Cincinnati Reds Morn The Loss Of Legend From Indiana

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CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Cincinnati Reds are morning the loss of former teammate Chuck Harmon, the first African American to play for the team. He died Tuesday at the age of 94.

The native of Washington, Indiana, and later Navy veteran, led the local high school to two state basketball championships in 1941 and 42.

Harmon made the Reds’ roster as a utility player in 1954. When he pinch hit on April 17 against the Braves in Milwaukee, 7 years after Jackie Robinson of the Dodgers broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier, Harmon became the first African American to wear a Reds uniform in a regular season game.

Harmon was dealt to the Cardinals early in the 1956 season and closed out his Major League career with the Phillies in 1957.