Leon Day
Born October 30, 1916, in Alexandria, Virginia, was Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher/Fielder Leon Day. He was a very versatile athlete and was known to play every position on the field well, but he preferred to stay away from catcher. This legend was a nine-time Negro League All-Star. Day played with the Baltimore Black Sox, Newark Eagles, and Baltimore Elite Giants during his career. Leon holds the record in the Negro and Puerto Rican league for strikeouts in a game, and appeared in the most East–West All-Star Games.
Willie Wells Baseball Star Shortstop
A talented infielder and a strong hitter who played around the world, he created an early iteration of the protective gear that keeps baseball players safe. — www.texasmonthly.com
Born August 10, 1906, in Austin, Texas, Baseball Hall of Fame Shortstop Willie Wells. This legend was a 10-time Negro League All Star, and a two-time Cuban League MVP. Wells was a fast base-runner who hit for both power and average.
He was at his finest with his glove, committing almost no errors and having the speed to run down most anything. Wells is also known as being the first player to use a batting helmet in baseball, after being hit and receiving a concussion while playing with the Newark Eagles. Interestingly enough, that first helmet was a construction helmet.
Here are the teams that Wells played with:
St. Louis Giants (1924)
St. Louis Stars (1924–1931)
Detroit Wolves (1932)
Homestead Grays (1932, 1937)
Kansas City Monarchs (1932)
Chicago American Giants (1929, 1933–1935)
Newark Eagles (1936–1939, 1942, 1945)
Birmingham Black Barons (1941)
New York Black Yankees (1945–46)
Baltimore Elite Giants (1946)
Indianapolis Clowns (1947)
Memphis Red Sox (1948)
