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Leonard, Buck (Walter Fenner) (1907–1997)| US baseball player. As a first baseman for the Homestead Grays (1934–50), he was known as the ‘Lou Gehrig’ of the black baseball leagues. Teamed with Josh Gibson, he helped the Grays win the Negro National League pennant nine years in a row (1937–45). A solid and powerful .340 hitter, he was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1972. Leonard was born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. |
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No references found | Upon being inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in 1972, Buck Leonard emphasized that the Negro League players all wanted to compete in the major leagues, and his eyes reportedly filled with tears as he said, "But it's too late for me" (Goldstein A13). Negro Leagues were stocked with Cubans such as Martin Dihigo (a Hall of Famer in four separate countries), and black American stars from Josh Gibson to James "Cool Papa" Bell to Buck Leonard, who spent their winters starring in the competitive winter league in Havana. 1st basemen (2): Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Hank Greenberg, Harmon Killebrew, Buck Leonard, Willie McCovey, Mark McGwire (x) , Eddie Murray, George Sisler, Bill Terry. |
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