Road to Rickwood: Willie Mays reflects on his first big-league team, the 1948 Black Barons

“Norm Robinson got hurt. He was our center fielder. Piper wanted me to stay in center after that. We had a good outfield. (Jimmy) Zapp was in left, a real strong guy. Ed Steele in right. Piper told me to catch everything in the gaps, but then he hollered at the other guys because they kept getting the hell out of the way. He told them they’ve got to make plays, too. Other Black Barons had similar issues breaking through. Davis should have been the Red Sox’s first Black player...