The 1945 Negro American League schedule has the Buckeyes starting the season on 
May 6th in Birmingham.  Preparation for the season begins at Spring Training in 
Muskogee, Oklahoma.
       Information about the Buckeyes' Spring Training is sketchy at best. The Buckeyes split
their first two Spring Training games with the New York Cubans in New Orleans on April 8th,
winning the first game 1-0 and losing the second game, a five inning affair, 3-2.  Avelino
Canizares starred in both games.

       A six game exhibition series with the New York Cubans the following week had these 
results:
                   April 11th, Houston, Texas    -  Cubans 3, Buckeyes 0
                                                                     Buckeyes 6, Cubans 4
                   April 12th, Dallas, Texas       -  2-2 Tie
                   April 13th, Ft. Worth, Texas  -  Buckeyes 5, Cubans 2

       Storms clouds over the Buckeyes and Negro 
League Baseball appear on the horizon as
Sammy Jethroe, right, Cleveland Buckeyes star
centerfielder, is notified to report to the Boston
Red Sox for a tryout with two other Negro Leaguers,
Jackie Robinson and Philadelphia Stars shortstop,
Marvin Williams, on April 16, 1945.
       This tryout was scheduled by the Red Sox after
receiving pressure from city politicians who threatened to
revoke the Red Sox' Sunday privileges to use Fenway
Park unless they considered signing African-American
ball players.  The relevancy of this event was dismissed 
by the Negro press.
        However, within one year, Jackie Robinson was
signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and in less than
two years from the Boston tryout, Jackie was starting 
for the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Red Sox were the
last major league team to integrate not starting an
African-American until 1959.  Sammy Jethroe was
the first African-American to play for the other Boston
team, the Braves, in 1950.
        

       In New Orleans, on April 29, 1945, the Buckeyes swept an exhibition double-header from
the Chicago American Giants, 8-5 and 8-4.  The Buckeyes won 12 of 15 exhibition games
from the American Giants in the exhibition season.  The question is whether this success
would continue into the regular season.

    Next - the 1945 season begins.