On July 21, 1959, the Boston Red Sox became racially integrated. By signing infielder Elijah “Pumpsie” Green, the Red Sox became the last major league baseball team to racially integrate their roster. It was 12 years after Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play Major League Baseball.
Oddly enough, in April 1945, the Red Sox held a tryout at Fenway Park for Robinson; however, Red Sox management watching from the stands yelled racial slurs at Robinson, who joined the Brooklyn Dodgers two years later.
Pumpsie Green played in Boston for three seasons before he was traded to the New York Mets in 1963.
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