In baseball history, the participation and contribution of black players are significant. Among some of them, they even become the all-time best. Actually, if we want to name the best black baseball players of all time, we can pick fifty or more.
Even an entire league for black baseball players, Negro League was played only by black players. So you know how influential they are in baseball history.
In this article, we will talk about the 20 best black baseball players of all time who put their legendary footprint and made them legends with their achievements.
20 Best Black Baseball Players of MLB History
We have compiled a list of the 20 best black baseball players who have made their names more well-known via their enthusiasm, personality, and performance in the game. Even though this isn’t a ranking, the first few on this list are definitely up there with the best players Major League Baseball has ever produced.
1. Barry Bonds
Figure 01- Barry Bonds is the all-time home run leader in MLB history
Here, we are presenting the all-time home run leader, Barry Lamar Bonds. With a batting average of .298, Barry Bonds is the all-time home run leader with 762 home runs in MLB history.
Along with the highest home runs, Barry Bonds holds a career of 2935 hits, 2227 runs, 1996 RBIs, and 514 stolen bases.
Barry Bonds debuted his MLB career on May 30, 1986, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and retired on September 26, 2007, for the San Francisco Giants. In his 21 years career, he played for these two teams only. 1986 to 1992 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and from 1993 to 2007 for San Francisco Giants.
By the way, if you even list one of the 100 best baseball players of all time, you will find him there. Since being one of the greatest of all time, Barry Bonds has won a lot of awards in his career.
The following list shows his all-round performance and awards in his MLB career-
- 14 All-Star, 7 NL MVPs, 8 Gold Glove Awards
- 12 Silver Slugger Awards, 3 NL Hank Aaron Awards
- 2 NL Batting Championships, 2 NL Home Run leaders, Once NL RBI leader
- San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame
Career Summary-
| Home run | 762 |
| Batting Average | .298 |
| Hits | 2935 |
| Run | 2227 |
| RBIs | 1996 |
| Stolen Bases | 514 |
| Bases on Balls | 2558 |
2. Willie Mays
Figure 02- Willie Mays is one of the MLB’s best hitters and allrounders of All time
Willie Howard Mays Jr. is widely considered to be one of the best all-round baseball players of all time in the annals of baseball history. He was a player who played for both Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Negro League (NgL). 1948 was the year that Mays made his debut in the NgL with the Birmingham Black Barons.
After that, on May 25th, 1951, he made his debut in Major League Baseball with the New York Giants. On September 9, 1972, while playing for the New York Mets, he announced his retirement from baseball after a stellar career.
The most important facts regarding Willie May can be found here. He is, in point of fact, the second-best all-time great in the history of baseball, behind only Babe Ruth.
Mays played for three teams in the National League in his MLB career. The three teams are New York Giants(1951 – 1952), San Francisco Giants(1954 – 1972), and New York Mets(1972 – 1973).
You will get an idea about Willie Mays from his awards. Here is a list of awards he achieved in his MLB career.
- 24 All-Star, One World Series Championship
- 2 NL MVP, One NL Rookie of the Year
- 12 Gold Glove Awards, one Roberto Clemente award
- One NL batting championship, 4 NL home run leader
- 4 NL Stolen base leader, once 4 home run in a single game
- San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame
- Major League Baseball All-Time Team, Major League Baseball All-Century Team
- Record MLB putouts(PO) outfielder
His batting profile is as high as his name. He holds 660 home runs in his career, with a batting average of .302. He has 3283 hits, 338 stolen bases, 1903 RBIs, and 2062 runs with 10881 at-bats. The 660 is the 6th highest home run in MLB history.
Career Summary-
| Home run | 660 |
| Batting Average | .302 |
| Hits | 3283 |
| Run | 2062 |
| RBIs | 1903 |
| Stolen Bases | 338 |
3. Hank Aaron
Figure 03- Hank Aaron is the second highest home run holder in MLB history
People referred to him affectionately as “Hammer” or “Hammerin’ Hank” in the past. Henry Louis Aaron is another one of baseball’s all-time greats and holds the record for the second most home runs in Major League Baseball history.
After debuting on 13th April 1954 for the Milwaukee Braves, he achieved the second-highest home runs in his 22 years MLB career. Aaron Hank retired from baseball on 3rd October 1976 for the Milwaukee braves.
This pure and designated hitter holds a batting average of .305 and 3771 hits, 2174 runs, and 2297 RBIs. His 2297-RBI is the highest in MLB history.
