Wendell and the Hall of Fame
The Story
The committee met in January 1971 and unanimously selected Satchel Paige as their first honoree. Initially, the committee, Hall of Fame board of directors, and the MLB Commissioner's office intended to honor Paige and others in an area of the Hall of Fame apart from the traditional plaque gallery. This decision was met with massive public outcry targeted at Commissioner Kuhn and Hall of Fame President Paul Kerr. Even Paige, who was not known for activism, succinctly stated to a reporter "I was just as good as the white boys. I ain't going in the back door to the Hall of Fame." Kuhn and Kern relented, announcing in July that Paige would be honored in the plaque gallery as a full Hall of Fame inductee. The same committee met again in January 1972, this time electing two former Negro League stars: Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard. This time, the Hall of Fame announced from the beginning that both were to be enshrined in the plaque gallery.
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