Monte Irvin

Monte Irvin was the first Negro Leaguer that inspired my interest in Negro League Baseball.

I met Monte at a public card signing at a hotel near LaGuardia airport. He was there with his teammate from the Newark Eagles and friend, Leon Day. We spoke about the players from the leagues that inspired Monte, players like Turkey Stearnes and Jose Mendez were discussed with such high regard that anyone listening to Monte would have become a fan of this “hidden” Baseball league. Hidden because of the racism that made it necessary to have a black league, because there was no other place for them to play professionally in America.

Monte and I became fast friends as I told him my plan to help the living Negro League players who were mostly down on their luck and scattered all over the western hemisphere. We brought them together and started an organization to help them with their finances and get worthy players to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame and spread the word to the public about their history.

Monte was the best story teller I have ever met. With great humor and affection for his old teammates and rival players, he mesmerized me with his descriptions and stories.

I realized after about a year of running the organization, with me being white and being president of the Negro League Player’s Association, I was doing more harm than good. On one of our daily phone calls, I asked Monte to take my place as President. I assured him that I would do all the work in the shadows and have him be the face of the organization. He said he would but said, “Remember I'm retired,” I said ok but when I asked Monte what he was doing on the weekend, he said “I'm flying to California for a card show,” I said “I thought you were retired,“ and he said in his charming way, “hey babe it takes money to be retired.” With that answer I fell on the floor laughing.

There was only one Monte Irvin. A man of decency and depth with a sense of humor that was infectious. I loved the man truly.