Buck Leonard was a famous first baseman who played for one of the top teams in Negro league history, the Homestead Grays, for sixteen seasons, beginning in 1934. Leonard's skill led him to be known as the black Lou Gehrig, but he was not offered a Major League Baseball contract until 1952. He declined because he felt he was too old and might damage the image of black players in general if he were injured. Leonard's story illuminates the unique challenges Negro League players faced in a time of segregation and racism.
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Buck Leonard was a famous first baseman who played for one of the top teams in Negro league history, the Homestead Grays, for sixteen seasons, beginning in 1934. Leonard's skill led him to be known as the black Lou Gehrig, but he was not offered a Major League Baseball contract until 1952. He declined because he felt he was too old and might damage the image of black players in general if he were injured. Leonard's story illuminates the unique challenges Negro League players faced in a time of segregation and racism.
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