Bob Motley is not a name that gets tossed around on Baseball Tonight. If you asked 10 so-called “baseball purists” who he is, the smart money would say not a one would know.
Motley is the last living umpire from the Negro Leagues and sadly, one of the last living men affiliated with that era of baseball.
As an umpire in the Negro Leagues, Bob Motley rubbed shoulders with Satchel Paige and Buck O’Neil.
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Recently, Mr. Motley shared 10 minutes of his eventful life with yours truly.
C-VILLE: What is your fondest memory of the great Satchel Paige?
Bob Motley: He was a great pitcher. His ball seemed like when it got closer to the plate, it took another speed and kind of zipped into the catcher’s mitt.
To tell you a story about him, one time, he struck out two batters in one [inning], walked towards me and said, “Ump, I wanna strike out the next batter. Can I call my team off the field?”
I said, “No, you can call the guys in closer but can’t walk off the field because it’s against the rules.”
He called them all in. They stood near the [base paths] and I didn’t give him no break and the next three strikes came right over the heart of the plate.
Based on our national history at that time in America, what were some of the hardships of being affiliated with the Negro Leagues?
As you know, we didn’t know no better. The Negro Leagues were just like the American and National Leagues because on a Sunday they drew 40,000 to 60,000 people in the stands.
Until Jackie Robinson went to the Brooklyn Dodgers and several other ball players followed to the majors, we didn’t know any different. The Negro Leagues was the Negro Leagues.
It’s been documented that over the past decade the interest, the attendance, and the numbers of African-American ball players are down in the minors and Major Leagues. As someone whose life was the Negro Leagues, is this a hard pill to swallow?
It’s affected me pretty much because as you know baseball’s been my life, all my life. And I don’t see the kids playing like they used to play. Used to be, you can go to any city, walk in a neighborhood, and see kids playing baseball. Now you see kids out shooting basketball.
As you go to the ball park, you don’t see that many black people attending the ball games.
It disturbs me, very much so.
What impact did the late Buck O’Neil leave on baseball?
Buck O’Neil should have been in the Hall of Fame.
I traveled with Buck O’Neil for about 50 years and I even put Buck out of a ball game one time in Memphis, Tennessee, and [it turned out] I didn’t have a place to stay and we [ended up] staying in the same bed and he never did complain to me that night [about the game].
He was a gentlemen man! We started the Negro Baseball Museum in Kansas City.
He was a fine gentleman who should’ve got into the Hall of Fame!
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