One look at a current major league baseball roster reveals players of all races and colors, creeds and backgrounds. This has been true for so long that many people find it hard to believe that, at one not-so-distant time, unwritten rules and codes of behavior excluded a large segment of society from America's pastime. African Americans, who have contributed amazing exploits and established remarkable records, watched from the outside from 1887 until 1947, when Jackie Robinson finally broke the barrier separating white from black baseball.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that while African Americans had to stage their contests in the shadow of the white major leagues, most of their feats have gone unnoticed by many. Hitters with the prowess to match Babe Ruth and pitchers whose blazing fastballs equaled the top flamethrowers in the major leagues worked in relative anonymity, recognized only by their black...