Additionally, he owns the record for the most extra-base hits with 1477. The sum of all of his bases was 6856. When he finally hung up his cleats, his career total bases record was among the very best for its era.
The fact that he was given the moniker Hammer speaks to his hitting prowess. In addition to his overall number of home runs, he has collected more than 3000 hits. His 3771 hits rank third all-time in the history of Major League Baseball.
His lifetime MLB awards should surprise you with his all-round performance. The following list shows his career awards at a glance.
- 25 All Star, One World Series championship
- One NL MVP, 3 Gold Glove Awards
- 2 NL Batting championships, 4 NL home run leader, 4 NL RBI leader
- Braves Hall of Fame, American Family Field Walk of Fame, Major League Baseball All-Century Team
Aside from these, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
Career Summary-
| Home run | 755 |
| Batting Average | .305 |
| Hits | 3771 |
| Run | 2174 |
| RBIs | 2297 |
| Total Bases | 6856 |
4. Albert Pujols
Figure 04- Albert Pujols is the best baseball hitter in the 21st Century
On October 4, 2022, MLB world saw the end of an era. José Alberto Pujols Alcántara has finally hung his cleats. Before signing off, he kept his footprint forever in the history of baseball, and yes, he is such a legend.
Albert Pujols is one of the best baseball greats the MLB produced. He pocketed 703 home runs in his bag with a batting average of .296. Along with these, he also has 3384 hits, and 2218 RBIs.
He was constantly a designated hitter, a first baseman, and a third baseman. Pujols started his career in 2001 for the St. Louis Cardinals and ended for the St. Louis Cardinal too. In the meantime, he played for the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Along with ending his career, Pujols made himself the MLB’s fourth-highest RBI holder, as well as the fourth player who has 700 home runs.
You will understand his footprint in baseball by following his award list. They are as follows.
- 11 All-Star, 2 World Series championships
- 3 NL MVP, one NL Rookie of the Year, one NLCS MVP
- 2 gold Glove awards, 5 Fielding bible awards
- 6 Silver Slugger awards, 2 NL Hank Aaron Awards, and so on.
There is no doubt that induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame by Pujols is just a matter of time.
Career Summary-
| Home run | 703 |
| Batting Average | .296 |
| Hits | 3384 |
| Run | 1914 |
| RBIs | 2218 |
5. Bob Gibson
Figure 05- Bob Gibson is one of the best pitchers of MLB history of all time.
Robert Gibson, who went on to become Bob Gibson, spent his whole 16-year career in just one organization, the St. Louis Cardinals. He made his debut on April 15, 1959, and he officially retired on September 3, 1975.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Bob Gibson is considered one of the all-time greats in the history of baseball.
Gibson has established himself as a star in his Major League Baseball career. He finished with a win-loss record of 251-174 with an earned run average of 2.91. In addition to that, he has 3117 strikeouts to his name.
Gibson had his career-best year in 1968 when he put his ERA at only 1.12. Additionally, in the first game of the World Series in 1968, he struck out a total of 17 batters.
By the way, Gibson was honored at the conclusion of his career with a number of honors that speak to his enduring reputation in the gaming industry. The details are as described below.
- 9 All-star, 2 World Series Championship
- One NL MVP, 2 NL Cy Young Awards
- 9 World Series MVPs, 9 Gold Glove Awards, which is third highest among all pitchers
- One NL Wins Leader, one MLB ERA leader, one strikeout leader
- St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame
He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981.
6. Eddie Murray
Figure 06- Eddie Murray is one of the 500 homers
Eddie Clarence Murray was a designated hitter and first baseman in his baseball career. After his debut on April 7, 1977, for the Baltimore Orioles, he played for a total of 5 teams. This legendary hitter played for Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, and Anaheim Angels.
As a side note, the legendary Murray finished his career with a batting average of.287 and 504 home runs. In addition, he has 3255 hits and 1917 runs batted in.
There have been only seven players in the history of Major League Baseball who have amassed both 3000 hits and 500 home runs. There is one of them named Eddie Murray. The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract ranks Eddie Murray as the fifth-best first baseman in baseball.
Eddie Murray won a number of awards and accolades throughout his career in Major League Baseball. The brief is as follows:
- 8 All-star, one World Series Championship
- AL Rookie of the Year, 3 Gold Glove awards, 3 Silver Slugger awards
- One AL home run leader, AL RBi leader
- Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame, and Baltimore orioles No. 33 retired
He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
7. Frank Robinson
Figure 07- Frank Robinson is another great of baseball with 586 home runs
Here is the legendary Frank Robinson, who played baseball, managed the team, and coached the team at various times in his career. Robinson is widely regarded as one of the very best baseball players in the entire history of the MLB.
