The First Native American Baseball Player

The First Native American Baseball Player- A blog about the first Native American to play professional baseball and the incredible journey he took to get there.

Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe was the first Native American baseball player. He was born in 1888 in a small town in Oklahoma. Thorpe excelled in many sports, but he is best remembered for his baseball career. He played for several teams, including the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Thorpe was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.

Born in 1888

Jim Thorpe was born in 1888 in a small town in Oklahoma. He was the son of a Native American father and a Scandinavian mother. As a child, he was small for his age and often teased by the other kids. But he didn’t let that stop him from playing sports. He excelled at every sport he tried, and soon became one of the most popular athletes in the country.

In 1912, Thorpe competed in the Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden. He won gold medals in both the decathlon and pentathlon, becoming the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal. After his victory, King Gustav V of Sweden declared Thorpe to be “the greatest athlete in the world.”

Thorpe’s success was short-lived, however. In 1913, it was discovered that he had been paid to play professional baseball prior to the Olympics, which made him ineligible for competition. His medals were taken away, and he was largely forgotten by the public.

Thorpe continued to play professional baseball and football until his untimely death in 1953. Today, he is remembered as one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Played for the New York Giants

Jim Thorpe played for the New York Giants from 1913-1919. He was the first Native American to play Major League Baseball. He was also an Olympic gold medalist in track and field.

Louis Sockalexis

Louis Francis Sockalexis was born on December 1, 1871, in the Indian Territory of Oklahoma. He was a Native American of the Penobscot tribe. Sockalexis played Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Spiders from 1897 to 1899. He is considered one of the best Native American athletes of his time.

Born in 1871

Louis Francis Sockalexis was born on Indian Island, in Penobscot County, Maine, on October 24, 1871. He was of Penobscot and Maliseet descent. Sockalexis’ father, Francis, was a medicine man and shaman. Francis had been converted to Roman Catholicism and given the Christian name Louis by a missionary priest. He wanted his son to have an American education and culture, so he sent young Louis to Holy Name School in Portland, Maine.

In 1890, Sockalexis began attending Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana. He playedarsity football and baseball for the school. In baseball, he quickly became one of the team’s best players. In 1891 and 1892, he hit a combined . 340 with 7 home runs and 36 RBIs.

Sockalexis’ time at Notre Dame came to an abrupt end in 1893 when he was expelled from the school for alcohol abuse. He returned home to Maine but continued to play baseball for local semi-professional teams.

Played for the Cleveland Indians

Louis Sockalexis, a member of the Penobscot Indian tribe, was the first Native American to play Major League Baseball. He played for the Cleveland Indians from 1897 to 1899.

Born on the Penobscot Indian reservation in Maine, Sockalexis was a talented athlete. He played football and baseball at Holy Cross College. In 1897, he was signed by the Cleveland Indians.

Although he was a skilled player, Sockalexis struggled with alcoholism. He was released by the Indians in 1899 and died just a few years later, at the age of 30.

Charlie Bender

In 1907, Charlie Bender became the first Native American to play Major League Baseball. Bender was a member of the Iroquois Nation and grew up on a reservation in New York. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics and was one of the best pitchers in the American League. Bender’s career was cut short by arm injuries, but he was still inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.

Born in 1858

Charlie Bender was born in 1858 in Oneida, Wisconsin. He was a member of the Oneida Nation and became the first Native American to play professional baseball. Bender began his career with the TrentonBase Ball Club in 1883 and played for several other teams over the next few years before joining the Philadelphia Athletics in 1902. He played for the Athletics for 10 seasons and was one of the best pitchers in baseball during that time. Bender retired from baseball in 1913 and returned to his hometown of Oneida, where he died in 1924.

Played for the Philadelphia Athletics

Charlie Bender was the first Native American to play Major League Baseball. He was born on the White Earth Indian Reservation in Minnesota in 1887. He began his professional career in 1909 with the Philadelphia Athletics. He played six seasons with the team and was a key member of their 1910 World Series championship team. Bender retired from baseball in 1915.

Moses Yellow Horse

Moses Yellow Horse was the first Native American to play professional baseball. He was born in the Lakota tribe and his tribe had a long tradition of playing a game similar to baseball. Yellow Horse was discovered by a scout in 1912 and he was signed to play for the Omaha Indians.

Born in 1884

Moses Yellow Horse was a native Pawnee Indian born in 1884, who is believed to be the first Native American to play professional baseball. Yellow Horse played as a pitcher and an outfielder for several teams in the early 1900s, including the Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Braves. He passed away in 1953.

Played for the New York Giants

Moses Yellow Horse, the first Native American to play Major League Baseball, was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma on October 27, 1904. He played for the New York Giants from 1929-1933. Yellow Horse was known for his speed and fielding ability. He had a batting average of .274 and stole 43 bases in his career.