making history (answered)

[Arlo]

Who was the second African-American to play in the major leagues?

[goody1313]

I know Larry Doby was the first black player in the AL I will say Larry Doby

[Arlo]

You're right: Doby was indeed the first in the AL, but unfortunately he wasn't the second in the major leagues...

[goody1313]

Dan Bankhead pitcher Dodgers

[Arlo]

Not Bankhead, either.

[Zoob]

Evidently, when it comes to baseball, there are many conflicting reports which puts the whole trivia game in jeopardy. It's all over the internet that Larry Doby was the second but refrences/books differ. What happens if there's a dispute?

[Arlo]

I'd say there are two kinds of conflicting reports. The first would be a question such as, "Who invented (insert favorite pitch)," where the answer will probably never be definitively known. The second would be a question where some of the reports simply overlook certain facts (such as the Luke Easter question), which is the case here...

[metsfan1969]

Where does this fit in?

Associated press.

BASEBALL: Jackie Robinson broke major league baseball's color barrier 50 years ago, but he wasn't the first black to play in the majors. In 1884, the Toledo Blue Stockings of the American Association, then a major league, had two black players: catcher Moses Fleetwood Walker and his brother Welday, an outfielder. Although Welday appeared in just five games, Moses -- known by his nickname, "Fleet" -- shared catching duties, playing in 42 games and batting .263. Both players were gone the next year and no black appeared in organized baseball again until 1946, when Robinson first played for the Brooklyn Dodgers' Montreal farm team. A year later, he moved into the majors with the Dodgers.<br><br><br><br><span class=gensmall>Accepted as answer by menyak on 09 Mar 2003 19:18 EST.</span>

[Bennyy22]

mmmmmmm......interesting

[Arlo]

Fits in perfectly! Welday Walker was second, even though Doby is nearly always the player whose name is mentioned in this context.