Amy Essington, Author at • Page 2 of 2

Academic Historian

Amy Essington is a lecturer in the history departments at California State University, Fullerton, and Cal Poly Pomona. She is the author of The Integration of the Pacific Coast League: Race, Baseball, and the West (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). Amy has presented, written encyclopedia entries, and completed book reviews on topics of race and baseball that include Effa Manley, the Negro Leagues, the West Coast Baseball League, and the integration of Pacific Coast League.

Alice Marie Coachman (1923-2014)

Alice Coachman became the first African American woman from any country to win an Olympic Gold Medal when she competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, UK. Born November 9, 1923, in Albany, Georgia, to Evelyn and Fred Coachman, Alice was the fifth of … Read MoreAlice Marie Coachman (1923-2014)

John Baxter Taylor, Jr. (1882-1908)

The first African American to win an Olympic Gold Medal, John Baxter Taylor was born November 3, 1882, in Washington, D.C. He attended Central High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he ran track and was the only African American on the team. After graduating from … Read MoreJohn Baxter Taylor, Jr. (1882-1908)

Charles W. Follis (1879-1910)

The first African American professional football player, Charles W. Follis, was born February 3, 1879, in Cloverdale, Virginia. The Follis family moved to Wooster, Ohio, where he attended Wooster High School and participated in organizing and establishing the first varsity football team. He played right … Read MoreCharles W. Follis (1879-1910)

Moses Fleetwood Walker (1857-1924)

Moses Fleetwood Walker, often called Fleet, was the first African American to play major league baseball in the nineteenth century. Born October 7, 1857, in Mount Pleasant, Ohio, Walker was the fifth of six children born to parents Dr. Moses W. Walker, a physician, and … Read MoreMoses Fleetwood Walker (1857-1924)

Frank Robinson (1935-2019)

Frank Robinson played twenty-one seasons as a major league baseball player and was the first black manager in both the American and National Leagues. Born August 31, 1935, in Beaumont, Texas, Robinson grew up in West Oakland, California, where he played baseball in summer leagues, … Read MoreFrank Robinson (1935-2019)

John Franklin Ritchey (1923-2003)

John Ritchey integrated the Pacific Coast League, the AAA-level minor baseball league on the West Coast, when he played as a San Diego Padre in 1948. The second-generation baseball player was born in 1923, in San Diego, California and was the youngest of nine children. … Read MoreJohn Franklin Ritchey (1923-2003)