Tom Yawkey--revisited

[Maxbialystock]

I think everyone knows he is today branded as an unmitigated racist. So, because my nature is contrarian, I offer the following in mitigation--

 

1. Yes, he probably was racist. But when MLB was integrated in 1947, Boston was a very racist city and continued to be so for many years. Don't take my word for it, read what Bill Russell used to say about Celtics fans and Boston when he was here, 1956-69. He did not hate whites per se because he admired and liked his coach, Red Auerbach, and the owner, both white. He hated the racism of Boston, however, and was quite vocal about it.

 

2. And don't just take Russell's word for it either. Look at the attendance figures for the racially enlightened Boston Celtics during the Bill Russell era when the Celtics won 11 NBA championships in 13 seasons, by far the most successful run by any major sports franchise in the history or American sports. During that run they never sold out a single game in Boston Garden, seating capacity 14,000 (13,909). Their best season in the Russell era was 10,517, which was also the first season they ever won the NBA championship. By 1961-62, smack dab in the middle of the Russell era, the most successful in professional American sports history, it was 6,852, which was less than half of capacity. In 1955-56, the season before Russell arrived, attendance was 8,063.

 

3. Then there's the Branch Rickey-Jackie Robinson saga taking place in Brooklyn and the National League. Anyone remember the movies about Jackie (there have been at least two)? Almost everywhere Jackie played he was subject to abuse because Boston was not the only racist city in America. Just about every city was, and the fans (some of them) made that abundantly clear.

 

4. Then there's the issue of what form Tom Yawkey's racism took. To read some of the commentaries, you would think he was a slave owner or regularly throwing African Americans in jail or at least putting a big dent in their chances for employment.

 

5. Well, not really. He denied excellent baseball players employment with his ball club for 12 years (1947-59), but it was a small part of the whole and actually didn't prevent those very few African-Americans from playing for other MLB clubs.

 

6. Plus this. Roughly three years after MLB was integrated (and so were the Minors), the Negro Baseball League, "among the largest and most prosperous black-owned business ventures, were allowed to fade into oblivion." This is not an argument that Yawkey was doing a good thing by not integrating the Sox, but does say it wasn't quite as harmful as has been claimed.

 

7. Yawkey bought the Sox in 1933 when their average game attendance was 3,732. The very next year it more than doubled to 7,930, still far short of the 33,000 capacity, however. The next big jump came 12 years later, 1946, the first season after World War II, when attendance shot up to 18,166 per game and stayed that way for 4 seasons, then ground slowly down and stayed there thru the 1966 season when it was 10,014. Then came 1967, Yaz, etc, and attendance more than doubled to 21,000 and basically stayed close to that until Yawkey died in 1976 (attendance that year 23,406). He had his faults as an owner, but was still better than those who proceeded him.

 

8. Meanwhile, Boston itself was changing demographically. In 1940 it was 97% white, and in 1970 it was 82% white and in 1990 it was 62.8%, about where it is today. I think we can assume that attitudes have changed with the demographics. Heck, Bill Russell has even deigned to return. And word is that during his later years Yawkey got along quite well with the African Americans on the Sox.

[moonslav59]

If everyone around you is racist, it's okay to be one, too.

 

I'll teach that one to my children.

[cp176]

If everyone around you is racist, it's okay to be one, too.

 

I'll teach that one to my children.

 

And what are your thoughts about the Yawkey Foundation?

[moonslav59]

And what are your thoughts about the Yawkey Foundation?

 

I have none, other than maybe it being an admirable stab at guilt relief.

[a700hitter]

I have none, other than maybe it being an admirable stab at guilt relief.

People only do something good to assuage guilt? That's more than a little cynical.

[cp176]

I have none, other than maybe it being an admirable stab at guilt relief.

 

Wow - ouch here - I have nothing to add to your post. I'm pretty sure that the foundation was not founded due to a guilt complex. I will admit though that I have a hard time judging history by today's standards.

[jacksonianmarch]

Judging times decades or in this case 7 decades in the future is always going to put a different slant on things. Yawkey was no different than 90% of America at the time, he just had the power to hate and suppress while others just had the power to hate. Doesn't make it right, but to judge now with 60+ years of progress beyond his time is short sighted I think. Go back even further. The guy who wrote our constitution owned slaves (Madison). 2 of our Declaration of Independence writers owned slaves. Heck, one of them had 6 kids with a slave. Our first president owned slaves. What I think people need to do is never forget our history but also stop going back and vilifying people for living in the times they lived. We should celebrate our progress rather than ripping down those who made this country what it is. We have a sordid past for sure, but it is how we became what we have become. Yawkey is a product of his time

[moonslav59]

Yawkey is a product of his time.

