| Larry Tye is the author of the book Satchel: The Life | | | | fans. Larry comes to the brilliant conclusion that |
| and Times of an American Legend. The book is | | | | although Babe Ruth was a great ambassador for the |
| published by Random House and is currently available | | | | game and was adored by every fan of the day, |
| in hardcover or Kindle versions. | | | | Satchel had the daunting task of achieving that same |
| One of the immediate challenges Larry faced when | | | | status, while overcoming the incredible prejudices |
| writing this book was quantifying the | | | | that white America had for black players, and black |
| accomplishments of Satchel Paige, especially since | | | | human beings in general. So without diminishing the |
| record keeping and historical information was not as | | | | following of Ruth, Satchel did something even more |
| diligently kept in that era. | | | | extraordinary. |
| He did some painstaking analysis attempting to | | | | During the time leading up to Jackie Robinson |
| determine the total number of games that Satchel | | | | breaking the color barrier for Branch Rickey, it was |
| pitched, so he chose the major league record holder | | | | Satchel Paige who attracted the attention of the |
| Jesse Orosco as a comparison. Orosco appeared in | | | | media and fans to the Negro Leagues. He was the |
| 1252 games, and as Larry explains, that | | | | one who made the effort to demonstrate the skill of |
| accomplishment generally occurred between April and | | | | the ballplayers in the league, and he would take credit |
| October. Satchel pitched "from April to April" and | | | | for getting a backup second baseman for the Kansas |
| based upon his legendary status was expected to | | | | City Monarchs in front of Branch Rickey in the first |
| appear in any game that his team was scheduled to | | | | place. Rickey made the choice of Robinson for a |
| play. Based upon his research, Larry has determined | | | | number of reasons including personality, age, |
| Satchel appeared in approximately 2500 games. | | | | willingness to play in the minor leagues, and an |
| Larry also came to the conclusion that the claims that | | | | understanding that he would have to turn the other |
| Satchel made regarding wins, shutouts, no-hitters.. all | | | | cheek to the challenges that would be heaped upon |
| of the big pitching categories.. would have set or | | | | him. |
| broken major league records, had he not been | | | | We finish the podcast with Larry telling us the great |
| excluded from playing there until the end of his | | | | tale about Satchel's last appearance pitching for the |
| career. | | | | Kansas City A's, owned by the great Charlie O. Finley. |
| Satchel understood that the great white players such | | | | Satchel was 59 years, 2 months and 8 days old at |
| as Joe DiMaggio for example, received treatment | | | | the time. Finley set up a rocking chair near the bullpen |
| from others that would help propel their star status | | | | and hired a nurse to rub up Satchel's arm. He came |
| and legendary accomplishments. He knew if he was | | | | into the game to pitch three innings, and included in |
| going to ensure his own legacy, he would need to do | | | | this moment is the fact that Carl Yastrzemski was |
| that self promotion himself. In a way, it's as if Satchel | | | | the last to get a hit off of him. It completed the |
| Paige understood in this early era the importance of | | | | great family accomplishment in which Yaz and his Dad |
| having a personal brand. He even contributed to | | | | both got a hit off of Paige, as Carl Sr. had played |
| discrepancies about his age in order to make his | | | | against him in a semi-pro league on Long Island. |
| accomplishments more extraordinary. We hear that | | | | Although there might have been some sense of |
| one of the greatest mysteries of the 30's and 40's | | | | exploitation with this event, Satchel did what he |
| was the true age of Satchel Paige! | | | | wanted to do, which was get a paycheck from |
| One of the most interesting parts of the book | | | | Charlie Finley and play the game that he loved! |
| revolves around a comparison of Babe Ruth and | | | | The books is called Satchel: The Life and Times of an |
| Satchel Paige, regarding interactions with baseball | | | | American Legend. The author is Larry Tye. |