 A legend in the Negro Leagues, Piper Davis doesn't even make it out of the minors. Though he becomes the first black player signed by the Red Sox, it's not until nine years later in 1959 a black player actually takes the field for Boston. They're the last team to integrate. When Boston released it, he said, I'm going home. And I used to read this and cry when I was like 13, 14 years old.