In 1959, when Bill Veeck purchased the White Sox rumors swirled in Chicago that the Sox owner was planning on having Satchel Paige start on Opening Day. Later, as the Sox were making a run for their first American League Pennant in 40 years the rumors resurfaced that the ageless Paige would join the White Sox for the Pennant run.
Bill Veeck and Satchel Paige, 1959
Paige, who had played for Veeck with the Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Browns, had spent 1956-59 with the Miami Marlins in the International League, winning 31 games. He had returned to barnstorming with the Cuban Giants and Indianapolis Clowns in 1959, but it was reported he was looking for another chance in the Major Leagues, and in June it began to be reported again that Paige would be joining the Sox.
A United Press International story in July said that Veeck had “sent Paige two new Chicago White Sox uniforms,” and quoted Paige:
“If they want me they’d have to pay me big money. I’m not going back for nothing.”
Whether it was ever a serious discussion, or simply two famous showmen milking rumors for the maximum publicity will never be known, but Veeck and Paige let the rumors swirl well into August before Veeck finally put them to rest, telling Jet Magazine:
“We’re not giving any thought to hiring him. I’m very fond of LeRoy and I see him whenever he’s in town. I gave him the uniforms because we’re old friend and for no other reason.”
And with that White Sox fans missed the chance to see the pitcher who Veeck called “The best righthander baseball has ever known,” pitch for the 1959 Pennant winners.
Baseball History Daily 
The Cuban Giants team in 1959 was owned by my father Dempsey Hovland. Satchel was being managed by my dad and would be for a few more years, I have happy and fond memories of Mr. Paige his wife and children who spent a lot of time at our home. My father was a barnstormer since the 1930s . He was white ,many of his ball players all barnstormers- baseball and basketball were African American, Cuban, Native American males and females . Barnstorming was a different beast the color barriers were less than in the organized pro teams. Even though the Negro Leagues existed and people of color were banned from the courts and fields with white players the barnstorm teams all played and hung together . There were white black asian pacific ilander jewish teams that played each other more so in basketball ex The House of David ( my father played for them) The Harlem Globetrotters ( my father owned a white women’s barnstorm basketball team that opened for them in the 1950s- 1960s -called the Texas Cowgirls and they only played against men like the Hawaii 50 Staters . My father and LeRoy Paige first met in the 1930s when Satchel had a promotional tour going on with the Globetrotters .