Hartford suits up as Schoolboys to celebrate Juneteenth

The Hartford Yard Goats took on the identity of the "Hartford Schoolboys" for the first time on Friday night to honor legendary Negro Leagues pitcher -- and Hartford native -- Johnny "Schoolboy" Taylor, as part of the club's Juneteenth/Celebration of Negro League Baseball at Dunkin' Park.

Taylor's daughter, Lynette Taylor, threw out the ceremonial first pitch and the team also hosted a block party to honor the legacy of the Negro Leagues.

“We thought this would be the perfect time to pay tribute to Johnny “Schoolboy” Taylor, and have our team play as the Hartford Schoolboys,” Yard Goats president Tim Restall said. “Johnny integrated professional baseball in Hartford and we look forward to sharing his story.”

Coming together to honor the legacy of the Negro Leagues with a Block Party like no other 🥳 #HartfordSchoolboys pic.twitter.com/XuYZxRf4qV

— Hartford Yard Goats (@GoYardGoats) June 23, 2023

Hartford’s Johnny “Schoolboy” Taylor was a track-and-field star at Hartford's Bulkeley High School before joining the baseball team his senior year in 1934. In his final high school start, the hurler set a Connecticut state record with 25 strikeouts in a single game against New Britain High School. That caught the attention of Major League scouts -- specifically from the New York Yankees and Philadelphia A's.

Of course, this was before Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947, and baseball's unwritten agreement against white teams signing Black players limited Taylor's options. The Yankees tried to convince Taylor to lie about being Cuban and take a Hispanic last name so he could sign with them. Taylor refused, turning down the Yankees' offer and instead opting to join the semi-pro Hartford Twilight Baseball League, where he became a star on the mound and is a member of its Hall of Fame. The field in Colt Park where Taylor dominated that season officially became "Johnny Taylor Field" in 2021.

Ladies and gentleman… YOUR Hartford Schoolboys pic.twitter.com/PXVcirLIH1

— Hartford Yard Goats (@GoYardGoats) June 23, 2023

Taylor signed with the New York Cubans in the Negro National League as a 19-year-old in 1935. The highlight of his career came two years later when the 6-foot, 165-pound right-hander tossed a no-hitter to defeat Satchel Paige and the Negro League All-Star team at the Polo Grounds in New York in 1937. Taylor was named a Negro League All-Star the following season in 1938 as a member of the Pittsburgh Crawfords and twirled two scoreless frames of relief in that game.

Taylor's career included two more stints with the Cubans (1940 and 1945) as well as a year with the Toledo Crawfords (1939) and a brief stop with the Newark Eagles (1940). Taylor left the United States to pitch in the Mexican League in 1941. After a brief retirement, he returned to baseball in his hometown, and became the first Black athlete to play professional baseball in Hartford with the Hartford Chiefs in 1949.

Taylor is widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players to come out of Connecticut, despite the racial discrimination that kept him out of the Major Leagues. The Yard Goats have honored "Schoolboy" since the club's inaugural season, with Taylor's daughter Lynette throwing out the ceremonial first pitch in the first-ever Yard Goats game in Hartford in 2017. Photos of Taylor can be found all around Dunkin' Park.

Last night we celebrated Juneteenth & Negro League Baseball, and played as the Hartford Schoolboys for the first time. What a night! Thank you to Lynette Taylor and family, daughter of Johnny "Schoolboy" Taylor, for helping to make it a perfect night ❤️ pic.twitter.com/0GSY6ZoMLG

— Hartford Yard Goats (@GoYardGoats) June 24, 2023

On Friday, Hartford wore commemorative uniforms and hats as part of the Negro League Celebration night. The Schoolboys logo features an oversized “H” which was created from an “H” on a uniform in an old photo and the full logo features a silhouette of Johnny Taylor pitching.

More Juneteenth activities were held Saturday in Hartford with a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workshop.