2 Quotes by Arlene Howard

In 1971, the Yankees hired Bill White, making him baseball’s first black broadcaster. Everyone was so proud of him. Over the years we had seen Bill quite a bit starting from the days when he played with the Cardinals, then in spring training at St. Petersburg, and later whenever we went home to St. Louis. When Bill came to the Yankees, he knew little about the American League players. So Elston naturally was the first person he went to that spring training.

They didn’t want a black man on the Yankees even though the Dodgers had Jackie and had broken down the color barrier. The Yankees didn’t want Elston, because of the innate prejudice at the time on that ball club and in that organization. And when Elston came, what he had to go through is somewhat the same as what Jackie had to face.