Page "McKechnie Field" Paragraph 12

In, Bradenton became the first club to bring allow an African-American baseball player, Sam Jethroe of the Boston Braves.

This was a major breakthrough because had Florida not allowed him to join, the state would have lost all of its baseball clubs.

In the Braves moved from Boston to Milwaukee.

In 1962, the stadium was finally renamed after Bradenton-native, Bill McKechnie, in honor of his induction that year into the Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager.