Growing Bolder Community

Baseball great Monte Irvin was initially tapped to be the first black player to break the color barrier.

Charley Pride made it big in two worlds: baseball and country music. Charlie Davis remembers what it was like to live on $250 a month. And Bob Mitchell has big dreams for the future of baseball.

They had the skills to play in the big leagues but were denied the chance because of their skin color. In a symbolic gesture of goodwill, Major League Baseball "drafted" 30 former Negro League players.

Making changes in life is never easy. There can be all kinds of roadblocks along the path to Growing Bolder; the roadblocks of age, religion and race. Many back away from them, but others stand strong, Breaking Barriers for the rest of us to follow.

If you ever think opportunity has passed you by, take a moment and look at this list. Here's proof the best is still ahead.

These guys made it to the big leagues, but they know they couldn't have done it unless the Negro League players broke the sport's barriers. Hear what they say about the history of baseball, and the work of unknown stars.

Bill Blair called it the greatest day of his life -- finally, a chance for his family to see the success he had in the Negro Leagues and what a tough road it was to get there.

Born: July 7, 1906
Died: June 8, 1982
A right-handed pitcher and legendary storyteller, Leroy "Satchel" Paige was one of the greatest baseball players of all-time.

When we met some of the surviving Negro League baseball players at the recent Major League Baseball draft at Walt Disney World, we were blown away by the stories these men -- and one woman -- shared about their climb to the the big leagues.

Today would have been Satchel Paige's 102nd birthday. Paige may have been the greatest pitcher in baseball history but what we like most about him is that he defined Growing Bolder long before anyone really knew what it was.