Monte Irvin

Signed by the New York Giants, outfielder Monte Irvin was among the first four players to integrate spring training baseball in Arizona, making his major league debut in July of 1949. By the time Monte signed with the Giants he was already a bona fide four- time all-star in the Negro Leagues and two-time Negro National League batting champion.

Irvin played for the New York Giants from 1949-1955 and spent five spring training seasons with the team in Phoenix. He also spent one spring season at Mesa’s Rendezvous Park with the Chicago Cubs in 1956. Irvin enjoyed his best season with the Giants in 1951 hitting .312 with 24 home runs and a National League leading 121 RBI. Monte played for two NL pennant-winning clubs (1951 and 1954) and one World Series champion (1954). Irvin became Major League Baseball’s first African-American executive when hired to the commissioner’s office in 1968. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973 by the Special Committee on Negro Leagues.