John Kennedy

John Kennedy (born October 12, 1926; died April 27, 1998) was a professional baseball shortstop who broke the Philadelphia Phillies' color barrier in 1957, making him the first African-American player to sign with and play for the club — the last National League team to maintain all-white rosters through the 1956 season. Before reaching Philadelphia, Kennedy played in the Negro American League with the Birmingham Black Barons and Kansas City Monarchs, leading the NAL batting race for much of 1956 before the Monarchs sold his contract to the Phillies.