Wikipedia Tells Me About Mohave Leader Irataba and RIP ChiSox Pitcher Billy Pierce
Through the years, I have read several books on the Native Americans of the West. Most of my reading has centered on the Sioux with some Apache and Comanche thrown in. One of the Native American tribes that I know very little about is the Mohave, which is why the feature story on their leader Irataba caught my eye this morning. Here is a little about the Mohave leader. Go check out more it’s very interesting……
From Wikipedia….
Irataba, also known as Yara tav, Yarate:va, Arateve; c. 1814 – 1874) was a leader of the Mohave Nation, known for his role as a mediator between his people and the United States. He was born near the Colorado River in present-day Arizona. Irataba was a renowned orator and one of the first Mohave to speak English, a skill he used to develop relations with the United States. Early records mention his large physical size and gentle demeanor. Irataba first encountered European Americans in 1851, when he assisted the Sitgreaves Expedition. In 1854, he met Amiel Whipple, then leading an expedition crossing the Colorado. Several Mohave aided the group, and Irataba agreed to escort them through the territory of the Paiute to the Old Spanish Trail, which would take them to southern California. He later helped and protected other expeditions, earning him a reputation among whites as the most important native leader in the region.
…..As a result of his many interactions with U.S. officials and settlers, Irataba was invited to Washington, D.C., in 1864, for an official meeting with members of the U.S. military and its government, including President Abraham Lincoln. In doing so, he became the first Native American from the Southwest to meet an American president. He received considerable attention during his tours of the U.S. capital, and of New York City and Philadelphia, where he was given gifts, including a silver-headed cane from Lincoln. Upon his return he negotiated the creation of the Colorado River Indian Reservation, which caused a split in the Mohave Nation when he led several hundred of his supporters to the Colorado River valley. The majority of the Mohave preferred to remain in their ancestral homelands near Fort Mohave and under the leadership of their hereditary leader, Homoseh quahote, who was less enthusiastic about direct collaboration with whites. As leader of the Colorado River band of Mohave, Irataba encouraged peaceful relations with whites, served as a mediator between the warring tribes in the area, and during his later years continued to lead the Mohave in their ongoing conflicts with the Paiute and Chemehuevi. Full Biography at Wikipedia
After reading about Irataba I saw among the obituaries that Chicago White Sox pitcher Billy Pierce passed away at the age of 88!! I do believe that the above 1960 Topps baseball card is in my baseball card collection!! And if that one isn’t I’m sure that another one from the years 1960-1965 is!!
Walter William Pierce (April 2, 1927 – July 31, 2015) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) starting pitcher who played 18 years for the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, and San Francisco Giants, from 1945 through 1964. He was selected to the Chicago White Sox All-Century Team in 2000.
Pierce was an All-Star for seven seasons. He was considered to be one of the best pitchers in the 1950s, and was the American League (AL) earned run average leader in 1955. On June 27, 1958, Pierce came within one batter of becoming the first left-handed pitcher in 78 years to throw a perfect game. In 1962, Pierce played a pivotal role in helping the Giants win the National League pennant championship, going 12–0 in home games and getting a three-hit shutout and a save in a three-game tie-breaker against the Los Angeles Dodgers to clinch the title. He received the AL Sporting News ’ Pitcher of the Year Award for 1956 and 1957. Read More
What I found really amazing was where he ranks in strikeouts among left-handed pitchers The five guys blow him are all in the Hall of Fame and he is not!! Billy Pierce just may deserve to be there, too!!
Left-hander Strikeouts
Warren Spahn 2,493
Rube Waddell 2,316
Lefty Grove 2,266
Eddie Plank 2,246
Billy Pierce 1,999
Hal Newhouser 1,796
Whitey Ford 1,730
Sandy Koufax 1,697
Carl Hubbell 1,677
Rube Marquard 1,593
Yeah I know only ADD ED puts Irataba and Billy Pierce together!!
