Ron “Schoolboy” Teasley, who was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a utility player for the 1948 New York Cubans in the Negro National League, passed away on Tuesday, eight days after his 99th birthday.
At 99, Teasley was the second-oldest living Negro Leagues player, surpassed only by 101-year-old Bill Greason.
A Detroit native, Teasley received his nickname of “Schoolboy” as a teenager as he often played in baseball games in his hometown against men who were twice his age. His athletic skills led him to earn a scholarship to Wayne State University, where he batted .500 in 1945.
After serving in the U.S. Navy and seeing action in the Pacific during World War II, Teasley returned stateside and signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1948. He spent part of that season with their farm team in Olean, N.Y. However, Teasley’s time with the Dodgers didn’t last long.
“Me and another player named Sammy Gee were invited to a two-week tryout in Vero Beach [Fla.],” Teasley told MLB.com in 2023. “They signed us and sent us to Olean. I thought we were playing outstanding baseball. I was batting, I think, .270, and Sammy was batting .300. But one day they came up and said they had to make a move for players from a higher classification and released us.”
Teasley would soon latch on with the New York Cubans. He is credited with playing in two games and going 2-for-7 with a double and two RBIs. He told MLB.com that he played much more than that during his roughly two-month stint with the club, but he was grateful that any record exists of his time in the Negro Leagues.
“It’s always nice to be recognized and remembered for your services and your achievements,” he said.
Teasley played independent ball in 1950 before beginning a 35-year career as a coach and educator at multiple schools in the Detroit area, including his alma mater, Northwestern High.