Posted on 10/24/2005 10:17:55 AM PDT by Nasty McPhilthy
The year was 1959 and the White Sox won the American League pennant. It was also the year the White Sox attempted to sign hard-throwing pitcher Jesse Jackson of Sterling High School in Greenville, S.C, according to the CHICAGO TRIBUNE.
"Dizzy Trout and Red Ruffing were the scouts," said the civil-rights leader while standing outside the White Sox clubhouse. "It was a choice for me between football and baseball. I loved both sports, but I felt more secure with football. At that time, the [baseball] bonuses that they were offering were $10,000 to $50,000, which was all the money in the world. But I could just not take that risk. There were a lot of kids who never got past Triple A. I thought with football I had more options and I felt more secure."
Jackson, also a highly recruited high school quarterback and an honor student, accepted a football scholarship to Illinois. Because of his disenchantment with the way he was used as a freshman, he transferred to North Carolina A&T, where he enjoyed a successful football career.
"I was a pitcher and I played first base in high school, but my [major-league] tryout was as a pitcher," said Jackson, who described himself as "a hard-throwing pitcher with control." Jackson, who also was offered a contract to play minor-league baseball by the Giants organization, said his father played against Negro League teams such as the Birmingham Black Barons and the Atlanta Black Crackers.
Jackson, now president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, watches the multicultural White Sox and sees a sports metaphor for how the city and diverse people throughout the world can be successful by working together.
I guess Jessie knew where the real $$ were to be had.
or:
If you can't join them, extort them
It never would have worked. Jesse, the lying, hypocritical, racist opportunist would have had to PERFORM for his paycheck...he would have failed instantly.
He would have fit right in with the team known for its corruption in thowing the World Series.
In other words, it would have been something like a real job.
In other words, it would have been something like a real job.
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Exactly. Yeah, the idea of working honestly for a living would have killed him, just like Calypso Louis. Horrors, what a couple of maggots.
Say what you will about Jesse now. But he was an extremely fine athlete coming out of high school. Multi-sport star.
I loved the time when Jesse wanted to shake down Nike and tried to visit one of the factories in Asia and the company basically told him to go to hell.
Yeah, and Jesse's a real "Reverend," too.
You'll notice that "THE MAN" didn't keep Jesse down from being an exceptional athlete, right.
One of the things most touted by sports enthusiasts, especially the ones who seem to live through their kids' athletic activities, is how important athletioc competition is in fostering character.
There are a lot of fine athletes out there who are fine people, but I don't think sports had anything to do with it.
... pitched AT... And it wasn't "pitched"! ;-P
he had a wild curve with a lot of spin on it but he could never throw anything straight.
some people never change.
All I threw was balls
Cuz I didn't gets da calls
I would've been mighty
If it hadn't been fo whitey
My sinker was flat
And it hit da bat
...That's that
Oh yeah; Stay out da Bushes
Hey! I'm offended & outraged!
And Fidel Castro might have pitched for the Yankees. Too bad these guys didn't have better arms. ;)
He's like 6' 3", right?
Speaking of White Sox fans were is Hillary?
Jesse Jackson is successful-- not doing things we'd like him to succeed at, though.
Sports teach kids lots of valuable things that affect your character-- resolve, discipline, etc.
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