Major league scouts didnt sign Smith because of racial barriers
- Smith wasn't signed by MLB teams despite being one of the stars of his team, yet worse, white-teammates were rewarded contracts.
- Smith's unfair, race-based, rejection instilled within him a desire to help an African-American break the color barrier
- Although Smith was unable to make it onto the field himself, he dedicated his whole career to doing what he could to play a part in breaking the barrier
"I had seen the teams come into play [the Senators]," the now 98-year-old Lacy remembered. "Having seen these guys, I got to thinking that some of these ballplayers, watching them play, are no better than the guys that play in the Negro Leagues. It just didn't seem proper or right."
1. The Afro-American newspaper. PBS. Public Broadcasting Service, n.d. Web. 12 June 2014. <http://www-tc.pbs.org/blackpress/news_bios/images/afro2.jpg>.
2. Hoekstra, Dave. "Jackie Robinson and Sportswriter Wendell Smith: ATeam for the Ages." Chicago Sun-Times [Chicago] 7 Apr. 2013: n. pag. Print.
3. Mayo, Jonathan. "Inktegration: Writers Lacy, Smith Played Big Role in Baseball Integration." MLB.com. MLB, n.d. Web. 5 June 2014. "Wendell Smith." mije.org. Maynard Institute, n.d. Web. 12 June 2014. <http://mije.org/sites/default/files/resize/imagecache/two-thirds_column/u678/W_Smith-330x259.png>.
2. Hoekstra, Dave. "Jackie Robinson and Sportswriter Wendell Smith: ATeam for the Ages." Chicago Sun-Times [Chicago] 7 Apr. 2013: n. pag. Print.
3. Mayo, Jonathan. "Inktegration: Writers Lacy, Smith Played Big Role in Baseball Integration." MLB.com. MLB, n.d. Web. 5 June 2014. "Wendell Smith." mije.org. Maynard Institute, n.d. Web. 12 June 2014. <http://mije.org/sites/default/files/resize/imagecache/two-thirds_column/u678/W_Smith-330x259.png>.