Butch's life story was rather unusual in comparison to most other black families of that era. It is with great pride that he tells the story of his childhood.
Clinton McCord was born on November 2nd, 1925 in Nashville Tennessee. His dad worked for a man named Frank Harris, the owner of a wholesale dry goods company in Nashville. Mr. Harris was a hard working bachelor that took a liking to the McCord family. He lived alone in a large two-story house in the city. The yard was quite large as well, taking up about a third of the city block. There were a couple of gardens and servants quarters that sat on the property. Butch's dad worked in the home of Mr. Harris. He was a very hard worker, an all around handyman. He took care of the Harris Estate; from grooming and keeping the property and tending the gardens, to serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Mr. Harris was very fond of Mr. McCord and his family. In 1929, Mr. McCord moved his family into the Harris home. Butch was only four years old at this time, but some very memorable experiences were being created. He remembered living upstairs on second floor of the house. The kitchen and dining rooms were common areas shared by all. When Mr. Harris would entertain folks at the house, he would introduce Butch to his guests and include him in conversations and festivities, just as he would a son. Butch was never asked to dance for the guests or entertain them, as was often the case in many homes at that time. Butch felt very much loved by Mr. Harris and a part of his life. Butch often replays the memories of these days, and believes that this may have been Nashville's first integration experience, and he quotes with compassion,
"We never endured the hardships of the great depression that so many others did."
The Harris house remained home for the McCord family for the next ten years. Many great stories and opportunities were created there. Being driven to school by a chauffeured car was just one of the luxuries Butch experienced. People were astonished by this and didn't know what to think. All of the McCord families needs were met - they didn't want for anything. Butch even had his own baseball field it was a garden of vegetables until after the harvest, then it became his field of dreams. The neighborhood kids (in that part of town they were all white) would gather at his house to play baseball. Butch would not only supply the baseball diamond, but all the equipment as well. - Looking back, "I often referred to myself as a fly in the buttermilk."
On Saturday's when the Nashville Volunteers had a home game, the boys would all head down to the ballpark together. The bleachers had a distinct separation line, its purpose, to segregate the fans by skin color. The boys would all sit up against the line; Butch on one side, his friends on the other, huddled closely so they could all watch the game together. Most of Butch's baseball knowledge came from attending these games. He would study the movements of certain players and when he returned home he would practice, imitating what had been etched in his mind. It proved to be a real learning experience for him.
Outside the safety net of his home, Butch would come face to face with the reality of Jim Crow, segregation and racial oppression. Buying a train ticket was not a problem... but walking through the front door of the train station would have meant a night in jail; so they would have to enter through a door that led to the waiting room for colored people. Boarding a bus was quite a challenge as well. They were to start at the very back of the bus and load forward ensuring that the line separating the races was never crossed. These experiences were very humbling to say the least.
Butch served in the segregated US Navy for two years. He was a steward's mate in Cambridge, Maryland, assigned to a tanker unit that had just returned from war. Although he was denied the opportunity to join the special services and play baseball, he and the lieutenant would toss a ball occasionally. This would be as close as he would get to play ball until he exited the service in 1946.
Butch began his baseball career as a first baseman with the Negro Southern League Nashville Cubs in 1947. In 1948, team owner Tom Wilson was due to sign him to a contract but he passed away. As it turned out, "Fat Pappy" Green would sign Butch and take him to the Negro Leagues Baltimore Elite Giants for the 1948 season. In 1950, the start of his third season, he was traded to the Chicago American Giants. He had a stellar year there and was pushed up into the minor leagues in Paris, Illinois. He was well received here by the team and the fans. Here, again he produced big numbers. The team put together a night of recognition for Butch and brought Harry Cary, the infamous sports announcer for the Chicago Cubs Organization into town for the celebration. His good friend Jim Zapp was his teammate there. Two years in Paris led to two more years in Denver, Colorado. By maintaining a .358 batting average in Denver, Butch was sent on to Richmond, a AAA club. He was at that time the only black player to join the roster of this International Leagues team (independent at that time).
Although he felt his baseball career was still far from over, he sensed he was being demoted. While he was at first base for the Dodgers Organization - the Macon Dodgers in Macon, Georgia, he won his first of two silver glove awards. He would win his second with the Victoria Rosebuds in Texas the following year. Butch would later move on to Columbus, Ohio for a year and then on to Louisville, Kentucky for another.
Throughout his career, Butch took part in four triple plays - he was in the infield for two (at first base) and at bat for the remaining two (hitting into the triple plays).
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