[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 49 (Thursday, March 16, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E615]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          TRIBUTE TO LEON DAY

                                 ______


                           HON. KWEISI MFUME

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 15, 1995
  Mr. MFUME. Mr. Speaker, it is rare that you find an individual with 
talent, ambition and humility. But those are just some of the defining 
and wonderful qualities of Leon Day, one of Baltimore's true heroes.
  Baseball legend Leon Day died this week, he was 78. It was only five 
days earlier that Leon had his day and was elected into the Baseball 
Hall of Fame. his sister said it was ``what he was waiting for.'' He 
was the 12th Negro league star elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and 
the first since 1987. His election into the Hall of Fame was a fitting 
end to a life of quiet achievement, pride and skillful performance.
  For persons such as myself, who grew up in the little leagues and 
went on to coach inner city youngsters, Mr. Day was the personification 
of athletic excellence and someone who made us especially proud.
  Leon Day moved to Baltimore in 1917 when he was 6 months old. His 
father worked in the segregated community of Westport and the family 
lived in Mount Winanas, a poor neighborhood in Southwest Baltimore. 
Although his house on Pierpont Street had no electricity or running 
water it was overflowing with both pride and purpose.
  When Day was 12 or 13 he began playing baseball at a local athletic 
club. After two years at Frederick Douglass High School he left to play 
semi-pro ball with the Silver Moons. At 17 he joined the Baltimore 
Black Sox and was promised $60 a month (in reality he was lucky to get 
paid $2 or $3 a week). The team soon disbanded and young Leon was off 
to play for the Brooklyn Eagles.
  In 1963, the eagles moved to Newark and Mr. Day began getting paid 
regularly and was able to help his family financially. When he returned 
home to play against the Baltimore Elite Giants he was nothing short of 
a hero. He struck out 18 batters in one game and set the Negro National 
League record. The hometown fans went wild.
  He defeated the legendary pitcher Satchel Paige in three of their 
four recorded meetings. And, he put his heart into every game. He was a 
players' player. Although Leon Day was known for his blazing fastball 
he was said to have a curve ball that dropped off the table. He had a 
unique talent of pitching the ball without winding up, which often made 
batters look bad, fooled and intimidated.
  After the 1943 season, Mr. Day went to Europe to fight in World War 
II. After participating in the Normandy invasion, Mr. Day played in an 
integrated game at Nuremberg Stadium against white major leagues. He 
pitched a four-hitter and bet the major leagues 2-1.
  After the war, Day returned to the United States and the Eagles. 
Although the war had taken its toll on his strength, he was able to 
pitch a no-hitter on opening day against the Philadelphia Stars. After 
his victory, his teammates carried him off the field on the shoulders 
in triumphant recognition of an achievement few have ever realized.
  In an era of social segregation he was a part of the athletic avant 
guard, who had rejected the mediocrity of second class citizenship. In 
doing so, he helped re-define the American past time as we know it, 
proving once and for all that only the ball was white.
  When Mr. Day received word of his election into the Hall of Fame, 
tears of joy rolled his cheeks. To say he was elated, would be to 
overstate the obvious. ``I never thought it would come,'' he said. 
``This has been in the back of my mind for a long time.''
  It did come and not a moment too soon. Mr. Day is and always will be 
one of baseball's quiet heroes. A man who strived to be his best, 
despite his humble beginnings. A man who showed excellence on the 
baseball field and unmatched modesty when off it. Mr. Day is a man all 
of Baltimore can be proud of.
  On July 30th of this year in Cooperstown, NY, Leon Day will be 
officially inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Although he will 
not be among the throngs of well wishers who will travel from across 
the nation to be there, let us resist the urge to mourn him.
  Instead, on that hot July day, know that not far away still sits a 
field of dreams. A place where the men of winter become the boys of 
summer. Where for nine innings, the problems of the world go away. And, 
where Ruth, Cobb, Paige and Gehrig all rush to the mound to welcome 
their newest team-mate, Leon Day, the gentle giant from Baltimore.


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