Illustration from Hard Road to Victory: The Chatham All-Stars Story. (Courtesy 
Brock Greenhalgh) Illustration from Hard Road to Victory: The Chatham All-Stars Story. (Courtesy Brock Greenhalgh) 
Chatham

Children's book details obstacles overcome by Chatham Coloured All-Stars

A man born and raised in Chatham is releasing his first book, which tells one of the most iconic stories in Chatham-Kent sports history.

Brock Greenhalgh, who now lives in Kitchener, recently self-published Hard Road to Victory: The Chatham All-Stars Story. The children's book tells the triumphs and struggles of the 1934 Chatham Coloured All-Stars, a team of black athletes who got the chance to play for the Ontario Baseball Championship and were the first black team to win an Ontario Baseball Association title.

The team was first formed in 1932 as a group of friends playing baseball in Stirling Park in east Chatham.

As an African-Canadian team playing among predominantly white teams in the 1930s, the team was faced with many challenges including discrimination on and off the field, racial taunts, being turned away from hotels, and dealing with threats of violence. The team also played over a decade before Jackie Robinson broke Major Leagues Baseball's colour barrier in 1947 when he started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Greenhalgh first heard about the team back in 1989, while he was working at the Chatham-Kent Museum and saw a photo of the team on the wall.

"I did the math and this team, they were groundbreakers," said Greenhalgh. "Thirteen years before the colour barrier was broken in the major leagues, this team makes the Ontario Championship and wins the series. It's an amazing story, they overcame so many obstacles getting there."

Chatham Coloured All-Stars 1934 Championship photo (Breaking the Colour Barrier, accessed November 25, 2020, https://cdigs.uwindsor.ca/BreakingColourBarrier/items/show/960) Chatham Coloured All-Stars 1934 Championship photo (Breaking the Colour Barrier, accessed November 25, 2020, https://cdigs.uwindsor.ca/BreakingColourBarrier/items/show/960)

This is the first book that Greenhalgh has published. However, this is far from the first time he's told the story of the All-Stars. Greenhalgh, who now works as a teacher, used their story as his fourth-year University thesis, produced a radio documentary on the story during his time in the broadcast industry, and continues to tell the story to his students.

Knowing how important the story is to tell, Greenhalgh said it has always been in the back of his mind to write a book about it.

"About three years ago, I made a commitment to myself to try 50 new things before I turned 50," he explained. "Getting a book published was on that list. "

Greenhalgh commissioned two high school students from Kitchener to produce the watercolour illustrations.

Besides making people more aware of the story of Chatham Coloured All-Stars and the obstacles they overcame, Greenhalgh said his other goal with the book is to push to get the team inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys.

"I know that the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame put their name forward a few years ago and the All-Stars are still on the ballot but it would be great if we could garner some more support for them," said Greenhalgh.

Hard Road to Victory: The Chatham All-Stars Story costs $20 a copy and proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society. Additionally, the foreword for the book was written by Blake and Pat Harding, the son and daughter-in-law of Wilfred "Boomer" Harding, one of the players on the team.

Anyone who wants to buy a physical copy can email Greenhalgh and he will ensure one is made available at the Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society for pickup. The book can also be purchased on Amazon by clicking here. 

"The one lesson that I would take away from this book is just to keep going," said Greenhalgh. Dont let anything get in your way.  If you do run into obstacles, you have two decisions. You can either stop and give in to the obstacles or you can find a way to overcome those obstacles."

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