Satchel Paige Facts & Worksheets

Leroy Robert “Satchel” Paige was an American pitcher who competed in both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Negro League of Baseball. His five – decade long career concluded with his election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

See the fact file below for more information on Satchel Paige, or you can download our 24-page Satchel Paige worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

PERSONAL LIFE

• Satchel Paige was born on July 7, 1906, in Mobile, Alabama, U.S., and died on June 8, 1982, in Kansas City, Missouri.
• His parents were John Page, a gardener, and Lula Coleman Page, a domestic worker.
• Paige refined his baseball abilities at reform school after earning the moniker “beanpole” as a young railroad porter.
• He married three times and had several children, seven with his last wife, LaHoma Jean Brown.
• After a long career and retired life, he died at the age of 72 on June 8, 1982, due to a heart attack in his Kansas home.

PROFESSIONAL CAREER – NEGRO LEAGUE

• After being released from an Alabama reform school, he commenced his professional career in the Negro Leagues in the mid-1920s.
• From 1926 to 1931, he played for different teams, including the – 1926 and the Birmingham Black Barons – from 1927 to 1929. He recorded 18 strikeouts in one game, earning him the most strikeouts in his league, Santa Clara team – 1229–1930: He was rented to play for the Cuban league, Baltimore Black Sox – 1930–1931.
• Playing for the Crawford Colored Giants gave him more recognition. He was selected to play for the Negro All-Star team to play in the California Winter League.
• In Paige’s 1934 season, he went 14–2, yielding 2.16 runs per game, striking out 144 batters and walking only 26. He also received his first East-West All-Star Game selection.
• From 1937 to 1938, unable to play for the Negro League for not meeting his salary demands, Paige played for the Dominican League and then the Mexican League.
• After several games, his arms gave out, and he returned to the United States. Briefly unemployed, he was soon called up to a minor league team as a part pitcher and a position player.
• After several years of hopping to many teams, Paige spent seven seasons with the Kansas City Monarchs from 1940 to 1947.
• In the 1942 Negro World Series, Paige had pitched in all of the Series’ four official games, lasting 16 innings, striking out 18, and allowing eight hits and six runs.
• The team once again reached the 1946 Negro World Series but lost to the Newark Eagles, partly because of Paige’s average performance and absence during game 7.

PROFESSIONAL CAREER – MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

• In 1948, the Cleveland Indians signed Satchel Paige for his first major league contract, becoming the first black pitcher in the American League and the seventh black big leaguer after Roy Campanella.
• That same year, the Cleveland Indians went on a pennant race facing the Athletics. Paige won 5-1 with a low ERA of 1.33. He later pitched for the World Series against the Boston Braves, adding one game victory to its Championship win.
• In comparison to 1948, Paige’s 1949 was far less stellar than excellent. He finished the year with a 3.04 ERA, a 1–3 record in starts, and a 4–7 record.
• He was later released by the Indians the following season. In 1951, the St. Louis Browns signed Paige, who performed his first season with a 3–4 record and a 4.79 ERA.
• The following year, he recorded 12–10 with a 3.07 ERA for a team that lost ninety games the fell 3–9 in 1953.

Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.” 

~ Satchel Paige ~

• Paige was once again released by the Browns after the transfer of ownership and signed to minor league teams: Greensboro Patriots, Triple-A farm team, the Miami Marlins (11–4, 1.86 ERA and 79 strikeouts), and the Triple-A Portland Beavers (pitched 25 innings, giving up eight earned runs and striking out 19 at the age of 55).
• In 1965, Kansas City Athletics signed Paige, now 59, for a game against the Boston Red Sox, where he pitched briefly and was given a standing ovation.

