[Brad K]

February 15 1962

GM Joe Brown presentation to front office staff, manager, scouts, and coaches

Note Brown came to the Pirates in 1955.

(Alternating an enthusiast face with a scowl.)

Meeting joined in progress

... extra $200,000 in the budget this year but it's important we work smarter. And that brings me to the last and most important item on my list.

Beginning of last year I noticed a somewhat famliar name in the Reds lineup but I didn't know why he seemed famliar. The player's name is Carlos Bernier.

I found he played for us in 1953, not great, not terrible, and then we sent him down and forgot about him. His AAA batting average is .293! Did anyone notice? Why wasn't I told about him? The Reds noticed and signed him from our organization last year.

We cannot ignore Negro players because in one try they didn't play like stars. We need players who can be stars, players who can be regulars, and players who can be backups.

The Pittsburgh Courier has been editorializing for years about our lack of Negro players. They're right. We should have had more. How many more were there like Bernier who could have made the team better?

Starting right now look at ball players as ball players. A Negro doesn't need to be a star to be on our team. The only qualification for anyone is that he is better than the others we have for that roster spot, star, regular, or backup.



Carlos Bernier, Joe Brown