In 1956, Frank Robinson made his professional baseball debut for the Cincinnati Reds. The Cleveland Indians were his team when he called it quits in 1976 after a 20-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB). At this point in his career, he had already played for the Baltimore Orioles, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the California Angels.
He holds a batting average of .294, along with 586 home runs in his MLB profile. Aside from this, he also holds 2943 hits and 1812 RBIs.
In addition to his career as a player, he managed the Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, California Angels, and Cleveland Indians during his time in the major leagues. His managerial record stands at 1065-1176 wins and losses.
On the other hand, he was the coach for the California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, and Milwaukee Brewers from 1977 to 1987. He held 14 All-Star, 2 Worlds Series championships, Triple Crown, World Series MVP, NL MVP, Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame, Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame, and many more.
Frank Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
8. Rod Carew
Rod Carew finished his career in Major League Baseball with a batting average of.328. He had a total of 92 home runs, which he needed to achieve with a total of 3053 hits and 1015 runs batted in.
By the way, Rod Carew made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Minnesota Twins in 1967. When he was done playing baseball, he was a member of the California Angels franchise in 1985. On the other hand, he only ever played for these two clubs.
197 was the most significant season of Carew’s MLB life. In that season, he achieved a .388 batting average and won the most valuable player award as the most accomplished contact hitter.
By his 18-season career, he won 18 All-Star, one MVP, one AL Rookie of the Year, one Roberto Clemente award, 7 AL batting champions, Los Angeles Angels No. 29 retired, Minnesota Twins 29 retired, and Hall of Fame, and so on.
Rod Carew was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.
9. Josh Gibson
Now we are going to talk about someone who never made it to MLB. Strange! Yes, Josh Gibson is one of the greatest batters and catchers who never stepped into MLB. He is the all-time batting average leader in Negro League with an average of .361.
Though there is a lack of information about Josh Gibson, we tried to retrieve the possible ones from the MLB official database.
By the way, Josh Gibson is considered the hardest hitter in Negro League history. He acquired 194 homers with an average of .361, along with 1026 hits and 872 RBIs.
Josh Gibson is also considered the best black player in the American League in 1945 and 1946. Gibson was last seen in Negro LEague in 1946, whereas he first appeared in 1930 for the Homestead Grays.
He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972 for his performance- more than 800 home runs in Negro League and independent baseball, which remains a legacy in baseball history.
Josh Gibson won numerous awards in his baseball career. 12 All-Star, 2 Negro World Series Championships, 3 Negro National League Batting Championships, 2 Triple Crown, Washington Nationals Ring of Honor, and Pirates Hall of Fame. Josh Gibson died at the age of 35 in 1947.
10. Oscar Charleston
Figure 08- Oscar Charleston’s .364 batting average is the all-time highest in NgL
Oscar Charleston is one of the greatest players in Negro League who never stepped into MLB. He was both a baseball player and manager throughout his 43 years baseball career. He played his first ever game in Negro league in 1915 for Indianapolis ABCs, and last appeared in 1941 for Philadelphia Stars.
He is the leading batting average holder ever in Negro league with an average of .364. His batting average is the second leading position in any type of baseball including MLB after Ty Cobb. Charleston bagged 1207 hits, 853 RBIs, and 143 home runs in Negro League baseball.
Aside from this, he was also one of the fastest men in Negro league history. His 209 stolen bases is proof by his side. As a player, he played for more than one dozen teams in the Negro League. Aside from this, he was also the manager for 6 teams in the Negro League. As a manager, his win-loss state is 420-377.
He won several awards including Negro National League Pennant, East-West All-Star game selection, Negro National League Batting Champion, Triple Crown, and so on.
Finally, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976 by the Negro League Committee.
11. Derek Jetter
Figure 09- Derek Jetter won 5 World Series Championships, which is the highest in history
One of the most World Championship holders is here. Derek Jeter did, in fact, win five World Championships. Additionally, his batting average is .310, which is rather impressive. The winner of five World Championships began his career in Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees, where he also finished his playing career and hung his cleats.
Jeter’s 19 years career from 1995 to 2014 is decorated with 3465 hits and 1311 RBIs, along with 260 home runs.
