President Joe Biden recently referred to Satchel Paige, the late baseball player, as “the great Negro”. He said this during his Veterans Day address at Arlington National Cemetery where he was paying tribute to former U.S Ambassador Donald Blinken.

Blinken was an Army veteran and father to Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Biden began his speech by launching into a story about Paige who played in “Negro leagues” prior to moving to Major League Baseball in the late 1940s.



Biden said he has adopted Paige’s attitude and mentality of the great negro of that time, just like Jackie Robinson. He said Paige went on to become a great pitcher for Major League Baseball.


Biden talked about how Paige pitched against Chicago on his 47th Birthday, adding how it was amazing at forty-seven years since no one has ever won a game. Biden went on to joke that he was only 50 years old, while the 95-year-old elder Blinken, was 47 his age.