Ernie Banks was a turning point in the integration story. By the time he got called up in 1953, half the teams in the majors had integrated—more than half, if you count Carlos Bernier for the Pirates. By 1954, there are no happy stories left. The early years of integration saw a lot of Negro league greats finally get their shot at the MLB. There was something triumphant about the premieres of guys like Satchel Paige, Monte Irvin, Sam Jethroe, and Willard Brown. Then you had young phenoms like Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Don Newcombe, and Willie Mays. These guys signaled the kind of excitement and talent that Black players would bring the Major Leagues.
Man, Carlos Paula and Hank Thompson are the real haunting tragedies of this series