On Paul Robeson’s last day at Rutgers, one of his dreams came true.

[Tango Two]

Then June 10, 1919, the day of Robeson’s graduation, arrived. He capped his academic career by delivering an address at his class’s commencement. But his mind was also on one more game—this one baseball, to be played at home that afternoon.

https://news.rutgers.edu/beating-princeton-settle-score/20190429

 

[ecojew]

Great read! Thanks for posting.

IIRC, the small African-American community in Princeton where Robeson grew up had/has its origins in the Underground Railroad, along which it was one of the "stops". So a very historic place in the annals of African-American (and US) history.

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

Somerville Pioneer grad.

 

[Source]

Then June 10, 1919, the day of Robeson’s graduation, arrived. He capped his academic career by delivering an address at his class’s commencement. But his mind was also on one more game—this one baseball, to be played at home that afternoon.
https://news.rutgers.edu/beating-princeton-settle-score/20190429

Rutgers was 0-18 from 1866 through 1918 against Princeton in baseball. Paul Robeson went one for four in front of 1,000 fans according to the June Targum. It was Alumni Day. The following day, Paul Robeson graduated. The April 10, 1973 Targum noted, “… he could throw a football 70 yards and hit a baseball 500 feet before the ‘lively ball’ (era).”