He bagged 14 All-Star, 5 World Series, World Series MVP, AL Rookie of the Year, 5 Gold Glove awards, 5 Silver Slugger Awards, and 2 AL Hank Aaron Awards. He retired as the New York Yankees No. 2.
Between the years 2003 and 2014, Derek Jeter led the New York Yankees as the team’s captain. He received the honors designation from Monument Park. Derek Sanderson, Jeter received 99.75% of the vote on the first ballot to be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the year 2020.
12. Frank Thomas
Figure 10- Frank Thomas is one of the nine players with a batting average above .300 and 500 homers
There have been a select few batters in Major League Baseball history who have had a batting average of .301 and have hit more than 500 home runs. Frank Thomas is the sixth player to accomplish this feat, which has only been accomplished by a total of nine players. It is possible that you are familiar with the baseball player Frank Thomas now.
By the way, Frank Thomas has a batting profile of a .301 batting average with 521 home runs, 1704 RBIs, and 2468 hits. He played for 3 teams from 1990 to 2008, including Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics(two times), and Toronto Blue Jays.
By the way, Frank Thomas debuted in MLB for the Chicago White Sox in 1990 and retired for the Oakland Athletics in 2008.
Throughout his golden career, Thomas acquired 5 All-Star, 2 AL MVPs, 4 Silver Slugger awards, AL batting champion, and Chicago White Sox No. 35 retired.
In 2014, Frank Thomas was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame with 83.7% first-ballot votes.
13. Ken Griffey Jr.
Figure 11- Ken Griffey Jr. is the 7th highest home run taker in MLB history with 630 homers
Another baseball great, Ken Griffey Jr., is the son of Ken Griffey Sr., who has followed in his father’s footsteps as a baseball great. Despite this, Ken Griffery Jr. was a more successful athlete than his father was in every way. There have been only nine players in the history of Major League Baseball have reached the 600-run milestone and above. Griffey Jr. is 7th of them.
However, Griffey Jr. listed 630 home runs beside his name along with a batting average of .284. He also had 2781 hits and 1836 RBIs as well.
The Seattle Mariners were Ken Griffey Jr.’s team when he made his debut in Major League Baseball in 1989. They were also his team when he retired in 2010. At this point, he had already played for two other teams, the Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago White Sox, respectively.
The list of awards for this legendary and one of the best black baseball players is long. They are as follows.
- 13 All-Star, one AL MVP, 10 Gold Glove Awards
- 7 Silver Slugger Awards, one NL Comeback Player of the Year of 2005, 4 AL Home run leaders
- One AL RBI leader
- Seattle Mariners No. 24 retired
- Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame, Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame, Major League Baseball All-Century Team
Aside from these, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016 by 99.3% first-ballot votes.
14. Bo Jackson
Baseball always shows some amazing things. Vincent Edward “Bo” Jackson is among them. He is one of the baseball players who played both in the National Football League and American League baseball.
He simultaneously played football and baseball between 1987 and 1990. Though he debuted in MLB in 1986 for the Kansas City Royals in AL, he also played for Los Angeles Raiders from 1987 to 1990 for the Los Angeles Raiders in the NFL.
By the way, from 1986 to 1990, he played for Kansas City Royals, in 1991, and in 1993, he played for Chicago White Sox, and in 1994, he played for California Angels in MLB.
His MLB career is decorated with a batting average of .250 along with 141 home runs, and 415 RBIs.
15. James Thomas “Cool Papa”
Figure 12- Cool Papa is one of the NgL history’s great hitters and fastest baserunners
James Thomas Bell nicknamed Cool Papa is one of history’s best Negro League hitters. He dominated the plate with his hard-hitting ability, though he didn’t make it to MLB.
But despite everything, he did not feel any regret. He continued on with what he had been doing. He is regarded as one of the fastest players ever to play the game of baseball, according to baseball history.
Even today, his legacy of speed is still passed down. If you look at his batting average, you will have a good idea of his hitting ability. He finished his career with 1548 hits, 57 home runs, and a batting average of .325. In addition, he had 593 runs batted in.
You are going to be astounded by his career in 12 different teams. I can’t believe he played for so many different teams in his career. He spent the majority of his career playing for his first team, St. Louis Star, which he joined in 1922 and remained with until 1931.
By the way, he won 2 Negro World Series Championships, 8 All-Star, and the Washington Negro Nationals Ring of Honor. Aside from these, James Thomas “Cool Papa” Bell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame through the election method of Negro Leagues Committee.
