Books and articles about Emmett Ashford

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The first black umpire in the majors, Ashford was hired at age 51 to get five years to qualify for a pension. A loner off the field, Ash was a showboat on the diamond who dressed impeccably for the job wearing jewelry that included flashy cufflinks. In 1982 a Little League field in Los Angeles was named in Ashford's honor. (RTM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » April 11, 1966: A crowd of 44,468, including Vice President Hubert Humphrey, attends a historic opener at Washington. Emmett Ashford becomes the ML's first black umpire in Cleveland's 5–2 win against the Senators.