 

So were so many visionaries that changed the world.

 

Ignorance and lock-stepping are no excuses.

 

Look, it's not like i have no sympathy for the 90% that bought the whole scheme (along with so many still buying it today), but I'm certainly not going to glorify a racist, because he started a foundation that's been helping many unfortunate people.

[jacksonianmarch]

Yawkey is a product of his time.

 

So were so many visionaries that changed the world.

 

Ignorance and lock-stepping are no excuses.

 

Look, it's not like i have no sympathy for the 90% that bought the whole scheme (along with so many still buying it today), but I'm certainly not going to glorify a racist, because he started a foundation that's been helping many unfortunate people.

 

I am not going to disagree with you. I am just saying we could tear apart practically anybody from 60 years ago when it comes to the standards set in our current place and time

[Spudboy]

He's dead.

[moonslav59]

I am not going to disagree with you. I am just saying we could tear apart practically anybody from 60 years ago when it comes to the standards set in our current place and time

 

I think the percent of decent and thoughtful people was higher than you think back in the day.

 

Yes, many good and great people have a skeleton (or two) in their closet. Nobody is perfect, and I don't expect perfection from anyone. There's a lot of gray in between the black and white.

[mvp 78]

If everyone around you is racist, it's okay to be one, too.

 

I'll teach that one to my children.

 

As long as you also teach your children to be better writers than Max, we'll all be better off.

[mvp 78]

Don't say nonsense like "well, we know differently 60 years later". People knew back in the 60's, 70's and 80's that he was racist scum. Hell, I did a high school project on racism in Boston sports in the early 90's off of books and articles from decades before.

 

Yes, Tom Yawkey was a racist.

[mvp 78]

Also, since this thread is going to be a s*** show, this is my last post on here.

[moonslav59]

...this is my last post on here.

 

Me, too.

[Maxbialystock]

If everyone around you is racist, it's okay to be one, too.

 

I'll teach that one to my children.

 

Must be pretty comfortable to say that in this day and age. Did you ever actively opposed racism? I have, more than once, but I have also failed to do so when I was in a segregated high school and 5 years later when I was in Korea.

 

I left out of my OP that I am fine with John Henry changing the name of Yawkey Way and the support he is getting from Boston. Times and attitudes have changed for the better and changing that name is great way to show it.

 

And this. I love the story of what Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson did. I even like that both served in the Army--Rickey in WW I and Robinson in WW II (he never deployed but through no fault of his own--a story itself). Both were truly heroic. Ken Burns was right to make the integration of MLB a centerpiece of his series on Baseball. I believe it truly helped this country and made desegregation easier--beginning in 1948 with the desegregation of the armed services and then Brown vs. the Board of Education in 1954. If we now vilify Tom Yawkey for not doing the same thing Rickey did--at least, not for 12 years--doesn't that diminish that mighty deed of 1947?

 

By the way, I also agree there were lots of people in the 1940's who weren't racist. In 1939 Marian Anderson, the great African-American contralto had been touring mostly in Europe because it was easier then trying to get a venue here in the States. But then Sol Hurok booked Constitution Hall in DC. Unfortunately, the DAR owned the Hall and chose to abide by the segregated policies of DC and refused to let Marian sing. Eleanor Roosevelt, a member of the DAR, promptly resigned from the DAR and thousands of American women--DAR members-- joined her. Hurok moved the concert to the Lincoln Memorial where Marian sang to 75,000 people, black and white, and millions on the radio. Three years later Marian was invited by Constitution Hall to sing there as a benefit for the Red Cross, and she was very happy to do so.

[moonslav59]

Must be pretty comfortable to say that in this day and age. Did you ever actively opposed racism? I have, more than once, but I have also failed to do so when I was in a segregated high school and 5 years later when I was in Korea.

 

I said I wasn't going to respond, but I will one last time.

 

My grandfather was a racist, who had "many black friends." My Dad doesn't have a racist bone in his body. My 5 sisters and I were the only white kids in an all black inner city Catholic School in Milwaukee. We marched in protest to the Vietnam War and for Civil Rights. I have worked my entire life to improve racial relations, peace and equality. After retiring, I have been a full time volunteer ESL teacher at a Title 1 school for 10 years.

 

I'm not out to vilify past persons, but I'm not going to glorify them either, or explain away their actions and inactions based on the "everyone else was doing it" argument. I deal with that flawed logic everyday with middle school students. I'd prefer not to deal with it here with adults.