16. Ernie Banks
Another MLB legend who has reached the milestone of 500 home runs. Earnest Banks, known as Mr. Sunshine and Mr. Cub, was a devoted member of the Chicago Cubs squad. He made his MLB debut in 1953 with the Chicago Cubs, and from 1953 to 1971, he played his entire career for the same franchise.
By this time, he earned 512 home runs, one of the top-scoring runs in MLB history. He did it with a batting average of .274 along with 2583 hits and 1636 RBIs.
Aside from being a designated hitter, he played as a shortstop and first baseman on the defensive side. His award list is long. You will find it great.
Ernie Banks acquired 14 All-Star, 2 NL MVPs, one Gold Glove award, 2 NL home run leaders, and 2 NL RBI leaders. He was also honored with Chicago Cubs No 14 retired, the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame, and the Major League Baseball All-Century team.
Earnest Banks was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 with 83.8% first-ballot votes. Ernie Banks is one of the MLB players who also served in the US military from 1951 to 1953.
17. Rickey Henderson
Figure 13- Rickey Henderson, the all-time best stolen base leader with 1406 stolen bases
Ricky Henderson is one of the legends who is mainly well-known for his base stealing. Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson did 1406 stolen bases in his 24-year MLB career. And yes, he is the all-time leader of base stealing. There is no one even closer to him.
The second base-stealing leader, Lou Brock, made 938 stolen bases. So, you may understand the capability and legacy of Ricky Henderson regarding his base stealing record. Ricky Henderson also has the highest 130 stolen bases single-season record in his bag.
By the way, Ricky Henderson debuted in his first MLB match for the Oakland Athletics. He hung his cleats for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2003. By this time. He played for a total of 11 teams, including New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, etc.
Henderson bagged 297 home runs with a batting average of .297 and 3055 hits. Aside from this, his 2295 runs are associated with 1115 runs batted in. His award list is long. Here you got to go with the numerous awards behind his legacy.
- 10 All-Star, 2 World Series Championships
- One AL MVP, one ALCS MVP, one Gold GLove Award
- 3 Silver Slugger Awards, 12 AL Stolen Bases Leader
He was honored with the Oakland Athletics No. 24 retired and Athletics Hall of Fame. Finally, in 2009, Ricky Henderson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame 2009.
18. Lou Brock
Figure 14- Lou Brock is the second best stolen base leader with 938 stolen bases
Lou Brock is the second stolen bases leader in MLB history after Rickey Henderson, with 938 stolen bases in his bag. He was also one of the best outfielders of his time. Without any doubt, Louis Clark Brock was one of the fastest baseball players in MLB history.
There is something to say about his hitting profile too. Lou Brock bagged 149 home runs with a batting average of .293 by 3023 hits in his MLB career. Along with this, he needed to touch 900 runs batted in to reach 149 homers.
However, Lou Brock debuted in his MLB career in 1961 for the Chicago Cubs. When he was retiring, he was on the St. Louis Cardinal’s side in 1979. He also played for these two teams only, from 1961 to 1964 for the Cubs, and from 1964 to 1979.
Lou Brock acquired awards that decorated and lightened up his profile in the top category. 6 All-Star, 2 World Series Championships, 8 NL stolen base leaders, etc., are among them.
He was also honored with St. Louis Cardinals No. 20 retired and St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame. Aside from these, Brock was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985 with 79.75% first-ballot votes.
19. Willie McCovey
When we talk about a hitter in baseball, many home runs refer to some special, no doubt. Willie McCovey is someone you can’t skip. Because he is one of the 500-home run clubbers. He was nicknamed “Stretch,” “Mac,” and “Willie Mac” because of his charismatic batting and fielding in the first baseman position.
If you consider a left-hand batter, he is just the second most homer after Babe Ruth, undoubtedly the number one legend in overall MLB history. Willie McCovey debuted in MLB in 1959 for the San Francisco Giants. When he hung up his cleats in 1980, he was on the side of the same team.
Throughout his entire MLB career, McCovey played for San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, and Oakland Athletics.
Willie McCovey decorated his hitting career with a batting average of .270 along with 521 home runs. He also bagged 2211 hits throughout the journey and 1555 runs batted in.
6 All-star, one NL MVP, one NL Rookie of the Year, 3 NL home run leaders, and 2 NL RBI leaders are inside his bag. Aside from these, McCovey was honored with San Francisco Giants No. 44 retired and inducted into the San Francisco Giants Hall of Fame.
