SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The first Black man to play for the San Diego Padres broke the color barrier in the Pacific Coast League, but not before facing discrimination while playing American Legion baseball.
Johnny Ritchey made history in San Diego by becoming the first Black man to play for the San Diego Padres organization — earning him the nickname "Jackie Robinson of the West."
Ritchey played as a catcher for the Pacific Coast League and the Padres in 1948 and 1949. But before that milestone, he faced racial discrimination while playing American Legion baseball.
According to the historian for American Legion Post 492, Ritchey was not allowed to play in South Carolina in 1938 because of the color of his skin. Historian Bill Swank said Ritchey told him during an interview that it happened again 2 years later in North Carolina.
"He and Nelson Manuel were not allowed to play. That was the biggest trauma in his young life," Swank said.
Earlier this year, Swank spoke with the San Diego American Legion commander and asked him to file a formal resolution requesting an apology. The resolution passed at the state level and made it to the national committee, but was sent back with a request for more details.
"I don't feel that you have to beg something like this. I was told they need more details. How much more detail do you need to prove racial discrimination?" Swank said.
While the National American Legion has not issued an apology, Ritchey's family says they are focusing on his legacy.
His daughter, Johnaa Ritchey, described her father as "an excellent baseball player, an excellent person with a good character."
"I am overwhelmed at times at just how much of an impact my dad had on people who remember him," Johnaa Ritchey said.
Those who knew him personally also carry fond memories. Billy Capps, a former commander of Post 492, said he shared the field with Ritchey.
"I played, uh, probably 5 games with him," Capps said.
Johnaa Ritchey said her father's memory lives on beyond the baseball diamond.
"He was a good father. Uh, I remember going to uh softball games, baseball games," Johnaa Ritchey said.
Despite the national committee's response, Johnaa Ritchey said she remains grateful for the recognition her father has received at the local and state level.
"I think that my father as well as Nelson Manuel are both looking down and they both have a big smile on their face and they're probably saying I'm proud of the legacy that I left for my, you know, for my family," Johnaa Ritchey said.
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