More Than Baseball

Many players, such as Satchel Paige and Joplin’s own Alton Clay, endured and overcame tremendous adversity. Clay played on the same fields as Paige often enough to observe his practice habits firsthand—an indication of Clay’s considerable talent. This talent challenged prevailing racist stereotypes and, along with their resilience, helped catalyze the civil rights movement both in sports and society at large.

Black baseball players proved that race alone did not determine athletic ability. Their stories highlight the courage and perseverance of Black athletes navigating a segregated America, often risking their safety and careers to pursue their passion. In Joplin, as across the nation, baseball was a big part of community life. Fans filled the stands at Miners Park and gathered in lawn chairs at Ewert Park whenever they could. Shortly after desegregation, Black and white men in Joplin played together and against each other—one of several sports that brought the community together, even when other aspects of society remained divided.

In the late 1960s, Alton Clay began playing softball for fun. Softball was quite popular among both Black and White players, men and women alike. When Clay passed away, many friends and community members wrote stories to the Joplin Globe, recounting his exceptional ability on the field and describing him as an amazing man. Though many talented athletes never made it to the professional level, many played on semi-pro teams and helped break racial barriers across the tri-state area.