Ginter Project: Stanley "Doc" Glenn

This is the second most recent of the ttms I've gotten in the past few weeks: Stanley "Doc" Glenn. Mr. Glenn was a catcher in the Negro Leagues who caught Satchel Paige, so this is the second auto I have of one of Paige's former catchers, the other being Larry LeGrande. An unexpected story is that he made a cameo in Gene Conley's bio. Mr. Glenn was a catcher in the Braves minor league system when Conley was coming through, and even compared Conley to Paige when Conley threw a 1-0 shutout against Wilkes-Barre during to win his 20th game in 1951.

He put out a book a couple of years ago, and I hope to order it after the first of next month.

The scans won't come through. There are actually two cards there, but the scanner keeps cutting them in two. So here's a pic of both and neither of them.

This is also a really sweet card, from the follow through to the wry smile he's wearing here. Really, really well done, and a great sig. Thanks Mr. Glenn.

He was also gracious enough to answer a few questions. Favorite player growing up: Josh Gibson. Best moment in baseball: hitting four HRs in one game. AND, why is his nickname Doc? He is a physical therapist. Cool.

Have a great one everybody, and he a goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

Clifford Layton and Larry LeGrande

Although Robinson and Doby broke the color barrier in 1947, it would be another 12 years before Pumpsie Green took the field for the Boston Red Sox. Needless to say, integration was a process that took years to accomplish and many Negro Leaguers were never given a legitimate shot at the playing in the Majors. Today, many of them don't even qualify for MLB pensions, and yet they still travel the country promoting the game they played and love.

So, at the same game I got to meet Clifford Layton and Larry LeGrande, both of whom were there signing autographs and selling Negro League memorabilia. I waited until things dies down a bit and struck up conversations with both of them. I am a sucker in general for talking to ex-ballplayers (not something one get to do too often) and have to say that talking to these two men was awesome. When impressed me about Layton was his encyclopedic knowledge of the Negro Leagues' history and his enthusiasm for sharing stories from his playing days. I don't remember much about talking to LeGrande because the first thing he lead with was "I caught Satchel Paige." After that I was pretty much in a haze, I mean, I had just shaken hands with a man who had caught Satchel Paige!

If you see that your local ballpark is sponsoring a Negro League night, I can only say "GO!" Talking with those two men was awesome and something I'll never forget. I saw that the Durham Bulls are having a Negro League night this Saturday, June 20th, and wish I could be there.