06 November 2009

SPEAKING OF EMMETT ASHFORD




































Yesterday, I made a reference to Emmett Ashford, a former Major League Umpire (American League), who was the first Black Man to umpire in Professional Baseball, indeed the first Black American to umpire in the Major Leagues .


And while Jackie Robinson has been properly honored for breaking down the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947, (nudging out Larry Doby who joined the Cleveland Indians of the American League 11 weeks after Robinson's debut) I started wondering where the honors are for Emmett Ashford? The man who broke down an equally Berlin Wall type of racial inequality by becoming the first Black Umpire in the Major Leagues nearly 20 years after Robinson and Doby made a major league lineup. Which didn't happen for Ashford until 1966, after breaking into the minors in 1952. (How long does it take to develop a strike zone?)

And never mind why it took Emmett nearly 14 years after his minor league debut to garner a spot in the bigs as an umpire. I am certain that someone could get a PH.D filling in the blanks on that 1950's Americana and Baseball Social Commentary.

But how come there are no monuments or statues of Emmett Ashford? Why isn't he in some kind of Hall of Fame? Cuz he was "just an umpire"? who only worked in the Majors for 5 years? (bullshit, I say)

I remember watching Emmett Ashford when I was just a spongy pubescent kid in the late 60's. He was great. Let me say that again, he was great. Not because he was a good umpire or the first black man umpiring in the Major Leagues, ( I had my fill of racism every night on the evening news with riots and water hoses and snarling German Shepherds) but Emmett Ashford was a throughly entertaining umpire to watch. He put flair and pizzazz into the otherwise Black and White performance of Major League Umpiring. You could say he singlehandedly put a rainbow of color into my B+W television set every time he appeared during a Yankee game on WPIX Channel 11. Indeed, we kids often imitated him in the schoolyards as much as we imitated The Mick, or Say Hey or even The Scooter or "Huh-Ho" Bob Murphy on the airwaves.

In a nutshell (my favorite place to be)....watching Emmett Ashford call balls and strikes or work the bases during a game was like watching Joe Cocker warmup for a Mixed Martial Arts demonstration.

I wonder if Emmett ever knew how much of an icon he was to kids of all races and colors in the 60's?

Emmett Ashford may not have been the best, nor even nearly the best umpire in the Major Leagues during his 5 year stint, (he HAD to retire in 1970, having exceeded that maximum age of 56 for umpiring) but there is no doubt that he was the most fun to watch.

But that's not why Emmett Ashford should be in some kind of Hall of Fame. And I agree that it shouldn't be.

40+ years later I look back and wonder what kind of life he lived chasing the dream of getting from the minors to the majors. Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby and a battalion of Black Baseball Players had it rough, sure, no argument. But at least they ALWAYS had at least one or two or more people rooting for them in the stands and on the streets.

Who roots for an umpire? Everybody HATES the umpire, (KILL the Umpire?) regardless of their color, but moreso I imagine, if you were Emmett Ashford working in small town white America in the 50's.

Every umpire has probably feared for his safety on more than one occasion. But I gotta wonder if Emmett Ashford had to do that on a daily basis.

And for that reason alone, Emmett deserves some kind of Lifetime Achievement Honor.

And that's just my opinion.







14 comments:

  1. Love the photos accompanying your tribute to the great Emmett Ashford.
    Do you have a source for them?

    Thanks,
    Denny Fallon
    San Diego, CA
    dennyads@yaho.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm really enjoying the design and layout of your site. It's a very easy on the eyes which
    makes it much more pleasant for me to come here and visit more often.

    Did you hire out a developer to create your theme?
    Fantastic work!

    Feel free to surf to my web blog - coupons for huggies
    my web page: diaper coupons

    ReplyDelete
  3. My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find
    the majority of your post's to be exactly I'm looking for.
    Would you offer guest writers to write content in your case?
    I wouldn't mind writing a post or elaborating on many of the subjects you write regarding here. Again, awesome website!

    Here is my web blog ... methadone Clinics in Pa

    ReplyDelete
  4. Heу! Ι'm at work surfing around your blog from my new apple iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the outstanding work!

    Feel free to surf to my blog http://www.faq.nigerianunion.org/index.php?qa=362&qa_1=how-many-flavoured-cartridges-are-included-in-a-starter-kit

    ReplyDelete
  5. Howdy! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a collection of
    volunteers and starting a new project in a community in the same niche.
    Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a extraordinary job!


    Also visit my site ... http://www.dodgecumminsforsale.org/one-of-the-best-deals-you-can-Take-buying-lifted-dodge-cummins/

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi there! Someone in my Myspace group shared this site with us so I came to take a
    look. I'm definitely enjoying the information. I'm book-marking and will be tweeting this to my followers!
    Superb blog and outstanding style and design.

    my homepage garnier dark Spot corrector coupons

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website
    yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz respond
    as I'm looking to construct my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. many thanks

    Here is my web page; vera wang bridal shoes

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi! I'm at work browsing your blog from my new iphone! Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the fantastic work!

    Feel free to visit my blog post :: cargo pants

    ReplyDelete
  9. Heya! I know this is sort of off-topic however I had to
    ask. Does building a well-established website such as yours take a lot of work?
    I'm brand new to running a blog however I do write in my diary daily. I'd like to start a
    blog so I can share my experience and thoughts online.
    Please let me know if you have any suggestions or tips for new aspiring blog
    owners. Thankyou!

    Take a look at my webpage :: Methadone Doctors

    ReplyDelete
  10. I don't know whether it's ϳust me or if eѵerуone else experiencing isѕues with yοur webѕite.
    It appears liκe some οf the tеxt within yοur posts аre
    running οff the scгeen. Can ѕomebodу elsе ρlease comment and let me know if this is happening to them too?
    This might be a problem with my brоωser bеcauѕe I've had this happen before. Many thanks

    my homepage Vapor Ultra Electronic Cigarette Brand

    ReplyDelete
  11. Please let me knοw if you're looking for a article writer for your site. You have some really good articles and I think I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I'd аbsolutеlу love to write somе materіal for yοur
    blog іn eхсhange fοr a link bаck to mine.

    Please ѕhoot me an е-mаil if interestеd.
    Kudos!

    Feеl free tο surf to my website; lightweight running shoes for women

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hey there excellent blog! Does running a blog like this take a massive amount
    work? I've very little expertise in coding however I had been hoping to start my own blog in the near future. Anyhow, should you have any recommendations or tips for new blog owners please share. I know this is off topic but I just needed to ask. Thanks a lot!

    Feel free to visit my page; nys 7th grade math test
    my page - 7th grade math word problems

    ReplyDelete
  13. Do you mind if I quote a feω of your artісles as long as I рrοvidе credit аnd
    sources back to your wеblog? Μy blog ѕіte is in the very same
    niche аѕ yours аnd my viѕitοrs woulԁ rеally bеnеfit from somе οf thе infoгmatiοn you рresent
    here. Please let me know if this okay wіth you.
    Τhankѕ а lot!

    Here іs my hοmeρаge :: Refill Cartomizers
    My web page - www.occupyseattle.org

    ReplyDelete
  14. Does your website have a contact page? I'm having problems locating it but, I'd
    like to send you an email. I've got some recommendations for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great website and I look forward to seeing it grow over time.

    My weblog: Mega T Green Tea
    My web site: Green Tea Tablets For Weight Loss

    ReplyDelete