The Bat Dodger, Hurry Up Ball, and The Hesitation Pitch baffled batters when Satchel Paige was on the mound. Known for his borderline pitches, Paige was undoubtedly one of the toughest pitchers ever to play the game.
Paige was the first African American pitcher in the American League and just the seventh African American player in the big leagues. On August 20, 1948, Paige debuted as the oldest player in the major leagues, pitching the Cleveland Indians to a 1-0 win over the Chicago White Sox in front of 78,382 people - a night game attendance record that still stands. "He threw a lot of pitches that were not quite 'legal' and not quite 'illegal.'"
- Chicago Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse