A Black Eye on America

By David Marasco

In June of 1945 Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Monarchs came to the nation's capital and lost a doubleheader before one of the largest Griffith Stadium crowds of the year. In those two games Kansas City's rookie shortstop banged out seven consecutive hits. Just another bit of history in the Jackie Robinson story. With his bat and his heart Jackie Robinson would change race in America. But as Satchel Paige would learn, the road ahead was more than a little bumpy.

In late August of the same year Satchel came back to Washington D.C. The Birmingham Black Barons had rented his arm for three innings for a tilt against the Homestead Grays. As promised he pitched his three innings. He struck out six of the nine men he faced and collected his fee - a cool grand. After the game he hopped into his maroon Cadillac and headed for places unknown.

He made it exactly one block. Wearing badge number 1106 was Robert Lewis, the officer in charge of directing baseball traffic at the intersection of 8th Street and Florida Avenue. Paige turned left onto Florida, passing a little too close to Officer Lewis. The policeman commanded Paige to halt the car. As Paige attempted to explain his driving the officer called him a '...smart black b-----." and socked Paige in the eye. The stunned Satchel was struck a second time before Lewis turned his attention back to the traffic.

Unfortunately for Lewis some of the large crowd that had just paid to see Satchel had also witnessed the officer's actions. Lewis was then informed who he had just assaulted. "I didn't know it was Paige!" claimed the policeman (I'm sure that Rodney King wishes that he was Michael Jordan). This only incited the crowd. Three police cars were needed to restore order.

In the aftermath Paige went to the precinct headquarters and filed a complaint. The officer then booked Paige on a $5 traffic charge which Paige paid on the spot. The next day Paige changed his mind and decided to fight the charge. The case wasn't heard because the traffic ticket was marked as forfeit. Satchel was left with nothing but a lacerated eye and assorted facial bruises.

At this point many readers are probably shaking their heads, remembering that this country lived under the horrors of segregation not so long ago. Even today there are enough Detective Furhmans lurking in uniform that Tiger Woods should sweat hard every time he gets pulled over. But it was even worse than that. Robert Lewis wasn't a redneck Jim Clark wanna-be, but an African American. That's how twisted race was in this country.

Looking at the long history of humanity it is not shocking when when a member of the majority oppresses a member of the minority. In some cases the prejudice becomes so ingrained into the society that even members of the minority are willing to buy into the stereotypes. A person lashing out at somebody different is sadly not uncommon, but when a person goes against one of his own it shows how deep the sickness runs. A white policeman beating a black motorist is a shameful comment on the country we call the Land of the Free. But an environment where a black cop does the same hopefully can be relegated to history. Thank you Jackie Robinson.