Newly released by the one and only National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum comes the Bismarck era edition of The Satchel Paige bobblehead!  I've included the "snow in the background window shot" to show just how it must have been to watch the great Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige pitch in the Capital City.  Just like being there really. It's super cool- you should get one.

Satchel 1
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The Bobblehead is part of a Hall of Fame Bobblehead tribute celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Negro National Leagues. You can read more about that here.  Now Paige wasn't playing 100 years ago, but he did spend a fair time pitching for Bismarck in the 1930's.

Scanning Paige's Wikipedia page, It's amazing how many games these players played year in and year out.  His career began in 1926, but this is a Bismarck story, so let's jump ahead to Paige joining the Crawford Colored Giants in 1931 for $250 a month.  By 1933, the Depression put a squeeze on the East-West League and it collapsed mid-season. So, Bismarck Auto dealer Neil Churchill's semi-pro team "The Bismarcks" offered Paige $400 a month AND a late model car just to play in August. It was off to the Capital City to play in one of the earliest integrated leagues in the country. He helped Bismarck beat rivals Jamestown.  Talk about renting an ace!

Satchel 3
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In 1934, Satchel Paige returned to Crawford, no doubt enjoying the drive in his new car. In 1935, still only making $250 a month, Paige came back to Bismarck for $400 a month and ANOTHER used car!  Those cars would come back to haunt him.

Bismarck was invited to a 32 game semi-pro tournament where Bismarck won all their seven games and Paige went into the record books. He won all four of his starts and pitched relief in another. In that stretch, he struck out 60 batters a record that stood for more than 70 years

He then tried to get back into the National Negro League, but because of all of his jumps to Bismarck for a new set of wheels, he was banned for the 1935 season.

So the Bismarck connection came to a close. But, some oldsters have the memories and now we've got the Bobblehead!  Or, you can if you order one just in time for Christmas!

Just click here...

whoops that's the Viking's Alan Page bobblehead site. Y'know I did say Christmas is coming. 

Satchel Paige site is here


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