The Phillies were the last National League team to become integrated, fielding all white teams until John Irvin Kennedy's debut in 1957. The Phillies were the 14th of 16 major league teams to field a black player. The Tigers followed in 1958 with Ozzie Virgil Sr. and the Red Sox completed the process when they played Pumpsie Green in 1959. Offered here are the following four assignment documents ("Uniform Agreement for the Assignment of a Player's Contract to or by a Major League Club") responsible for Kennedy's accomplishment:
Document #l--April 12, 1957 Philadelphia purchases "The contract of John 1. Kennedy outright for the cash consideration of one
thousand ($1,000.) dollars" from the Schenectady Baseball Club.
• On April 22, 1957 Kennedy made his debut when he entered a
game in the 8th inning as a pinch runner against the Dodgers.
Kennedy did not score and the Dodgers won, 5-1, but his
appearance completed the full integration of the National League.
Ironically, the game was exactly 10 years to the day after manager
Ben Chapman's Phillies had infamously taunted rookie Jackie
Robinson in Brooklyn (the first time the Phillies played the
Dodgers after Jackie broke the color line).
• On May 3, 1957 Kennedy played in his final game for the Phillies.
Document #2--May 6, 1957 Philadelphia options Kennedy to the
High Point - Thomasville Baseball Club for $100: "In consideration
of one hundred ($100) dollars for the above player [Kennedy]
contract to be paid by the High Point -- Thomasville club to the
Philadelphia club, the latter assigns optionally to the High Point --
Thomasville club the contract of player John 1. Kennedy subject to
recall on or before October 1, 1957 ....
• Kennedy hits .270 with 19 homers in 120 games for the High Point
team.
Document #3--September 3, 1957 Philadelphia recalls the contracts of Ed Keegan, John Kennedy, James Smith, & Fred Van Dusen: "For the cash consideration of five hundred ($500.) dollars for each
contract, Philadelphia exercises its right of recall to the contracts of
players listed above effective at the close of the 1957 High Point-
Thomasville season and play offs, if any. Players to report/or 1958
Spring Training.
• Kennedy never rejoined the Phillies team.
Document #4--December 3, 1957 Philadelphia sells Kennedy to the
Miami Baseball Company: "Outright for the cash consideration of
twenty five hundred ($2500.00) dollars.
• Kennedy's major league career is over. He plays his final
professional game in the minor leagues in 1961.
It was standard practice at the time of the above transactions to make
three copies of each transfer document: one for each affected team and
one for the league office. The four documents comprising this group are
the originals that were provided to the Phillies. Three (3) have two
signatures, one each by an executive representing their respective clubs.
The fourth is signed by the High Point club executive only (document
#3/September 3, 1957). None of the executives are recognizable names
and were likely assistants to their General Managers with given
authorization to sign routine daily documents.
In conclusion, John Kennedy played in just five (5) major league
games. He finished O-for-2, including one strikeout. In the field he had one assist, one error, and participated in one double play--all at
shortstop. He died in 1998 at the age of 71, spending much of the last
part of his life homeless and reputedly living under a bridge. But while "sipping his cup of big league coffee," Kennedy made major league history. And here is the only surviving set of documents that account for his brief but very significant major league career! We include an autographed album page of Kennedy.
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.