Bibles and baseballs
The Rev. William “Bill” Greason, a 2017 Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame inductee, will speak Aug. 13 at an Oklahoma City church.
During a momentous whirlwind visit to Oklahoma City, a civil rights pioneer plans to share a message of faith at one of the more prominent churches in the metro area.
The Rev. William “Bill” Greason, a former baseball player and 2017 inductee into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, will be guest preacher at 10:45 a.m. Aug. 13 at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 5700 N Kelley.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of Greason’s breaking the Oklahoma professional sports color barrier as a black baseball player in the minor leagues. A Marine who served in World War II, he became the second black player in the Texas League in 1952.
Greason is set to be inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame on Aug. 14.
At 92, Greason continues to deliver a sermon almost every Sunday at Bethel Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Rev. Major Jemison, senior pastor of St. John, said he offered his pulpit to Greason because of the former athlete’s place in the history of Oklahoma City. Also, he said Greason’s visit will give many people in the community an opportunity to get to know him and his story.
“I decided to invite him because he is a historical icon that we know very little about,” Jemison said. “And, of course, we are always interested in expanding the knowledge of our folks as it relates to our integration into the mainstream of American life.”
Something of a celebrity
Over the years, some members of the media and civic leaders have dubbed Greason “the Jackie Robinson of Oklahoma,” referring to the icon who, in 1947, famously became the first black athlete to play Major League Baseball in the 20th century.
As a player in the Texas League, Greason quickly became known for his pitching prowess. In 1952-53, he drew large crowds to the old Texas Stadium at Fourth and Pennsylvania, and he was something of a celebrity in the Oklahoma City black community. Earlier, he was a 1948 Birmingham Black Barons teammate with another national icon, Willie Mays.
Jemison said he is a native of Birmingham and though he doesn’t remember Greason, he does recall how excited he and others in the black community were about the black professional athletes in their midst.
“I remember very vividly my dad taking me to some of the games out at Stockholm Field, where the Black Barons played early on. I don’t remember Mr. Greason specifically, but I do know the caliber of players that were on that team,” Jemison said.
“It was an astounding array of black athletes who played in that version of the minor leagues and to know that he was a part of that really did pique my interest.”
Meanwhile, in news accounts chronicling his life and career, Greason said he delayed the start of his ministry career by deciding to pursue baseball when he returned from serving in the war. He started his baseball career in the Negro Leagues in 1947.