Ollie was the youngest of the nine Brantley children. He was born in Marianna, Arkansas on September 16, 1931. His parents were sharecroppers, planting, harvesting, and plowing fields for a percentage of the yielded crop. This is how they made a living and the children learned at an early age that this way of life would require the entire family's support both at home and in the fields. In fact, sharecropping was so common in those days, that the school year began in December and would run through the summer to allow family's to work together to harvest their crop in the fall. Ollie's father had a vision; that one day the Brantley Family would own this farm that they all worked so hard to develop. So he proceeded to make arrangements with the landowners to one day buy this property. The Brantley children worked very hard to finish their daily responsibilities. It was only then that they were able to squeeze in some playtime. Their dad encouraged them to play baseball. Since they didn't have the proper equipment he made them a ball with a sock and cork, cut a hickory stick from a tree and kids would play for hours.
One of Ollie's childhood friends was Barry, a white boy whose family owned a soda shop in town. Although the social climate in that day would dictate that these boys couldn't play together; Barry would drop by the Brantley home, bring a strawberry soda to Ollie and head out to a plowed field for an afternoon toss. If anyone were to see them together it would be the last of their practice sessions but taking that risk was worth it to them. In later years, Barry would go on to play for the Phillies minor league farm system.
Sadly, Ollie's dad passed away when he was only fourteen. Ollie remained home to maintain the farm and continue with his education, while his brothers fulfilled their military duties. He played ball in high school and it was here that manager, "Goose Curry" of the Memphis Red Sox would spot Ollie and encourage him play ball with his organization. When Ollie graduated at the age of eighteen, he was on his way to Memphis.
He signed with the Red Sox in 1951. While barnstorming with the Sox they would eat bologna sandwiches and canned sardines on the bus while hoping that the game they were rolling to would not rain out. Meal money of sometimes one dollar per person would be given to the guys if they had it. Ollie recalls long bus rides to games in distant cities and sleeping on the bus more often that not. They weren't without sound though, his friend, country singer and teammate Charlie Pride would strum his guitar and serenade the team, whether they wanted it or not, it really did make the bus ride more bearable. His minor league years kept him employed on the baseball field and gratefully off the farming tractor. He had a great first year pitching with the sox winning 10 games. He returned for a second year and then in 1953 he signed with the Chicago White Sox, receiving a five thousand dollar bonus.
In 1953, Ollie was the only black player with the White Sox Organization. He was part of an integrating process that at times was quite trying. While pitching in Charlotte, he was directed to sit behind the dugout when he returned from the mound. This made no sense to him, but he was told that if he could tolerate this treatment and persevere, he would one day make it to their Major League Club. This behavior was just another way Events such as these were not commonplace on the fields of the segregated Negro Leagues. Their players, being all black, and treated each other equally on the baseball diamond. It was when they returned to the racial discrimination and oppression that existed in society . The fans that came to see the Negro League teams play, came to see black players. In so many ways segregated baseball was easier to live with. But the black players of this era would have to continue to bear the weight of a tedious integration process that Jackie Robinson started years before.
Traveling on the greyhound bus with this team presented yet another senseless episode. While passing through areas such as Knoxville, TN and Durham, NC, Ollie would have to be separated from the team and chauffeured in a station wagon to pass through town. He would later rejoin the team when it was safe to do so. Ollie continued his career with the White Sox Farm System for seven years. Then from 1961 to 1969 he would play for the Minnesota Twins Organization.
At one point in his career, Ollie would join the Willie Mays All-Star Team and barnstorm the countryside with the Mickey Mantle All-Stars. They would play 25 games together traveling to different cities, always offering the fans an exciting game. The stadiums were most often filled to capacity. These barnstorming teams would make more money in just two months than a typical Negro League team would for a whole season.
Ollie would semi-retire in 1969 playing ball from October to February and working as a Marianna, Arkansas Deputy Sheriff in the off-season. In 1970 Ollie worked full time for the Sheriff's office facing many challenges along the way. Racial prejudice was an obstacle that followed many players, including Ollie, into their professional lives after baseball. He can remember receiving a call to head south to Mississippi to pick up an inmate and upon arriving being sent away by the Mississippi authority. They would not release the inmate into his custody because Ollie was black and the prisoner was white.
He continued his work in the community by working security at the schools in town. After thirty years of service, he is now retired. Ollie currently manages a semi-pro team. He has found that the Afro American ballplayers are not as common now as they had once been. He works hard to advocate the game and sets up mini-camps to try to encourage youth to play. He enjoys quail and deer hunting, as well as fishing. He spends time in Dallas with his daughters - hooking up with his old friend Charlie Pride to reminisce and catch a ballgame together.
Ollie's advice to young pitchers... Work on that fastball, location and control and do not forget to work hard on strengthening your legs. Pitching is quite a complex position with many responsibilities and fundamentals that should be learned and built upon - bags to cover, throws to back up and proper cut off positioning to name a few.
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