Eugene Walter Baker (June 15, 1925 in Davenport, Iowa – December 1, 1999 in Davenport, Iowa) was a Major League Baseball player. He primary played second base for the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was selected for the National League All Star game in 1955. He played eight seasons from 1953 to 1961.^[1].

In 1961, Baker became the first black manager in Organized Baseball when the Pittsburgh Pirates named him manager of their Batavia, New York farm club.^[2] In 1962, he became the first black coach in Organized Baseball when the Pirates named him player-coach of their International League affiliate Columbus Jets.^[3] In 1963, the Pirates promoted him to coach on the major league team.^[4] He was the second black coach in the major leagues, following Buck O'Neil by a half-season.

1. ^ Gene Baker Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com
2. ^ "Baker Bows in Manager Debut". Chicago Defender. June 21, 1961. 
3. ^ "Pirates Reward Baker for Batavia Job; Move Him Up as Player-Coach for Jets". Pittsburgh Courier. January 13, 1962. 
4. ^ "GENE BAKER MADE PIRATE COACH". Pittsburgh Courier. February 2, 1963. 

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