June 3, 1949: The 1st Black Graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy

June 3, 1949: The Class of 1949 graduates from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, 35 miles northeast of downtown Washington, and 30 miles southeast of downtown Baltimore. Among the newly-commissioned Ensigns is the Academy's 1st black graduate.

Wesley Anthony Brown was familiar with both of those cities. He was born on April 3, 1927 in Baltimore, and graduated from Dunbar High School in Washington. It was founded in 1870 as the 1st public high school for black students, and renamed in 1916 for the black poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. There are also high schools named for him in Baltimore; Dunbar's hometown of Dayton, Ohio; Chicago; and Lexington, Kentucky.

Although he had been admitted to Howard University in Washington, the school considered to be "the Black Harvard," he was, as all students at America's military academies must be, recommended by a member of Congress. In 1945, Brown was recommended by Adam Clayton Powell Jr., the flamboyant Harlem minister who had been newly elected to the House of Representatives. While at the Academy, Brown was on the cross-country team with James Earle Carter Jr., Class of 1946, who was elected President in 1976. Brown graduated on time in 1949.

Brown entered the Navy's Civil Engineer Corps. He was responsible for building military service member homes in Hawaii, roads in Liberia, wharves in the Philippines, a nuclear power plant in Antarctica -- nothing has ever gone wrong there, thank God -- and a desalination plant at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

He served during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, though not in combat. He retired in 1969, with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He finally went to Howard, as a physical facilities analyst. He married Crystal Malone, and had 4 children. He died on May 22, 2012, at the age of 85.

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June 3, 1949 was a Friday. These baseball games were played that day:

* The New York Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox, 9-7 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Bob Porterfield started against Billy Pierce, and neither got out of the 2nd inning. Phil Rizzuto went 2-for-4 with a walk and 3 RBIs. Tommy Henrich and Gene Woodling also got 2 hits. Clarence "Cuddles" Marshall ended up as the winning pitcher. Joe DiMaggio was injured, and did not play.

* The New York Giants beat the Chicago Cubs, 15-5 at the Polo Grounds. Jack Lohrke, Sid Gordon and Bobby Thomson hit home runs.

* The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-2 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Gil Hodges hit a home run. Jackie Robinson went 0-for-3. Stan Musial went 2-for-4.

* A doubleheader was split at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. The Cincinnati Reds won the opener, 3-2. The Philadelphia Phillies won the nightcap, 3-1.

* The Detroit Tigers beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 4-3 at Briggs Stadium (later Tiger Stadium) in Detroit.

* The Cleveland Indians beat the Boston Red Sox, 8-1 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Early Wynn went the distance, including holding Ted Williams to 0-for-4.

* The Washington Senators beat the St. Louis Browns, 12-5 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.

* And the Boston Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates were not scheduled.