Reason and Radical

Buck O'Neil

The legendary Negro League player Buck O'Neil has died at age 94. Most of us know him from Ken Burn's PBS documentary Baseball. I saw O'Neil once speak at a PBS meeting. He noted how when he was a young man he would not have been allowed to enter the hotel where the meeting was being held via the front door but would instead of had to come in the back door -- and he saw it as a major advancement that in his lifetime, he could not only enter the hotel by the front door but speak in front of all of us gathered at that meeting, people of all races living and working together. It was very touching. I also remember Ken Burns getting up and hinting that Buck should wrap it up and Buck waved him away saying something like he'd earned his moment up there! It was great. Rest in Peace, Buck.

posted by Leimodnu @ 12:26 PM