John Henry by Michael Ceraolo

 John Henry

I'm not the billionaire owner

I was a catcher in the 1910s

I wasn't much of a hitter,

though I was a pretty good defensive catcher;

The Big Train liked to have me catch him,

so that should tell you something

But being a backup backstop

wasn't the most secure employment,

so I eagerly joined the Fraternity

when Dave Fultz formed it,

and I was active in the union,

serving as Washington's player representative

The Lords weren't having unionism,

even, and maybe especially, those

who had been active in earlier baseball unions

but were now in positions of power

And I was run out of the League,

and then run out of the majors a year later,

the eternal fate of the non-star

who dares to stand up for his and others' rights