| Your Source For Yankee News
Wednesday October 16th 2024

Categories

New York Yankees: First Black American League MVP? Elston Howard

National League had Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Don Newcombe, Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Ernie Banks, Frank Robinson, and Maury Wills.

The American League had nobody for 13 years.

After the 1963 season, the American League finally had Elston Howard. The New York Yankees' catcher was the first black player to become the American League's Most Valuable Player.


"We're Going to Make a Catcher Out of You"

When he left the army in 1953, Elston Howard reported to the Yankees' farm team at Lake Wales, Florida. Yankees' scout Bill Skiff handed Howard, who was an outfielder, a catcher's glove.

"Try this on for size," Skiff said to Howard. "We're going to make a catcher out of you."

About a week later, Bill ...

Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - New York Yankees


Leave a Reply