The 7 Best Baseball Players of Color To Have Ever Played

Baseball has not always been the most accepting of sports. The not proud history of baseball excluded people based on things like skin color. While we thankfully have moved forward and welcomed people of all backgrounds into the sport, it is often a good idea to celebrate the amazing players of color that have enriched baseball in the all too short time that they have been introduced into the league. These fabulous players of color are fantastic additions to the sport. But there were even great players in the Negro League, a baseball league that was formed for just players of color when the major league was still segregated.

The Best Baseball Players Of Color

There have been many great players of color in baseball over the years. Many of them after the integration of the sport, and many even before. Players of color have had a large impact on the sport. Here are some of the best players of color that have graced the diamond.

Jackie Robinson

Credit: Sabr

Jackie is first on the list for a multitude of reasons. Not only was he an amazing player that played second base with grace and pose, he changed the sport as a whole. He is the player that broke the color barrier. He was the first player of color to move into the Major League. After his historic entrance into the MLB, the sport was on a road to integration. He leads that charge, and he will always be remembered for that. But this is not the only thing he did. He was an amazing second baseman. He was an all-star started six times.

Jackie’s jersey has been retired by every baseball team in honor of this amazing player and historical icon.

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�The Big Hurt� Frank Thomas

Credit:�Sportsnaut

Thomas is known as one of the greatest first basemen of all time. He spent his career playing for the White Sox. He was responsible for driving in 1,703 runs, with 521 home runs and a hitting average of .301. This impressive record is enough to land him in the history books, but he was not just known on the field of play. When he was not on the field, he was an advocate for other players of color in sports and helped further the cause of integration.

Ernie Banks

Credit: Baseballhall

Cubs player Ernie Banks joined the club after years of playing in the Negro League. He stayed in the Cubs after joining for the rest of his career and played for them for the next 18 years. With a batting average of .271 and his wonderful infield performance, he will go down in history. His fantastic ball playing is only trumped by his loyalty to his club.

Barry Bonds

Credit: Wikipedia

Barry Bonds has been the center of some controversy from time to time. These controversies do not make him any less of a fantastic player. His average of .298 and almost 2,000 runs batted in make him a valuable player on the field, even if off the field he is a bit of a wild card. Say what you want about the controversy, but it’s hard to deny his achievements on the field.

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Willie Mays

Credit: Emaze

If you had to make a list of the best players to ever grace the field, Willie Mays would most definitely be on that list and pretty high to the top. Some would say that Willie is the best player of all time, and it�s hard to argue. He was a dynamo in the batter’s box and on the field, catching line drives and pop flies like no one else could. He earned a number of awards. He was MVP twice, won 12 golden gloves, and a World Series title.

Ken Griffey Jr.

Credit: Baseballhall

Ken Griffey Jr. is a name that is instantly recognizable in relation to the sport of baseball. He is another player that people would argue for the title of greatest player of all time. It seemed like he could do everything, and could pull it all off on a higher level than many players. He could run, played a great defensive game, hit consistently and with power, and had a cannon for an arm. It seemed like there was no level Ken Griffey Jr. could not be competitive on. He played for a long time, and certainly had his glory years, but he never played bad, and until the end of his career was one of the best.

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Hank Aaron

Credit: Myblackhistory

Hank Aaron is remembered as being the home run king. He hit an impressive 755 home runs during his career. He was also part of the 3,000 hit club, an achievement that only the best of batters can manage to accomplish. He is also one of the best players to ever play the game. During his 23 impressive years, he made it onto the all-star team twenty years in a row. At the end of his career, his batting average was .305, which is an impressive feat.

Some Of The Best Of All Time

There have been some amazing players of color in the history of baseball. They had amazing players before and after the integration of the leagues, but if the leagues had not been merged, some of these amazing players might not have gotten the notoriety that they deserved. These iconic names may not have been ingrained in our cultures, and they would not have been household names like they deserve to be.

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