Satchel Paige.
Publié le 10/05/2013
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Satchel Paige. Satchel Paige (1906?-1982), American baseball player, noted for the length of his career and the speed and variety of his pitches, such as the hesitation ball, which involved stopping his pitching motion momentarily during a pitch. He was born Leroy Robert Paige in Mobile, Alabama. He acquired the nickname Satchel in his youth while working as a baggage handler in a Mobile train depot. Paige began his career with the Birmingham Black Barons in the 1920s and for two decades pitched for many teams, mainly in the Negro Leagues, throughout the United States. As a free agent he played in Canada, and during the North American winter season with Caribbean, Central American, and South American teams. He once barnstormed (traveled throughout the country to play in exhibition games) 30,000 miles in one year, and in 1935 he pitched in 29 consecutive games in 29 days. Among his other feats, he struck out batting great Rogers Hornsby five times in one game. In 1948, at over 40 years of age, Paige finally received his chance to play in the major leagues. That year he was signed by the Cleveland Indians of the American League (AL) and helped them win the pennant and World Series. From 1951 to 1953 he was a relief pitcher for the St. Louis Browns of the AL and in 1952 he was named to the AL All-Star team. Paige pitched in his last major league game in 1965, and he later worked as a pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves of the National League (NL). Throughout his long career Paige always delighted in having fans guess his true age; his 1967 autobiography bears the title Maybe I'll Pitch Forever. Paige was also famous for his colorful observations on life, such as his maxim "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you." He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.