with gunfire, the tension was palpable. Cool Papa Bell's quip about the dangers taking a humorous turn adds a layer of adventure to the storytelling.
Holway's attention to detail shines through with anecdotes about the Negro leagues that pique curiosity. Take, for instance, Paige's humorous exaggeration of Bell's speed—"turning off the light and reaching bed before darkness fell." This snippet is more than just hyperbole; it's part of the colorful lore surrounding these athletes. After triumphing in a tournament in Wichita, Kansas, Paige and Radcliffe faced discrimination when their hotel denied them rooms. Opting for the more liberating environment of a friend's boardinghouse, Paige relished the extra freedom, which included late-night escapades free from the hotel's curfews. The team owner, feeling guilty, visited daily, compensating them handsomely, unaware that Paige and Radcliffe preferred their newfound autonomy.
Holway often refers to the major leagues as the "white leagues," a term that, while convenient, doesn't capture the whole truth. Although Jewish players faced challenges, they did infiltrate the leagues, which also saw representation from various ethnicities, including Native Americans who had been part of baseball's history. The story of a Native American star leading to Cleveland's team name and Jim Thorpe's celebrated athletic career showcase this diversity, though African-Americans were conspicuously excluded. Despite not being entirely "white," the leagues weren't truly "major," either. Excluding talents like Gibson and Paige inevitably meant that lesser players took their places. Paige himself noted that if Negro league stars were allowed in the majors, the boasting big-league batting averages would have been less impressive. Historians often ponder how figures like Gibson and Oscar Charleston might have reshaped major league pitching stats.
Among the societal challenges faced by Negro leaguers was the cultural clash between Northerners and Southerners. Northerners, typically from urban settings, were educated and proud of their polished demeanor. As described in Josh and Satch, they donned suits and ties, spoke with refined diction, and viewed Southern players like Paige as "clowns." They were vexed by the Southerners' casual attire, informal speech, and their penchant for jubilant expressions through games, singing, and music, as Jake Stephens, a shortstop, elaborates:
Take Satchel and his crew, a band of southern lads whose lives diverged remarkably from ours. Off the diamond, our paths barely crossed, for they carried an air of playful mischief. Their attire was bold, their manners unpolished, and their speech colored with phrases like "You all," often echoed by the boisterous voice of Paige, who, though lacking formal education, was never short of things to say.
Then came another challenge with these southern boys, unfamiliar with the abundance of wealth. Hand them $150 a month, and they'd spiral into a whirlwind of extravagance, strutting with pride in their "Pittsburgh Crawfords" jackets, feeling invincible. The seasoned players, however, donned neckties at dinner, adhering to the decorum of gentlemen and the stature of big-timers.
North vs. South
This created a rift, with Northern players viewing the Southerners as perpetuating harmful racial stereotypes, while the Southerners perceived their Northern counterparts as conceited and aloof. This tension lingered throughout the tales captured in Josh and Satch.
Language and Reality
Books depicting the gritty realities of baseball, like Josh and Satch, often weave raw language into their narratives. Yet, readers will find comfort knowing this tome shuns vulgarity. This might reflect the players themselves, as stereotypes can mislead. The image of a foul-mouthed ballplayer may be exaggerated. In Holway’s interviews, players often substituted actual curse words with "so and so," suggesting Holway might have polished their words for broader audiences. However, the euphemisms appear authentic, underscoring the players’ awareness of their speech's impact. The absence of "cussing" could indicate the players chose their words carefully when interviewed.
For Further Reference
Berger, Morey. Insightful Review. Library Journal 116, 3 (February 15, 1991): 200. Enthusiastically endorses Josh and Satch as an exceptionally engaging read.
"Holway, John." Within the pages of Contemporary Authors. Edited by Cynthia R. Fadool. Detroit: Gale Research, 1976. Offers a concise overview of Holway's life journey and professional achievements.
"Negro Leagues Register." Featured in The Baseball Encyclopedia. Edited by Rick Wolff and colleagues, New York: Macmillan, ninth edition, 1993, pp. 2609-2680. While not exhaustive, this register presents the most definitive statistics available for numerous Negro league luminaries.
