John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil never got a free pass in life. He played baseball during an era of segregation, and earlier this year was denied entry into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by a special 12-member panel. It figures that on Tuesday night, when the 94-year-old O'Neil stepped into the batter's box during a minor league All-Star game, nobody could quibble over an intentional walk. Leading off for the West in the top of the first inning, O'Neil argued with the umpire after the first pitch from T-Bones pitcher Jonathan Krysa sailed high and was called a ball. After another high pitch that narrowly missed his head, O'Neil took a called strike before being walked, as planned. O'Neil ambled to first base, then took a lead off the bag as if he were going to stay in the game before being pulled for a pinch runner. After the top of the inning, T-Bones owner John Ehlert announced that a trade had been brokered to bring O'Neil to the T-Bones, allowing him to also lead off the bottom of the inning.