Baseball Player, Educator and Civil Rights Activist Octavius V. Catto Honored in Front of Philadelphia City Hall

Octavius V. Catto was honored today when his statue was unveiled in front of Philadelphia City Hall. Fans of the Ken Burns documentary "Baseball" will recall Catto as being a civil rights leader who attempted to integrate baseball before the professional leagues were founded.

Catto worked as an educator. His friend, the principal of the Roberts Vaux Consolidated School, Jacob White, founded an African American baseball team, the Philadelphia Pythians in the 1860s. Catto was the star shortstop of the Pythians.  In 1867, White first attempted to join the Pennsylvania Base Ball Players Association, but was persuaded to withdraw that application on account of racism. Later that year, the Pythians applied to join the National Base Ball Players Association, but was again infamously rebuffed due to the team's racial make-up.

This did not deter Catto, who used baseball as a tool to educate African Americans on civil rights. After a game, Catto would take the opportunity to socialize with the opposing team and discuss political and economic issues.

In 1869, the Pythians made history by playing two games against teams made up of white players. First, the Pythians played the Olympic Ball Club of Philadelphia, the city's oldest ball club. Next, they played the Philadelphia City Item Nine, a team sponsored by a newspaper of the same name and led by Colonel Thomas Fitzgerald, one of the initial financial backers of the club that would become city's first professional team, the Athletic Base Ball Club of Philadelphia.

In 1871, violence broke out in the streets of Philadelphia as Irish Americans Democrats attempted to suppress the African American vote in a city election.  They were unfortunately aided by the police force, which was made up of many Irish immigrants and who afforded African Americans no protection. Catto responded by encouraging voters to get to the polls. He was assassinated for his efforts near his home at 8th and South Streets. His murderer, Frank Kelly, was later acquitted by an all-white jury.

Catto serves as a remarkable example of the fight for civil rights in Philadelphia, and a fitting choice to be honored with a statue in front of City Hall.

William J. Kovatch, Jr.



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