One of the great ambassadors of the game, Monte Irvin passed away last night at the age of 96.
Irvin was member of that generation of African-American ballplayers who suffered greatly as they integrated the game. Jackie Robinson was the first and most famous, and sometimes men like Irvin and Larry Doby don’t get the attention they deserved.
Irvin published Nice Guys Finish First – The Autobiography of Monte Irvin in 1996. He also worked on Few and Chosen Negro Leagues: Defining Negro Leagues Greatness with Phil Pepe, who passed away just a few weeks ago.
Here’s a tribute from the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Update: Here’s The New York Times‘ obituary, by Richard Goldstein.
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