When 17-year-old Mahlon Duckett took the field at second base for the Philadelphia Stars of the Negro National League, he found himself among some of the greatest ballplayers of his generation, or any other.
It was 1940, seven years before Jackie Robinson broke the major leagues' color line, and the best African-American players were in the Negro Leagues, including Robinson himself with the Kansas City Monarchs.
Duckett might have been a kid from West Philly, but he more than held his own that first season, earning Rookie of the Year honors and establishing himself as one of the Negro Leagues' bright young talents. He and the Stars played in front of huge crowds at 44th and Parkside Ballpark in West Philadelphia, with occasional games at Connie Mack Stadium on Mondays when the Philadelphia Athletics weren't playing there.
"We had like 25,000 people come out to watch us play," said Duckett, who still lives on the outskirts of Philadelphia. "The fans really came out to see Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson. We had some good crowds on Mondays."
After nine seasons with the Stars, Duckett finished his playing days with the Homestead Grays in 1950. Today, he is 92 years old, the last surviving member of the Stars.
"It was just a matter of time before all the Negro League players got up [to the majors]," Duckett said of the game finally being integrated by Robinson, and by Larry Doby in the American League. "I was so glad to see it happen. It should have happened long before it did."
Here's Duckett's all-time Negro League team, based on his knowledge and personal experience:
Catcher: Josh Gibson, Homestead Grays (1930-46)
Gibson may have been the greatest power hitter of all time. His Hall of Fame plaque heralds that he hit "almost 800 home runs," but his true career totals are lost to history, since his teams played many more barnstorming games, in which records were not kept. A study of available Negro Leagues statistics credits Gibson with 115 home runs and a .359 batting average in league play.
"Josh was more than just a home run hitter," Duckett said. "He was a great all-around ballplayer."
First Base: Buck Leonard, Homestead Grays (1933-50)
Leonard made a league-record 11 Negro League East-West all-star game appearances from 1937 to 1944. He batted .320 over his career.
"He was a great hitter," Duckett said of Leonard. "Buck was one of the best fielding first baseman we've ever had."
Second Base: Sammy T. Hughes, Baltimore Elite Giants (1930-46)
A smooth fielder, Hughes was a good hitter, too. Hughes hit over .300 six times and batted .416 in 1939 for the Baltimore Elite Giants.
"He could really play the game. He was a good fielder," Duckett said of Hughes. "There were so many good second basemen in the league. He was a great one."
Shortstop: Willie Wells, Newark Eagles (1924-48)
Wells played in eight East-West all-star games and was part of the Eagles' "Million Dollar Infield" along with first baseman Mule Suttles and third baseman Ray Dandridge.
"He was one of the greatest shortstops of my time. He was the greatest fielding shortstop around," Duckett said. "He could hit the baseball, too."
Third Base: Ray Dandridge, Newark Eagles (1933-48)
Dandridge could really play the hot corner, but he also could play second base and shortstop. He played in three East-West all-star games and had a .310 lifetime batting average in the Negro Leagues.
"He could do it all," Duckett said of Dandrige. "He could play different positions. He could hit and run the bases. Ray was a terrific player."
Outfield: Oscar Charleston, Pittsburgh Crawfords (1915-41)
In 1921, Charleston hit well over .400 for the St. Louis Giants of the Negro National League. In 1924 and 1925, he won batting championships with Harrisburg of the Eastern Colored League.
"He was one of the best outfielders in the Negro Leagues," Duckett said. "He could really hit the baseball. He was a good outfielder who could make a lot of plays."
Outfield: James Thomas "Cool Papa" Bell, St. Louis Stars (1922-46)
Bell joined the St. Louis Stars at age 19 as a left-handed pitcher and later moved to center. He had played shallow and had the speed to chase down long fly balls in the outfield. A switch-hitter, Bell knew how to put the ball in play and use his quickness on the base paths.
In 1935, he played with the Pittsburgh Crawfords, which fielded future Hall of Famers Oscar Charleston, Josh Gibson, Judy Johnson and Leroy "Satchel" Paige.
"He wasn't a home run hitter, but he could hit the ball. He had great speed. That's why they called him 'Cool Papa,' Duckett said.
Outfield: Norman "Turkey" Stearnes, Detroit Stars (1923-42)
Stearnes played in five East-West all-star games. He was a left-handed power hitter who is now credited with 141 home runs in Negro Leagues games. He had good speed and range in the outfield.
"He was a great outfielder. He had a strong arm. He could makes the throws to all the bases," Duckett said. "He could also hit with power."
Pitcher: Leroy "Satchel" Paige, Kansas City Monarchs (1925-50)
Paige was a 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher with a tremendous fastball. He was one of the most popular players in the game. Paige made his major league debut in 1948 with the Cleveland Indians. He helped the Indians win a World Series that year, going 6-1 with a 2.48 earned run average.
"He was the greatest. He threw so hard," Duckett said of Paige. "He had perfect control. He just knew how to pitch."