Jim Brown offered $150,000 by the Yankees?

[Orangeyes]

The site orangehoops wrote the following in it's Jim Brown bio:

"Brown didn't play baseball at Syracuse, but he could have. He threw two no-hitters in high school, and the Yankees offered him $150,000 to play for them. Fortunately for Syracuse fans he turned them down."

That would have been in 1953, five years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and there were only 9 black players in MLB. In the mid 50's Jackie only made $42,ooo a year. In 1955 Elston Howard became the first black, New York Yankee.

Consider this:

" Howard became a Yankee when the civil rights movement was just beginning in this country
the Brooklyn Dodgers had broken the color barrier in baseball in 1947 by signing Jackie Robinson, most other Major League ball clubs were slow to accept the idea of having black players on their teams. The Yankees were no exception. By 1952, pickets appeared in front of Yankee Stadium criticizing the discriminatory practices of the Yankee organization. The general manager of the Yankees, George Weiss, to postpone the inevitable as long as possible, did what a number of other clubs did. He signed a handful of black players to minor league contracts. Tokenism was having blacks playing in the farm system. In the early 1950's, the Yankees signed Artie Wilson, Ruben Gomez, Vic Power, Frank Barnes, and Elston Howard. Then, whenever Weiss was criticized for being a racist, he would reply, "The Yankees will bring up a Negro as soon as one that fits the high Yankee Standards is found."

Back in 1953 $150,000 was a ton of money and Jim Brown coming from a poor background probably would have jumped at it.

I'm not buying that story.

Does anyone have evidence to the contrary?

 

[SmilinBob]

Even if the money isn't true, he threw two no hitters? If this is true I might nudge him ahead of Jim Thorpe as the greatest all around athlete of all time.

 

[sutomcat]

The site orangehoops wrote the following in it's Jim Brown bio:

"Brown didn't play baseball at Syracuse, but he could have. He threw two no-hitters in high school, and the Yankees offered him $150,000 to play for them. Fortunately for Syracuse fans he turned them down."

That would have been in 1953, five years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and there were only 9 black players in MLB. In the mid 50's Jackie only made $42,ooo a year. In 1955 Elston Howard became the first black, New York Yankee.

Consider this:

" Howard became a Yankee when the civil rights movement was just beginning in this country
the Brooklyn Dodgers had broken the color barrier in baseball in 1947 by signing Jackie Robinson, most other Major League ball clubs were slow to accept the idea of having black players on their teams. The Yankees were no exception. By 1952, pickets appeared in front of Yankee Stadium criticizing the discriminatory practices of the Yankee organization. The general manager of the Yankees, George Weiss, to postpone the inevitable as long as possible, did what a number of other clubs did. He signed a handful of black players to minor league contracts. Tokenism was having blacks playing in the farm system. In the early 1950's, the Yankees signed Artie Wilson, Ruben Gomez, Vic Power, Frank Barnes, and Elston Howard. Then, whenever Weiss was criticized for being a racist, he would reply, "The Yankees will bring up a Negro as soon as one that fits the high Yankee Standards is found."

Back in 1953 $150,000 was a ton of money and Jim Brown coming from a poor background probably would have jumped at it.

I'm not buying that story.

Does anyone have evidence to the contrary?

Seems really unlikely. This article says the Yankees tried to sign him to a minor league contract, so maybe that part is true. But SU didn't even initially offer Brown a scholarship. He went there because Ken Malloy raised the money to cover his college costs. How could you turn down that kind of money for something that was far short of a sure thing?

Even if he was offered a contract, $150K seems way out of line for that time period.

Willie Mays was signed by the NY Giants in 1950 for $10K. The Boston Braves signed Henry Aaron in 1952 for $10K. Ernie Banks was signed by the Cubs in 1952 for $10K. All three were already stars in the Negro leagues, more proven commodities than a part HS baseball player.

Mickey Mantle signed with the Yankees for $1500 in 1949. Roger Maris signed with the Indians in 1953 for $15K. Bonus baby Al Kaline signed with the Tigers in 1953 for $35K. Luis Aparicio was signed to a contract by the White Sox in 1954 for $10K. Even Carl Yastrzemski, who was a huge baseball star who also grew up playing in Long Island, was only signed to a $108K minor league contract when he was signed by the Red Sox in 1958. Rick Monday turned down an offer of $20K from the Dodgers to play at Arizona State as late as in 1963.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Can he pitch to leftys? I'll take him right now.

 

[Crusty]

Normally I discount stories like this but, while the money is not believable, I am prepared to believe just about anything with respect to Jim Brown's athletic prowess. He may be the best natural athlete of all time, certainly in my lifetime - and I'm a geezer.

 

[wfschrec]

Why not ... Ruth was purchased for $125K to finance No No Nanette ... he probably didn't want to play for the Yanks after they told him #44 wasn't available and Brown said ... "The hell with this ... I'm gonna go to SU and smash Sam Huff so hard that I knock him out cold and break his nose ... " Now that I know is true ... WVU was never the same after that.

 

[cto]

Seems really unlikely. This article says the Yankees tried to sign him to a minor league contract, so maybe that part is true. But SU didn't even initially offer Brown a scholarship. He went there because Ken Malloy raised the money to cover his college costs. How could you turn down that kind of money for something that was far short of a sure thing?

Even if he was offered a contract, $150K seems way out of line for that time period.

Willie Mays was signed by the NY Giants in 1950 for $10K. The Boston Braves signed Henry Aaron in 1952 for $10K. Ernie Banks was signed by the Cubs in 1952 for $10K. All three were already stars in the Negro leagues, more proven commodities than a part HS baseball player.

Mickey Mantle signed with the Yankees for $1500 in 1949. Roger Maris signed with the Indians in 1953 for $15K. Bonus baby Al Kaline signed with the Tigers in 1953 for $35K. Luis Aparicio was signed to a contract by the White Sox in 1954 for $10K. Even Carl Yastrzemski, who was a huge baseball star who also grew up playing in Long Island, was only signed to a $108K minor league contract when he was signed by the Red Sox in 1958. Rick Monday turned down an offer of $20K from the Dodgers to play at Arizona State as late as in 1963.

I agree with Tomcat here. They may have been interested in him... but the $150k thing is implausible.