Love of the Game

Black History Month is a month set aside to learn, honor, and celebrate the achievements of black men and women throughout history. At each Simon Youth Academy, students are looking at various components of this celebration in their own unique way. Some have a daily quote to read from a famous or influential African-American, while others are listening to speakers to learn more.

Simon Youth Judson Learning Academy at Rolling Oaks Mall in San Antonio, Texas, welcomed Dick “Lefty” O’Neal author of "Dreaming of the Majors, Living in the Bush" for the first Friday Forum in February beginning Black History month.

Mr. O’Neal is the only white baseball player to pitch for two teams in the Negro Leagues. He played for the Biloxi Dodgers in the Gulf Coast Negro League and the San Antonio Black Sox in the South Texas Negro League. He also served in the United States Air Force for twenty-two years. Mr. O’Neal spoke to the students about overcoming learning disabilities and crossing racial barriers.

"I felt humbled that a black team would give me a chance to play in an established black league," O'Neal said. "I wasn't worried about getting into any record books; I just wanted to play the game I loved."

Dreaming of the Majors, his book, is described as: his account of the dream he nurtured from the age of five to play Major League baseball, the people God brought into his life who shaped the dream, and the amazing and unexpected twists and turns Dick experienced along the journey toward fulfilling the dream.

"For me, it wasn't a black-white issue. I was just a person who had a love affair with baseball and who was willing to play it anywhere."