Eddie Klep

Edward Joseph Klep

• Bats unknown, Throws Left
• Height 5' 7", Weight 171 lb.

• Born October 12, 1918 in Erie, PA USA
• Died November 12, 1981 in Los Angeles, CA USA

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Biographical Information

In 1946, the Cleveland Buckeyes signed Eddie Klep, making him the first openly white player in the Negro Leagues. Klep's presence led to some run-ins with segregationist laws in Birmingham, AL as he was not allowed to play with the team. He appeared in only three games and was released in June. No record has been found yet of his appearing in an official league game, so while the Buckeyes are considered a major league team, Klep is not a confirmed major leaguer. That September, Klep was convicted of burglary, the charges stemming back to an incident preceding his signing, and never returned to professional baseball. He had been in trouble with the law before his playing career, with a number of charges on his record.

Klep was signed in early April. Manager Quincy Trouppe named him to start the Sunday April 28th game against Chicago. [1] [[2]. The May 23 Buffalo News announced that he would be in the following day's contest. [3] The June 6 Cheektowaga Times said Klep "may hurl a few innings" that coming Saturday. The June 14 St. Louis Argus claimed that "the Erie, PA. youth had won his first league game against the Chicago American Giants two weeks ago. He is the Jackie Robinson of the Negro Leagues". [4]

Klep's signing appeared to have been strictly a promotional stunt. He was a former amateur boxer and a run-of-the-mill player in Chicago's industrial leagues, and according to Buckeyes teammate Willie Grace: "He couldn't have pitched in the league nowhere - he really wasn't fast enough". His lack of talent did not matter, as the team's owner, Ernie Wright, knew he likely wouldn't be allowed to play, but that the controversy would draw publicity, which was the whole point.

His last name was often misspelled as Klepp.

Sources: The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues by James Riley, Black Baseball's National Showcase by Larry Lester, Discrimination in Reverse from chatterfromthedugout.com

Further Reading

• Larry R. Gerlach: "Baseball's Other "Great Experiment": Eddie Klep and the Integration of the Negro Leagues", Journal of Sports History, Vol. 25, No. 3 (Fall 1998), pp. 453-481. [5]
• Scott Moore: "A Legend In Reverse -- Two Men Broke Baseball's Color Barrier. Jackie Robinson You Know. Eddie Klep, Well, That's Another Story . . .", The Seattle Times, October 16, 1997. [6]