Mack Lawrence Kuykendall

Mack Lawrence Kuykendall (born on February 4, 1943) is a former American professional baseball player who became the first African American in Major League Baseball (MLB) history. He got his first Major League Contract in September of 1960, at the age of 17, when he was signed by the Chicago Cubs [1]. Kuykendall was born in Holdenville, Oklahoma, but his family was residing in Anadarko, Oklahoma at the time of his birth. He grew up in a close-knit community of family and friends that supported Kuykendall in his upbringing. He was born to Lawrence and Navanna Kuykendall and was the oldest of three children [2].

## Career[edit]

Kuykendall is 6’3 and weighed 210 pounds during his professional career. He was sought after by several Major League Baseball teams from around the country. He was scouted and signed by Major League Baseball’s first African American Scout, Buck O'Neil. When he was signed with the Chicago Cubs, Kuykendall was a 17-year-old graduating high school senior [3]. He had played three high schools’ American Legion Seasons before joining the club [4]. Kuykendall was only 17 when he started playing with Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, and Mickey Mantle, and retired at 26 from playing first base and outfield with the Chicago Cubs and the Angels .Kuykendall played six years with the Chicago Cubs and his final three years with the Los Angeles. He remained in the Minor Leagues for nine years. When he retired, he went back to school and earned his MBA at Pepperdine University [5]

Kuykendall is also the founder and director of Sports Educators of America, a nonprofit group that provides a financial review to meet financial goals for families, and helps children understand the importance of staying on the right track and pursuing a college education for greater opportunity in life [6].

## References[edit]

1. ↑ "Mack Kuykendall". Chicago Tribune. 1960-09-12. p. 65. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
2. ↑ Peterson, Dick (1960-09-15). "[Photograph 2012.201.B0344.0279]". Daily Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, September 16, 1960. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
3. ↑ "Mack Kuykendall Lawton paper 1960". The Lawton Constitution. 1960-04-28. p. 12. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
4. ↑ "Macks performance". Carlsbad Current-Argus. 1961-05-28. p. 19. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
5. ↑ Ryon, Ruth (1989-08-06). "For Many Celebs It's Act II: Selling Houses". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
6. ↑ "Free youth baseball clinic set in Pomona on Sept. 26". Daily Bulletin. 2015-09-17. Retrieved 2023-01-23.

## External links[edit]

Add External links

This article "Mack Lawrence Kuykendall" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.