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Jack and Jill and the Toledo Mud Hens Celebrate Moses
Fleetwood Walker Day at Fleetwoods
Sojourner’s Truth Staff
Due in large part to the efforts of State Sen. Edna Brown,
the State of Ohio recently announced a new official day –
Moses Fleetwood Walker Day. On Saturday, October 7 (Walker’s
birthday), The Toledo Chapter of Jack and Jill and the
Toledo Mud Hens took the opportunity to celebrate – the
first statewide recognition of the Day – and to raise funds
to send 50 local youth to baseball camp next summer.
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Jack and Jill members Rhonda Sewell, Kelli
Winston and Dee Dee Kent Dolsey |
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The celebration began at 7:30 p.m. when the band, Organized
K-OS, took the stage and began to entertain the audience at
Fleetwood’s Tap Room on St. Clair Street, across from Fifth
Third Field. Joining the members of Jack and Jill were Mud
Hens historian John Hussman and Pete Wagner of the Moses
Fleetwood Walker Society.
Contrary to conventional modern-day history, Hall of Famer
Jackie Robinson, who began his professional major league
career with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1947 season, was not
the first openly black man to play professional baseball.
That distinction belongs to Ohio native Walker, a former
star athlete with both Oberlin College and the University of
Michigan, who broke in with the Toledo Blue Stockings of the
American Association in 1884 and retired from professional
baseball in 1889. Unfortunately, Walker did not start a
trend. Not until 1947 did another African American play
professional baseball in the previously all-white major
leagues.
“The place is packed, the
game is on, and the "Sweet Blue" (cocktail in honor of Moses
Fleetwood Walker) is being served!” said one of the Jack and
Jill organizers Rhonda Sewell. “Thanks everyone for already
making donations to send 50 youth in need to baseball camp
at
Fifth
Third Field next summer! Happy Moses Fleetwood
Walker Day!”
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Organized K-OS
Michael Keedy, Kelli Winston, Pete Wagner, Rhonda Sewell,
Dee Dee Kent Dolsey, Candice Harrison |
Moses Fleetwood Walker
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