By Ed Piper
Johnny Ritchey is considered the "San Diego Jackie Robinson". A catcher, he played for the Padres in the Pacific Coast League (minor leagues) in 1948. He braved racism and paved the way for many other Blacks and persons of color on the West Coast. Ritchey starred for SDHS, SDSU, and the Negro Leagues' Chicago American Giants. In 2020, the Padres introduced scholarships in his name for high school seniors who have broken similar barriers.
Bob Skinner played baseball at La Jolla High. As a young man, I had his baseball card in the 60's after he was an established major league player with the Pirates. He also played for the Cardinals.
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