[Maxbialystock]

Must be pretty comfortable to say that in this day and age. Did you ever actively opposed racism? I have, more than once, but I have also failed to do so when I was in a segregated high school and 5 years later when I was in Korea.

 

I said I wasn't going to respond, but I will one last time.

 

My grandfather was a racist, who had "many black friends." My Dad doesn't have a racist bone in his body. My 5 sisters and I were the only white kids in an all black inner city Catholic School in Milwaukee. We marched in protest to the Vietnam War and for Civil Rights. I have worked my entire life to improve racial relations, peace and equality. After retiring, I have been a full time volunteer ESL teacher at a Title 1 school for 10 years.

 

I'm not out to vilify past persons, but I'm not going to glorify them either, or explain away their actions and inactions based on the "everyone else was doing it" argument. I deal with that flawed logic everyday with middle school students. I'd prefer not to deal with it here with adults.

 

Impressive and way beyond anything I did. Especially teaching ESL now. Inaction is the right word for Yawkey. And my judgment--obviously different from yours--is that there were worse things to do back then than doing nothing. I'll go further and say that his unwillingness to sign black baseball players had very little effect on the ones he didn't sign because they could sign with other clubs. Still, given your experience, I do understand your insistence that anyone who wasn't helping was hurting racial equality in this country.

[jad]

Can't judge historical figures by our standards? OK. I'll concede that has some validity. Then judge them by the standards of the day: Yawkey presided over the team that was the last major league team to integrate. Yes, you can forgive anyone for not being the first to step up on an important social issue like this (who of us would 'scape the hanging?);but you do not have to forgive someone for being the last.

[notin]

Can't judge historical figures by our standards? OK. I'll concede that has some validity. Then judge them by the standards of the day: Yawkey presided over the team that was the last major league team to integrate. Yes, you can forgive anyone for not being the first to step up on an important social issue like this (who of us would 'scape the hanging?);but you do not have to forgive someone for being the last.

 

Although someone had to be last, and that may not necessarily be tied to racism. After all, if you concede the last team to integrate was racist, what about the second last team? Are they also racist? Or the third last? When does it stop being racism and start just being the order of events?

[Bellhorn04]

Although someone had to be last, and that may not necessarily be tied to racism. After all, if you concede the last team to integrate was racist, what about the second last team? Are they also racist? Or the third last? When does it stop being racism and start just being the order of events?

 

Then I might look at:

 

Last by how much, time-wise?

[jad]

There will always be an excuse to be the last racist standing, and there will be no lack of those around willing to voice it.

[notin]

There will always be an excuse to be the last racist standing, and there will be no lack of those around willing to voice it.

 

I'm not saying Yawkey wasn't a racist. His racism is pretty well documented and reportedly cost the Sox a chance to sign Willie Mays.

 

I just don't think saying they were the last team to integrate is necessarily the proof I would settle on. There was a last team in the NFL and NBA to integrate and no one accuses those owners of racism based on that.

 

In fact, the way MLB celebrates their integration had always bothered me. Not only do they only honor one of the 4 African American players to play in 1947, but really the whole thing smacks of MLB saying "Congratulate us!! It only took us 80 years to get past the Civil War!!"

 

Both the NFL and NBA also integrated at some point, but with significantly less fanfare. Anyone know who the first African American player was in either of those leagues without looking it up? Or even with looking it up? Those leagues bith did it so seamlessly and successfully many people never even think of them doing it at all..

[jad]

I'm not saying Yawkey wasn't a racist. His racism is pretty well documented and reportedly cost the Sox a chance to sign Willie Mays.

 

I just don't think saying they were the last team to integrate is necessarily the proof I would settle on. There was a last team in the NFL and NBA to integrate and no one accuses those owners of racism based on that.

 

In fact, the way MLB celebrates their integration had always bothered me. Not only do they only honor one of the 4 African American players to play in 1947, but really the whole thing smacks of MLB saying "Congratulate us!! It only took us 80 years to get past the Civil War!!"

 

Both the NFL and NBA also integrated at some point, but with significantly less fanfare. Anyone know who the first African American player was in either of those leagues without looking it up? Or even with looking it up? Those leagues bith did it so seamlessly and successfully many people never even think of them doing it at all..

