Elijah “Pumpsie” Green, the first black player in Boston Red Sox history, died on Wednesday. He was 85.
The Red Sox confirmed Green’s death on Wednesday and also held a moment of silence prior to their Wednesday night home game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Green entered as a pinch runner against the Chicago White Sox on July 21, 1959, to become the first black player to play in a game for Boston. The Red Sox were the last major league team to integrate.
Green played parts of four seasons with the Red Sox (1959-62) and one season with the New York Mets (1963). He had a career batting average of .246 with 13 homers and 74 RBIs in 344 games.
Green was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2018.