NEW HAVEN, Ct. -- At the peak of his career, righthander Porter Moss was
considered one of the finest pitchers in Negro League baseball. The Cincinnati native, born on June 10, 1910, was lucky enough to begin his pro baseball career in his home town team.
A
product of West Virginia State College, the man known to many as
"Ankleball" was a standout softball player in the Queen City. His
unique, submarining motion caught the eye of many baseball scouts.
His career,
which included three trips to the East-West All-Star Classic, began in
1934 with the Cincinnati Tigers. The Tigers, charter members of the
Negro American League, were founded by another Cincinnati native DeHart
Hubbard, the first black to win a individual gold medal in the Olympics.
Nearly
10 years after making his debut, Moss' life would needlessly be snuffed
out due to two acts of recklessness and prejudice. Acquired
by Memphis in 1938, Moss helped lead the Red Sox to the first-half
championship of the Negro American League.
Memphis was later declared
league champs after defeating the Atlanta Black Crackers.
In
1944, the 5-foot-11 hurler was enjoying a another fine season (8-6 with
a 2.34 ERA) with the Red Sox. Little did Moss or his teammates know of
what tragic events would take place on June 15 of that year. En route to
a game in Tennessee, the team bus broke down forcing them to take the
train.
According
to reports, a disorderly man was on the train causing a ruckus with
passengers. He was approached by the the train's porter and conductor
about the ruckus.
The
man would pull a gun on the officials before he would leave the train.
As the train was leaving, the man shot randomly at the train on the
outside. One of the stray bullets would hit Moss in the stomach.
He
struggled to the next coach as he was gasping for air and holding his
bloody stomach. His teammates quickly stretched out their uniforms for
Moss to lay on until the next train stop. The next station in Waverly,
Tennessee stated that Moss could not be helped.
The team was told that the town had no doctors or ambulances.
The
next stop in Bruceton, Moss was given an injection by a doctor. But he
would also in turn tell the team that this town had no hospital
facilities and he would have to try the next town.
As
Moss continued to bleed and suffer, the next stop in Lexington would
also claim to not have any hospital facilities. It wasn't until the
train reached the city of Jackson that Moss would finally be taken for
his wounds.
Unfortunately,
it would prove to be too late for Moss. Nearly 12 hours after he was
shot, Moss was given emergency surgery for his gunshot wounds. However
at 6 a.m. the next morning, Porter Moss died at the age of 34.
Much
like the senseless death of Lyman Bostock some 40 years later, Moss
would be killed during the prime of his career. There's no telling the
kind of history that could have been written by the right-hander.
While
his death is another reminder of how precious life is, Moss will also
be remembered as a great athlete and one of the many pioneers that make
it possible for us to enjoy the great Black ballplayers of the past and
present.
NOTE:
The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues, pitchblackbaseball.com,
and The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro League Baseball all
contributed to this story.
