2/10/23 - Friday Forget-Me-Nots by Jim Silcott

Photo Caption: Confirmation 2023 with Bishop Fernandes

Dear Our Lady of Peace Family,

My father, now deceased, told me the story of an elderly African-American gentleman who used to do odd jobs around the house in Baltimore, Maryland for his father. This was in the 1940’s when Dad was a young teenager and a very good athlete, especially as a pitcher in baseball. The man’s name was Blaine Hall, and knowing of my Dad’s interest in the sport he told my Dad that he used to play a little ball himself and would be happy to work with him on some of the finer points of the game.

After working with Mr. Hall for some months, Dad showed off a pitch in American Legion ball that he had learned from the elderly gentleman. His coach asked him where he had learned it. When Dad told him that his father’s handyman, Mr. Hall, had taught him, his coach inquired further and, on finding out it was Blaine Hall, said to him, “Listen to him son; he knows what he’s talking about.”

It turns out that Mr. Blaine Hall, known more popularly as Blainey Hall, was a standout outfielder and later manager in the professional Negro League when it was in its infancy. Thanks to the internet, I was able to look up information about Mr. Hall. His professional debut was in 1914 for the New York Lincoln Giants. He went on to play for the Baltimore Black Sox until 1923 and then later managed in the Negro League. He was a right-handed batter and thrower. His batting average for his ten-season career was a more than respectable .358, and although he only hit three home runs in his career, this was in the days before home runs were common. One hitting technique he told Dad about that would probably not be too politically correct today was to stand under a streetlight at night and throw gravel up into the air. This would attract bats looking for a night- time snack and Blainey would then use his own bat to try and hit the flying rodents!

Chances are, had he been a white ball player he might now be in the Hall of Fame. Certainly, had be played in this modern era he would have had a great career playing for a major league baseball team and earning enough money that he wouldn’t have had to work as a handy man.

Most baseball players, black and white, back in the old days of baseball usually worked odd jobs in the off-season to make ends meet. My Mom, who also grew up in Baltimore, remembers that even when the Orioles became a Major league team in the 1950’s many of the ball players lived in her neighborhood since it was so close to the stadium, and they didn’t have automobiles. Had Blainey played today he would have been instantly recognizable by someone like my father. Chances are he would never have had the opportunity to even speak with him let alone get pitching and hitting advice from a professional athlete. Dad remembered him as very distinguished, gentle, and kind man with a great knowledge of the game of baseball. There is a photograph of him in his older years in a brown suit standing over a birthday cake, obviously baked for him, as there were many candles!

The last time that Dad saw Mr. Hall was in downtown Baltimore in 1963. He was waiting for a bus and my father stopped and picked him up and gave him a ride home. He lived until he was 86 years old, dying in 1975. Although I could find no significant details about his life, it is wonderful that Mr. Hall made such an indelible impression on my father to such an extent that he remembered his advice and kindness many years later when speaking to me one afternoon.



I am happy to tell his story to you, and even happier that it is one of many memories of long conversations with Dad.

Jim Silcott