Interview with Charlie Metro, June 13, 1991
Project: A. B. "Happy" Chandler: Desegregation of Major League Baseball Oral History Project
Interview Summary
This is an interview with Charlie Metro, a former Major League baseball player and manager. In this interview, he discusses his trying out at the same time as Augie Donatelli, who later became a famous umpire, playing for the Kitty League, some of the players he played with in the Kitty League, baseball fields used by the league, what it was like to live in Mayfield, Kentucky, and how he met and married his wife there. He talks about playing Minor League baseball in Texas, playing against Bob Feller during World War II, the state of the Detroit Tigers team during World War II, Tigers players, his contract with the Tigers, and a movement that he was involved in to unionize baseball in 1944. He discusses Connie Mack, Al Simmons, various Philadelphia Athletics players, his (Metro's) being sold to the Oakland Oaks, Al Niemiec and other Pacific Coast League players, how he (Metro) became a manager, managing in Arizona, managing the Twin Falls (Idaho) Cowboys, and playing and managing in Montgomery, Alabama. Other topics include promotions and publicity in the Minor Leagues, Kirby Higbe and other players for the Montgomery team, respect for African American baseball players, traits needed for a successful baseball player, aspects of being a manager, Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Bill Veeck's promotions and innovations, Phil Wrigley, Buck O'Neill, Leo Durocher, Willie Mays, Bill Terry, and Dick Greco.Interview Accession
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Interview Rights
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.Interview Usage
Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.Restriction
Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.
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Metro, Charlie Interview by William J. Marshall. 13 Jun. 1991. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Metro, C. (1991, June 13). Interview by W. J. Marshall. A. B. "Happy" Chandler: Desegregation of Major League Baseball Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Metro, Charlie, interview by William J. Marshall. June 13, 1991, A. B. "Happy" Chandler: Desegregation of Major League Baseball Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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