Bill Greason, 101, Is Last Living Negro League Era Player

Bill Greason has lived enough history for several lifetimes, and at 101, he's still going strong.

The Birmingham pastor is now the last living person to play in the Negro League era after Ron "Schoolboy" Teasley passed away this week. Greason is also the oldest living Major Leaguer, set to turn 102 on September 3.

His life reads like an American epic. He grew up across the street from Martin Luther King Jr. in 1930s Atlanta. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and witnessed the flag raising on Iwo Jima in 1945.

Then came baseball, a sport he played professionally for more than a decade without any formal training. From 1946 to 1948, Greason pitched for several Negro League teams, including the Birmingham Black Barons. In 1948, he posted a 2.84 ERA and helped lead the Black Barons to the Negro American League pennant alongside a teenage Willie Mays.

"I have many memories of this place, because we were the only team that played here other than the white team," Greason said during MLB's special game at historic Rickwood Field last year, where he threw out the ceremonial first pitch. "It was a pleasure to be a part of such an experience that we had here."

In 1954, Greason broke new ground again as the St. Louis Cardinals' first Black pitcher. Though his Major League career lasted just three games, his impact extended beyond the mound. While playing Triple-A ball in Rochester in 1958, he mentored a young pitcher named Bob Gibson, who would go on to Hall of Fame glory.

After retiring in 1959, Greason returned to Birmingham and answered a different calling. He became pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in 1971 and continued serving his community for more than 50 years, even past his 100th birthday.

Why This Inspires

Greason's story reminds us that true greatness isn't measured only in statistics or championships. He opened doors for others, both on the baseball diamond and in his Birmingham community. His decades of pastoral work and civil rights activism created ripples that continue today.

"I'm just thankful that God allowed me to be here this long," Greason reflected after turning 100. "I never thought I'd live this long after being in two wars, baseball and traveling."

At 101, Bill Greason stands as a bridge between eras, carrying forward memories that might otherwise be lost.