Side A: Ulysses Brooks Lawrence was born in Springfield on January 30, 1925. Nicknamed “The Bull,” he broke numerous color barriers throughout his baseball career. In 1976, Lawrence was the first Black player inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. An all-around athlete at Springfield High School, Lawrence lettered in basketball, track, and football (the school’s first Black starting quarterback). After graduation in 1943, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and earned a Bronze Star in Guam during World War II. Lawrence enrolled at Ohio’s Miami University, becoming that school’s first Black baseball player (1947-1949), before signing with the Cleveland Indians. Acquired by the St. Louis Cardinals (1954), he was assigned to the Columbus Red Birds Triple-A farm team, breaking another team’s color barrier. (Continued on other side)
Side B: (Continued from other side) On June 24, 1954, Lawrence made his Major League debut, becoming the Cardinal’s first Black pitcher to record a win. The following season, he was their Opening Day starter. Traded to Cincinnati, he set a franchise record by recording 13 consecutive wins to start the 1956 season, leading to a 19-win campaign. On June 22, 1956, he threw a complete game two-hitter against the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was named a 1956 National League All-Star. Lawrence retired in 1960 with an overall record of 69-62 and a 4.25 ERA. Lawrence returned to Springfield to work, until becoming the Red’s first Black front office executive in 1972. As Wilmington College’s first Black head baseball coach (1987-1993), he won two conference titles. He died April 27, 2000, and is buried in Ferncliff Cemetery.
