[4] Eventually, he worked for Warren Giles, who became business manager of the renamed Rochester Red Wings when the St. Louis Cardinals purchased the team in 1928.

Cincinnati became the seventh of the eight National League clubs to integrate; the eighth, the Philadelphia Phillies, would insert their first black player into their lineup on April 22, 1957.

In 1958, Cincinnati unveiled another star African-American player, rookie outfielder Vada Pinson, who would enjoy a long MLB career and, with Robinson, help lead the 1961 Reds to the National League pennant.

Paul also signed a working agreement with the Havana Sugar Kings of the Triple-A International League, giving the team access to top Cuban talent such as shortstop Leo Cárdenas and future "Big Red Machine" icon Tony Pérez.

In addition, the Reds produced Cuban stars such as outfielder Tony González, second baseman Cookie Rojas, and pitcher Mike Cuellar—among many others—who made their mark with other MLB clubs.

With a lineup that included Robinson, Ted Kluszewski, Gus Bell, Wally Post and Ed Bailey, the 1956 Redlegs hit 221 home runs, tying the major-league team record then in place.

He left after owner Powel Crosley Jr. started to entertain offers to move the Reds out of Cincinnati in favor of New York; the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants had left the City and moved to Los Angeles and San Francisco respectively following the 1957 season, and the Reds were considered a serious option to return National League baseball to the nation's largest city.

The next year, with a core assembled by Paul and an owner that passed suddenly in March, the Reds advanced to the 1961 World Series, winning their first pennant in decades.

[9] Craig Cullinan Jr. and George Kirksey, who each had served as key figures in pushing major league baseball in Texas, hired Paul.

[10] In late April 1961, Paul returned to Ohio to assume command of the Indians, leaving the Colt .45s almost a year before the team ever played an official game.

It had lost its most popular gate attraction, slugger Rocky Colavito, in a Lane-engineered trade just before the 1960 season, and the young players summoned from the team's farm system failed to capture the city's imagination.

In truth, at the same time Paul bought into the Indians, Daley remained chairman and recruited a number of new investors who saw him as head of the franchise.

[10][11] Two years later, Daley sold the team to frozen food magnate Vernon Stouffer, who retained Paul as general manager.

On the field, Paul brought to Cleveland pitching stars Sam McDowell and Luis Tiant, and in 1965 reacquired Colavito in a bid to win more games and more fans.

In 1974, Paul was selected MLB Executive of the Year for the second time in his career, as the Yankees finished second in the American League East Division and improved by nine games from the 1973 edition.

Then he acquired in succession: Chris Chambliss, Dick Tidrow and Oscar Gamble from his former team, the Indians; Lou Piniella from the Royals; Mickey Rivers and Ed Figueroa from the Angels; Willie Randolph, Ken Brett and Dock Ellis from the Pirates; and Bucky Dent from the White Sox.

Paul's son found the tapes and a diary years later in a garage; select portions were later cited in Bill Madden's book The Last Lion of Baseball about Steinbrenner.

From 1978 to 1984, the Indians would have a winning record just twice (1979, 1981) while never finishing above 5th in the American League East Division, and Paul retired after the 1984 season, having spent nearly six decades involved with baseball, 27 as a general manager.