PITCHING CAREER

• Satchel Paige is known for his array of pitching styles, many due to the need to adapt to the ever-changing generation of better and stronger batters.
• Paige was regarded as a solid fastball pitcher in his early years. During that time, he worked with releasing pitches from a range of arm angles, a factor he would later build upon once he added other pitches to the mix.
• He also developed the “hesitation pitch” – when a pitcher raises his leg to throw, he briefly pauses or even pumps his leg to the air before finishing his stride to home plate and hurling the pitch.
• He also mastered the curveball delivery in response to fellow pitcher Dizzy Dean’s declaration that he was only fit to throw his classic fastballs.

“Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.”

~ Satchel Paige ~

• After recovering from the severe arm injury, he again had to restart rebuilding his pitching repertoire. 
• Fellow baseball player Cool Papa Bell also taught him how to throw the knuckleball, which he supposedly perfected in terms of movement but didn’t always show complete control of. Additionally, he included a slow sinker and boosted his use of the hesitation pitch.
• Paige had to rely increasingly on his offspeed deliveries as he grew older. By the time he was able to make an appearance in the major leagues, he had developed a seemingly endless repertoire of pitches that all moved. 
• His fastball, slow curve, hesitation pitch, change-up, and eephus pitch were among his best-known pitches.
• He purportedly had the ability to trick hitters by throwing fastballs with a curveball wrist movement and the other way around. Paige was still an exceptional pitcher in his forties, thanks to this style of pitching.

LEGACY

• Major League Baseball All-Star in the years 1952 and 1953.
• Negro League All-Star member six times in 1933 and 1934, 1936, 1941 to 1943.
• World Series champion with the Cleveland Indians in 1948.
• Negro World Series champion with Birmingham in 1942.
• Conducted as Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame awardee.
• Oldest Major League Baseball player in history, who signed at 42 and retired at age 59.
• Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971 with the  Negro League Committee.

Satchel Paige Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Satchel Paige across 24 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Satchel Paige. Leroy Robert “Satchel” Paige was an American pitcher who competed in both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Negro League of Baseball.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Satchel Paige Facts
2. Player Profile
3. Satchel’s Playing Field
4. A Player’s Role
5. Pitch Like Satchel
6. Tribute to an Athlete
7. Cartoon Satchel
8. All About Teamwork
9. Words to Live By
10. Becoming Top-Notch
11. Black Players in MLB

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Satchel Paige?

Leroy Robert “Satchel” Paige (1906-1982) was an American professional baseball player, primarily known as a pitcher. He is considered one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, particularly in the Negro leagues, where he spent the majority of his career due to racial segregation in the sport.

What were some of Satchel Paige’s notable achievements?

Paige had a remarkable career and achieved several notable milestones. He became the first Negro League pitcher to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. Paige also made history by becoming the oldest rookie in Major League Baseball (MLB) at the age of 42 when he joined the Cleveland Indians in 1948. He was a key contributor to the Indians’ World Series victory in 1948 and was selected as an MLB All-Star multiple times.

What made Satchel Paige’s pitching style unique?

Paige had exceptional control over his pitches, often relying on a mix of breaking balls and fastballs. He had a unique wind-up, utilizing a long stride and an assortment of delivery speeds, which made it challenging for batters to anticipate his pitches. Paige’s pitching repertoire, combined with his ability to adjust his style to fit various situations, made him a formidable opponent.

How did Satchel Paige impact the integration of baseball?

Paige played a significant role in breaking the color barrier in professional baseball. His success and talent in the Negro leagues, along with his exhibition games against white All-Star teams, helped dispel stereotypes and prejudices about Black baseball players. Paige’s success in MLB as an older rookie also paved the way for other Negro League players to join the major leagues.

What is Satchel Paige’s legacy in baseball?

Satchel Paige’s legacy is marked by his incredible skills as a pitcher, his impact on the integration of baseball, and his influence on future generations of players. His accomplishments and contributions have earned him a place among baseball’s all-time greats. Paige’s perseverance and talent continue to inspire and remind us of the enduring spirit and determination of athletes who overcame racial barriers during a challenging era in American history.

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