Interview with Albert L. Rosen, May 15, 1979

Interview Summary

Al Rosen was a Major League baseball player for ten years. Rosen is Jewish, and one of his nicknames in baseball was the "Hebrew Hammer." In this interview, he discusses his first contract in 1942, his service in the Navy during World War II, the post-war conditions of baseball, his minor league career, his early associations with A.B. "Happy" Chandler, Chandler's relationship with the minor leagues, the 1948 season, and his relationship with the Cleveland Indians organization. He talks about competing against black players in the Minor Leagues, black players in the Cleveland farm system, minor league salaries, playing behind Ken Keltner, who was the Indians' regular third baseman, spring training in 1950 and Keltner's release, Larry Doby, and the segregation of black major league players. He discusses Luke Easter, Lou Boudreau as a manager, Ray Boone, Bobby Avila, offers to play in the Mexican League, and players Dale Mitchell, Thurman Tucker, Ray Murry, James Hegan, Joe Gordon, Bob Kennedy, Mike Garcia, Bob Feller, Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, Steve Gromek, Freddie Hutchinson, Gene Bearden, and Sam Zoldak. Other topics include Mel Harder as a pitching coach, Rosen's first meeting with Bill Veeck, Ellis Ryan, Hank Greenberg as a negotiator, Chandler as a person and as baseball commissioner, the relationship that baseball commissioners have with team owners, and the role of the baseball commissioner in 1979.

Interview Keyword

Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler Baseball Baseball Commissioner

Interview LC Subject

Baseball--United States Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991 Rosen, Al Rosen, Al--Interviews

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.