Willie McCovey was finally inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986 with 81.4% first-ballot votes.
20. Tim Raines
Currently contributing as a baseball coach, Timothy Raines Sr., the “Rock,” is one of the best baserunners with 808 stolen bases. In terms of ranking, he is the 5th all-time stolen base leader in all players and third in blacks.
Tim Rinse debuted in MLB in 1979 for the Montreal Express and hung his cleats in 2002 for the Florida Marlins. He was another fast baseball player. The combination of batting and stolen bases profile shows his legacy in baseball.
Timothy Raines Sr. holds a batting average of .294 along with 170 home runs in his 23-year MLB career. Aside from this, 2605 hits and 980 runs batted in are also in his bag.
Tim Rinse played for 6 teams in his career, including Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. By the way, 7 All-Star, 3 World Series Championships, one Silver Slugger Award, and 4 NL stolen base leaders are in his bag.
On the other hand, Tim Rinse was honored with the Montreal Expos No. 30 retired and inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017 with 86.0% 10th-ballot votes.
21. Joe Morgan
fIGURE 15- With 268 homers and 689 stolen bases, Joe Morgan is on the list of all-time baseball greats
With 2 World Series Championships, Joe Morgan was surely one of the most important and impactful players for the Cincinnati Reds. As a direct result, the Cincinnati Reds honored him by inducting him into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. Aside from this, he was also honored by Cincinnati Reds No. 8 retired.
Along with the Reds Hall of Fame, he was also inducted into the Houston Astros Hall of Fame too. By the way, Joe Morgan debuted in MLB in 1963 for the Houston Colt .45, and hung his cleats in 1984 for the Oakland Athletics.
By this time, he acquired 268 home runs with a batting average of .271, 2517 hits, and 1133 runs batted in. His legacy got more intensified because of his base stealing capability. He is in the 11th position in the all-time stolen base leader with 689 stolen bases.
He holds 10 All-Star, 2 World Series championships, 5 Gold Glove Awards, 2 NL MVPs, and one Silver slugger Award in his bag. Finally, Joe Morgan was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990 with an 81.8% first-ballot vote.
22. Ferguson Jenkins
With a number of 3192 strikeouts, Ferguson Jenkins is not someone ordinary in baseball history. Ferguson Arthur “Fergie” Jenkins is one of the best black baseball pitchers who debuted in 1965 for the Philadelphia Phillies.
When he hung his cleats, he was on the side of the Chicago Cubs in 1983. With a win-loss record of 284-226, Jenkins holds an ERA of 3.34. Another amazing fact about Ferguson Jenkins is, he also played basketball for Harlem Globetrotters in the off-seasons.
Ferguson Jenkins won 3 All-Star, one NL Cy Young Award, one NL strikeout leader, Chicago Cubs No. 31 retired, Texas Rangers Hall of Fame, and so on. He played for 4 teams in his MLB career at different times, including the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and Boston Red Sox.
Ferguson Jenkins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.
Honorable Mention: Lee Smith
Lee Smith is MLB’s one of the relief pitchers who are on the list because of his saves rather than his pitching state. Lee Arthur Smith first appeared in MLB in 1980 for the Chicago Cubs as a relief pitcher. He retired in 1997 from Montreal Expos.
In his 17 years career, he pitched in 1022 games with a win-loss stat of 71-92. As a relief pitcher, having an ERA over 3 is not that good, but his 478 saves are exceptional.
He also has 1251 strikeouts. By the way, Smith played for 8 teams in his MLB career. By this time, he had won 7 All-Star, 3 Rolaids Relief Man awards, 4 Saves Leaders and the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame.
For his exceptional saves, Lee Smith was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019 by getting a 100% vote.
Final Note
In baseball, Negro League was only played by black players. So, there is no doubt about the production of hundreds of black greats in Negro League. On the other hand, in MLB, black players have dominated their sectors from the very first the league started.
Here we have tried to pick among the best black baseball players of all time by several criteria. Though many other players can be included in the list, some are not replaceable.
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Hello everyone. My name is Jason Butler, and I live in California, America. I was a professional AAA Minor League Baseball player. I lost my chance of playing MLB for injury issues, but I did not lose my love for baseball. I attended the coaching training program and am now working as a coach in a small school in San Diego.
I always love to share my experience and knowledge if that can help you. Play baseball, and stay fit.