Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige honed his pitching talents in reform school. Denied entry to the Major Leagues, due to racist policies of the league, he began his professional baseball career in the Negro Leagues in 1926 and quickly became its most famous showman. Paige finally broke through to the Majors as a 42-year-old rookie, and pitched professionally well into his 50's. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.