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Senator Brown
Applauds Passage of Moses Fleetwood Walker Day Bill
H.B. 59 designates October
7th as "Moses Fleetwood Walker Day" in Ohio
Last week, Senator Edna Brown (D-Toledo) applauded the
passage of House Bill 59, sponsored by Representatives David
Leland and Thomas West. House Bill 59 designates October 7th
as “Moses Fleetwood Walker Day” in honor of the first
African-American baseball player under contract. Senator
Brown carried companion legislation (Senate Bill 73) in the
Senate.
“Moses Fleetwood Walker is relatively unknown compared to
Jackie Robinson,” said Senator Brown. “However, his baseball
career began over half-a-century prior to Jackie’s. I’m
pleased that this bill was passed in recognition of the man
who truly broke the barrier prohibiting black men from
playing organized baseball.”
Born in Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, Moses Fleetwood Walker played
baseball for the Toledo Blue Stockings when the team was
admitted to the American Association in 1884. The American
Association was a professional baseball league that existed
for ten seasons, beginning in 1882 and ending in 1891.
In addition to his athletic achievements, he attended
Oberlin College as a student-athlete and received his
undergraduate degree. He later went on to attend law school
at the University of Michigan.
Walker is set to be inducted into the Ohio Civil Rights Hall
of Fame on October 5, 2017.
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