"Buck" played alongside another great player named Josh Gibson. From 1937 to 1945 the Grays won 9 consecutive Negro National League championships. In 1948, Buck lead the Negro Leagues with a batting average of .395. In 1952 at the age of 45, Buck was offered a position in the Major Leagues, but because he thought he was too old and he might embarrass himself and hurt the
integration of baseball he declined the offer. However he went on and proved himself wrong and batted a .333 in 10 games in the Class B Piedmont League and played in Mexico through 1955.
Buck permanently retired in 1955 and took on jobs as a truant officer, physical education instructor and became the Vice-President and a Board Member of a Minor League team in his hometown of Rocky Mount, NC. In 1972, along with his teammate Josh Gibson was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1994, at the age of 88 Buck came on the field wearing a model of the Grays uniform and was named an Honorary Captain for the Major League All-Star Game which was held in Pittsburgh, the hometown of the Grays.
In 1997 up until the time of his death, at the age of 90 he was one of the Negro League Baseball's foremost ambassadors. In 1999, he ranked #47 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players. He was one of five players from the Negro League that was honored on the list. He was also nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Buck's career batting average is .341.
To know more about Buck Leonard or any other Negro League Hall of Famers click here to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame website.