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The Red Sox confirmed Green's death on
Wednesday and also held a moment of silence prior to their
Wednesday night home game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
"Pumpsie Green occupies a special place in our history," Red Sox
principal owner John Henry said in a press release. "He was, by
his own admission, a reluctant pioneer, but we will always
remember him for his grace and perseverance in becoming our
first African-American player. He paved the way for the many
great Sox players of color who followed. For that, we all owe
Pumpsie a debt of gratitude."
Green entered as a pinch runner against the Chicago White Sox on
July 21, 1959, to become the first black player to play in a
game for Boston. The Red Sox were the last major league team to
integrate.
Green played parts of four seasons with the Red Sox (1959-62)
and one season with the New York Mets (1963). He had a career
batting average of .246 with 13 homers and 74 RBIs in 344 games.
"We salute the courage Pumpsie Green demonstrated 60 years ago
when he became our first player of color," Red Sox chairman Tom
Werner said in a statement. "Despite the challenges he faced, he
showed great resilience and took pride in wearing our uniform.
He honored us by his presence. We send our deepest condolences
to Pumpsie's family and friends."
Green, an Oklahoma native who went to high school and college in
Northern California, was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame
in 2018.
--Field Level Media
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