Due
to the current global COVID- 19 pandemic, I have been reluctant to post on my
blog. A blog post about baseball history
seems very trivial when compared to the spread of the deadly virus that has at
least for now changed our lives. The
voluntary and mandatory shelter in place and quarantines, recommended social
distancing, and business shutdowns have been more than an inconvenience to
everyone. This is especially true for
sports fans who have had to accept the cancellation of NCAA college basketball’s
“March Madness”, the indefinite suspension of the both the NBA and NHL seasons,
and the Masters Golf Tournament being postponed. As for my favorite, baseball, the Major
League Baseball season will not start until maybe June; if then.
However,
I think a post about a milestone in baseball history would be a good change of
pace from the constant serious life messages we are receiving about COVID-19
from MSNBC, CNN, FOX NEWS, and other media outlets. The professional baseball historic milestone
I am referring is the Centennial (100 years) Anniversary of organized Negro
League professional baseball; the formation of the first Negro National League.
As
the new decade of the 1920’s began, equality and justice for African Americans
seemed an impossible dream. African
American soldiers returning from World War I battlefields did not receive a
hero’s welcome, but instead a harsh slap of racial reality. There were a number of African Americans
lynched not only in the south, but throughout the country. Racial violence prevailed in 1919 with deadly
riots in East St. Louis, Tulsa, and Chicago.
This toxic national racial attitude spilled over into the sport of
baseball, “the national pastime”. Due
to racial discrimination, African American and dark-skinned Latino baseball
players were kept out of white professional baseball.
It
is within this difficult racial environment that Andrew “Rube” Foster, African
American team owner and manager of the Chicago American Giants birthed the
Negro National League (NNL) on February 13, 1920 at the YMCA Building on 18th
and Paseo in Kansas City, Missouri. The
NNL has the distinction of being the first African American professional
baseball league.
 |
| Andrew "Rube" Foster |
There
had been less than a hand full of African American players in white
professional baseball in the late 1880s.
However, by the beginning of the 20th Century, the racially
discriminating “invisible color line” had been solidly formed. In response to this, African Americans formed
their own professional baseball teams.
The Cuban Giants, Cuban X Giants, Chicago Union Giants, Philadelphia
Giants, and Pittsburgh Keystones were a few of the African American
professional baseball teams at the dawning of the new century. “Rube” Foster first gained fame as a star pitcher
for the Philadelphia Giants. Before 1920
there were a few Negro pro baseball leagues formed, but they either quickly
folded or had no impact on the structure of black baseball. However,
the Negro National League (NNL) operated from 1920 – 1931.
The
NNL consisted of eight teams its first year:
the Chicago American Giants, Kansas City Monarchs, Detroit Stars, St.
Louis Giants, Chicago Giants, Dayton Marcos, Indianapolis ABCs, and Cuban
Stars. Due to the financial and racial
obstacles African American pro baseball franchises faced, the league make up
changed from season to season as some teams folded and new ones added. Foster’s American Giants along with the
Kansas City Monarchs, Detroit Stars, and the St. Louis Stars (new owners
changed name from Giants to Stars in 1922) were the only teams in the league for
every season. At one time or another
during its duration, the NNL showcased 14 members of the National Baseball Hall
of Fame. In addition, it is acknowledged
as the successful forerunner and blueprint for the leagues formed that kept
Negro League professional baseball alive before finally ending in the early
1960s; the Negro National League (1933 – 1948) and Negro American League (1937
– 1962).
This
past February 13, 2020, the centennial celebration of this baseball historic
milestone began with Major League Commissioner Rob Manfred making a $1 million
joint donation from Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball
Players’ Association to the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City. The funds are to support the museum’s
continuous effort to keep highlighting the historical impact Negro League
professional baseball had on the sport and on American society as a whole.
Also,
that ceremony included the unveiling of the Centennial Anniversary’s logo.
Once
the 2020 Major League Baseball season hopefully begins, the centennial
celebration will continue to be recognized.
During all MLB games, the Negro League 100th anniversary logo
will be worn on the uniforms of all players, managers, coaches, and umpires. Also, many clubs have planned centennial
anniversary activities such as Negro Leagues tribute games with throwback
uniforms, pregame panels with special guests, and game day giveaways. The timing of these activities is now pending
on the adjustments that will be made to the MLB season based on the COVID-19
pandemic.
Historical notices from week of April 6: 4/8/74
Atlanta Stadium, Henry Aaron hits career HR #715 to pass Babe Ruth as MLB
all-time HR leader at that time, 4/8/75
Cleveland Stadium, Frank Robinson makes debut as Cleveland Indians’
player/manager, becomes the Major League’s 1st African-American
manager
For my daily historical notices go to Kevin L. Mitchell@Lasttraintocoop