 

With all due respect, this is not correct. The last team to integrate in the NFL was the despicably racist (and still racist) Washington team (I think this was 1963 or maybe 1964). (Even the RS integrated before Washington). And such scumbags they were, that they immediately traded away the guy they were forced to pick (Ernie Davis, who sadly died of cancer before ever getting a chance to play). I believe they traded him for Bobby Mitchell. (in a totally class-less move,worthy of a 10-year-old: "OK we have to draft that black guy, but screw you, we'll trade him for a different black guy"). There was nothing 'seamless' about NFL integration. And nothing 'seamless' about integration in the NCAA, which took even longer. Also, Terry Bradshaw in several unguarded moments once talked quite freely about his own racist past in football (he wasn't trying to defend it, of course--just because you were once a racist s*** doesn't mean you will always be one)-- I believe this was in regard to being replaced by a black QB? (can't recall the details).

[notin]

With all due respect, this is not correct. The last team to integrate in the NFL was the despicably racist (and still racist) Washington team (I think this was 1963 or maybe 1964). (Even the RS integrated before Washington). And such scumbags they were, that they immediately traded away the guy they were forced to pick (Ernie Davis, who sadly died of cancer before ever getting a chance to play). I believe they traded him for Bobby Mitchell. (in a totally class-less move,worthy of a 10-year-old: "OK we have to draft that black guy, but screw you, we'll trade him for a different black guy"). There was nothing 'seamless' about NFL integration. And nothing 'seamless' about integration in the NCAA, which took even longer. Also, Terry Bradshaw in several unguarded moments once talked quite freely about his own racist past in football (he wasn't trying to defend it, of course--just because you were once a racist s*** doesn't mean you will always be one)-- I believe this was in regard to being replaced by a black QB? (can't recall the details).

 

Again you focus on the end of integration. I'd go on but this thread is really getting off topic if I do....

[sk7326]

The last team to integrate is not a perfect indicator (the Yankees were 2nd to last!). But the "open secret" quota on African-American players on the roster was more problematic. He was a racist - and he was also a tremendous boon to cancer research. People are multitudes.

 

One of the great thrills of Pedro and Ortiz were being the first Red Sox since Tiant to really break through the team's historic lilly-whiteness.

[Spudboy]

Hmmm.

 

I'm not defending Yawkey in any way. But I would like to know more of this so called quota for African Americans.

 

When I started to watch the Sox in 66 and 67 there were at least several people of color ( I include Hispanics of African decent too ) each year.

 

There may have been many teams with more players of color all those years but the disparity never seemed all that great.

 

I must be wrong though. Right?

[jad]

Hmmm.

 

I'm not defending Yawkey in any way. But I would like to know more of this so called quota for African Americans.

 

When I started to watch the Sox in 66 and 67 there were at least several people of color ( I include Hispanics of African decent too ) each year.

 

There may have been many teams with more players of color all those years but the disparity never seemed all that great.

 

I must be wrong though. Right?

 

Never heard of a quota, but this charge came up again in the 70s, where there were far fewer black players than one would expect (I believe Reggie Smith may have commented about this,but it was long long ago!). By 66 and 67, you're right, things had certainly changed from what they had been in the late 50s and earlier. Once Earl Wilson got there (I believe he was the second black player? signed right after Pumpsie Green? maybe 1959 or 1960?), it would have been hard to argue for an all-white team (not sure there were any segregated pro teams in the US by that point: well, maybe in the NHL, but that's a different case!)

[bosoxmal]

Judging times decades or in this case 7 decades in the future is always going to put a different slant on things. Yawkey was no different than 90% of America at the time, he just had the power to hate and suppress while others just had the power to hate. Doesn't make it right, but to judge now with 60+ years of progress beyond his time is short sighted I think. Go back even further. The guy who wrote our constitution owned slaves (Madison). 2 of our Declaration of Independence writers owned slaves. Heck, one of them had 6 kids with a slave. Our first president owned slaves. What I think people need to do is never forget our history but also stop going back and vilifying people for living in the times they lived. We should celebrate our progress rather than ripping down those who made this country what it is. We have a sordid past for sure, but it is how we became what we have become. Yawkey is a product of his time

Good post although your "90" is out of whack. I was born in 1924, brought up in Somerville (1/2 Irish, 1/2 Italian) snd my guess is closer to 65% than 90%. On then other hand, the US Army was racist! Not integrated until Truman came along. Besiodes, more of Somerville's "racism" was toward the Jews, not the blacks.

[notin]

Good post although your "90" is out of whack. I was born in 1924, brought up in Somerville (1/2 Irish, 1/2 Italian) snd my guess is closer to 65% than 90%. On then other hand, the US Army was racist! Not integrated until Truman came along. Besiodes, more of Somerville's "racism" was toward the Jews, not the blacks.

 

Wasn't Jackie Robinson the first African American to achieve the rank of lieutenant in the army?

 

I know he was among the first admitted to Officer Candidate School (after a lengthy protest)...