Editing Satchel Paige (section)

===Puerto Rico: 1939–40===
In just one season, Paige left his mark on [[Puerto Rican baseball]]. He arrived in [[Puerto Rico]] in late October, four weeks after the start of the 1939–40 winter season, and joined the ''Brujos de Guayama'' (the Guayama Witch Doctors).<ref name="Vázquez">{{cite web|last=Vázquez|first=Edwin|title=Peloteros de Color que Jugaron en Puerto Rico: Temporadas 1939–40 & 1949–50|publisher=Beisbox.com|date=January 11, 2010|url=http://www.beisbox.com/42505/43405.html|access-date=June 6, 2010}}</ref><ref name="Bjarkman">{{cite web|last=Bjarkman|first=Peter C.|title=Winter Pro Baseball's Proudest Heritage Passes into Oblivion|publisher=BaseballdeCuba.com|date=August 30, 2007|url=http://www.baseballdecuba.com/EngnewsContainer.asp?id=1817|access-date=June 6, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707214319/http://www.baseballdecuba.com/EngnewsContainer.asp?id=1817|archive-date=July 7, 2011}}</ref> The town of [[Guayama, Puerto Rico|Guayama]] is widely known for its [[Santería]], [[Palo (religion)|Palo]], and other spiritualist religious practices. In a legendary game in Guayama, Paige walked off the mound because he saw a ghost standing next to him.<ref name="Bjarkman"/><ref name="Tye 2009, p. 127"/>

A team that featured shortstop Perucho Cepeda and outfielder [[Tetelo Vargas]], the Guayama Witch Doctors were the 1938–39 champions. In September 1939, they had won the semi-pro baseball "World Series" in Puerto Rico against the Duncan Cementeers. On November 5, Paige pitched a shutout against rival [[Cangrejeros de Santurce (baseball)|Santurce]], which featured player-manager Josh Gibson, by a lopsided score of 23–0.<ref>Van Hyning 1995, pp. 73–74, 241.</ref>

In a December game against [[Indios de Mayagüez|Mayagüez]], Paige set a league record by striking out 17. He ended the season with a 19–3 record, a 1.93 [[Earned run average|ERA]], and 208 strikeouts in 205 innings. The 19 wins and 208 strikeouts set league single-season records that have never been broken. Paige helped his team win the league championship playoff series, winning two games against the San Juan Senadores.<ref name="Vázquez"/><ref name="Bjarkman"/><ref>Tye 2009, pp. 126–127; Van Hyning 1995, pp. 73–74, 241.</ref>

Puerto Rican pitcher Ramón Bayron recalled, "It took special eyes to see his pitches."<ref name="Tye 2009, p. 127">Tye 2009, p. 127.</ref> [[Luis Olmo]], who later played with the [[Brooklyn Dodgers]], described Paige that winter as "the best I've ever seen."<ref name="Tye 2009, p. 127"/>