Muleskinner

Issue date: 10/12/06 Section: Opinion

Friday marked the end of an era; the end of a life few were able to recollect. Friday marked the day this world lost a great friend, John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil.

Born in 1911, in the midst of segregation and in a country not able to see past the color of one's skin, O'Neil lived a fulfilling life; a life many cannot even imagine. With persistence and strength, O'Neil sought a time when everyone would be treated as equals. After many trying years, O'Neil helped pave the way to the world we live in today.

O'Neil spent many years of his illustrious life hounding opposing pitchers in the Negro Leagues while playing for the Kansas City Monarchs.

He hit home runs, won batting titles, ran the bases and became an all-star, but never had the chance to play in the major leagues just because of his skin color. But that never stopped O'Neil.

He loved baseball. He loved Kansas City. But most of all, he loved people. The feeling was mutual in all three cases as well.
O'Neil made a visit to Central last year, and having a chance to meet him and listen to him speak is an experience I will never forget. At age 94, he never skipped a beat or an opportunity to make the crowd laugh. He kept everyone on their toes as he spoke of his baseball career and the difficult times he grew up in.

He never understood why people could hate the way they did before the Civil Rights movement because O'Neil never had a hateful bone in his body. He just wanted to play baseball and find a way to make the world a better place. And that is exactly what he did.

The way O'Neil played baseball was the way he lived his life; to the highest level. O'Neil was a two-time Negro Leagues' batting champion and a four-time all-star. He hit two home runs in the 1946 Negro League World Series and at the age of 40, held a .988 fielding percentage, good enough to lead the league in 1952.

There wasn't much on the baseball diamond O'Neil didn't accomplish. But off the field was where he made his greatest impact. Even though he never played a game in the Major Leagues, O'Neil carved the way for African-American ballplayers.

Jackie Robinson gets credit as the first black player in the Major Leagues, but many don't realize the impact O'Neil carried.
In 1955, the Chicago Cubs hired O'Neil as a scout, thus he became the first black scout in the Majors. But O'Neil wasn't finished. He was named the first black coach in 1962, also with the Cubs.

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