A Look at the “Real” Joe Black

In 2002, Steven Selzer spoke at a memorial service for his former teacher, mentor and friend Joe Black.  Baseball stars past and present were in attendance at the service, held in their mutual home town of Plainfield, N.J., along with hundreds of teachers, friends, acquaintances, and some who had never even met the former Dodgers and Negro League pitcher.

But it was one guest in particular, Sandy Koufax, whose presence most inspired Selzer to gather the information for a book about Black’s life.

“I never knew that he was friends with Sandy Koufax,” said Selzer.  “Joe was so humble, he’d never drop names.  But he was close with many, many people.  He was a giver.”

The title — and in particular the subtitle — of Selzer’s new book, Meet the Real Joe Black: An Inspiring Life: Baseball, Teaching, Business, Caring, sums Black’s life up perfectly.  Sometimes forgotten by fans as a pioneer in helping integrate baseball, Black, the 1952 National League Rookie of the Year and first black pitcher to win a World Series game, preached humility and civility above all else.

Selzer, now an attorney living outside of Washington, D.C., recently discussed his new book and Black’s influence on his own life with Baseball Digest.

BBD: Something very striking about the book is the breadth of people you were able to speak to about Joe. What do you think endeared him to such a diverse group?
SS: He had the common denominator of being able to talk to anyone.  He was so giving of himself.  He was the most unselfish person I knew, and so genuine.  That attracts people.  Even when he was a star, he never let it go to his head.

Just look at the people who considered him their friend.  Bill Cosby [who wrote the book's foreword] considered [Black] to be his big brother.  Dusty Baker revered Joe.  Dusty has said that if he had a problem, Joe would call him and solve it.  Joe and his friend Joe Garagiola founded BAT, to help down and out players.  He set up scholarships when he worked as an executive at Greyhound.  He enjoyed giving others opportunities, or showing them the way.  He was so articulate, so bright, such a great student in high school and college.

BBD: The stories of Joe’s interaction with students and players really add depth to the book. Which story do you think best exemplifies Joe’s way with people?
SS:  He called me one day in the mid-70s; he was pleased that i had passed the bar.  But I was struggling — it was a good thing my wife had a good job.  There was no internet, no advertising, so I was having a hard time getting clients.  I would sometimes get rejects from some other attorneys, but it wasn’t going well.  Joe sensed that, and next thing I know, I was invited to speak at “D.C. Salutes Joe Black Night” in 1976.  I rented a tuxedo and brought 400 business cards.  Joe gets up with his booming voice and announces “Steve Selzer was my student at Hubbard Junior High.  He’s now an attorney” — and he cupped his hands so no one could forget — “in Rockville, Maryland!”  After that, I ran out of business cards, I was writing my number on napkins.  Everyone was saying, “if you’re good enough for Joe,  you’re good enough for me.”

BBD: What was the tipping point for you, when you knew you wanted to do a book about Joe, and when did you start to gather material?
SS: I wrote a book in 2000,  By George, Mr. Washington’s Guide to Civility Today, which was based on George Washington‘s 110 Rules of Civility, which he wrote when he was young.  In the acknowledgments, I pointed to Joe Black as a great influence in that direction.  I was taken with him as a teacher, and so pleased that he was willing to mentor me, and I just felt that was so special and exemplary of the things i believe in, and so when he passed away, I stared thinking about it.  At [the memorial celebration] Koufax said he thought I did a good job of capturing Joe.  I thought maybe I could extend his legacy with a book.  I think he’d be pleased that the lessons of his life plus the lessons he gave me would be in a book.  The family gave me pictures and articles.

BBD: Joe Black was one of the first prominent black pitchers, which as you noted gave him an extra disadvantage.  His role as a pioneer isn’t as well known outside the game or by younger fans. Do you know why that is?
SS: I think it’s because he never sought fame or the limelight.  He was happy to be Jackie Robinson’s roommate.  Jackie Robinson, rightfully so, is overwhelmingly the symbol of the era.  Joe was a pallbearer at Jackie’s funeral, he knew the family well, supported the foundation, but he was a very humble person.  He had great confidence in his inner self and also knew he was a good pitcher but also knew that he had pitched his best ball in the Negro Leagues with the Baltimore Elite Giants.  He never did anything to promote himself, he didn’t care about that.  He was concentrating on ways to improve things, to help others.

He also came up in 1952, five years after Jackie Robinson.  When Jackie came up, it didn’t open the floodgates, there were still only a few black players, and Joe was one of the first pitchers.

BBD: Do you think Joe felt like he was mismanaged at all, either from a baseball or medical standpoint, in his career?
SS: Charlie Dressen, who was a stubborn, dictatorial type manager, insisted that Joe needed to develop a third pitch, even though he’d been so successful as a rookie.  He had a great fastball and curve, but Dressen said he needed to do that.  Joe had defects in his finger that kept him from throwing other pitches, but Joe was team man, he listened to the manager, he didn’t want to buck the manager, and he tried to develop a third pitch.  Dressen didn’t realize about the defect, and Joe was completely off by then, and it really ruined his career.  Joe was not a blame type guy — if anything, he blames himself for not protesting.

BBD: How do you think growing up in Plainfield influenced Joe? Did he return occasionally after moving away?
SS: He came back often.  His sister Phyllis [Greer] still lives there, she’s the only one left of the six siblings.  At the memorial celebration, so many teachers showed up, and he hadn’t been teaching for a long time.  He was one that would keep contact.  He loved Plainfield, even though he grew up in the poor part of town, it was a part of him, teaching and coaching.  Plainfield was integrated, nicely mixed, living there you got to know all kinds of people.  It was a good place to grow up in that way. The education was excellent at the that time, and he knew it.

BBD: What do you think is the primary lesson in JB’s life?
SS: The lesson is that if you realize that even though you might be disadvantaged in some respects, that if you make yourself into a person of substance, through education, through learning, to respecting others, then what happens is that you improve your life and the lives of others.

Ed note: Tonight at Nationals Park, prior to Washington’s game against the New York Mets, Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo will present the inaugural Joe Black Award, created to honor an organization or person who is instrumental in promoting the game of baseball in African-American communities.  Greer, Selzer and Blacks two children will be in attendance at the on-field ceremony.

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Topics: Baseball Digest, Bbd, Bill Cosby, Common Denominator, Dodgers, Drop Names, Dusty Baker, Friend Bill, Friend Joe, Friends Acquaintances, Jackie Robinson, Joe Black, Joe Garagiola, League Pitcher, National League Rookie, National League Rookie Of The Year, Negro League, Sandy Koufax, Selzer, Steven Selzer, Teacher Mentor, Town Of Plainfield, Unselfish Person, World Series Game

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