Discover a little known chapter of baseball history that chipped away
at the color barrier in the early
1950's South.
$11.95
Other books by the author can be found at
www.theperryscampmurders.com
http://www.murderinharrillhills.com/
Book Summary
Jim “Schoolboy” Tugerson was a black baseball player born too soon to realize his dream of playing in the major leagues. He was a pitcher who had a menacing sidearm fastball that tailed so as to back batters off both sides of the plate.
In 1953, because he was black, he, along with his brother, Leander, was barred from pitching for the Hot Springs Bathers of the Class C Cotton States League and was optioned to the Knoxville Smokies of the Class D Mountain States League. He posted the winningest record in all of organized baseball with 29 wins in the regular season and 4 wins in the play-offs including the championship game.
During his season with the Smokies he was awed by his fans and teammates alike. His fans brought him gifts on “Jim Tugerson Night,” and his teammates hung on while Schoolboy pulled them through the most memorable season they would ever have.
In deference to his career goal, he filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Cotton States League on July 13, 1953. He dropped the suit in December after his contract was purchased by Dallas, where he played until 1959 when he retired to pursue a law enforcement career.
Baseball took its toll on Tugerson and never gave back as much as he gave it. Unfortunately, that’s the way it was, and apparently, the way it was meant to be.
You may contact the author at
rsallen@schoolboytugerson.com
Schoolboy is available at the
Tennesssee Smokies Stadium
in Sevierville, TN
