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Not seeing enough on my TL about the centennial of the Negro Leagues. So, starting a thread with a picture of 1919 Chicago American Giants and the team’s owner/manager Rube Foster who helped establish the Negro National Leagues on Feb. 13, 1920.
I’ll add something new each day
I’ll add something new each day
Also, adding a link to the Negro League Baseball Museum ( @nlbmprez), one of the coolest museums in the US. They also have a really cool program where they will donate a ticket to a student for every 10$ donated. https://nlbm.com
The @nlbmprez has teacher resources available to help bring the history of the Negro Leagues into your classroom! https://www.nlbemuseum.com/nlbemuseum/resource/guide.html
Predating the Negro National Leagues by 35 yrs, the Cuban Giants was the 1st professional Black baseball team. Formed in Babylon, NY in 1885, The Giants did play winter ball in Cuba in the 1880s. They barnstormed across the US, playing professional, amateur, & college teams.
A few more artifacts of the Cuban Giants, including an ad from the Worcester (MA) Spy May 18, 1895 for a game between the Giants and Holy Cross college.
Every day when I add something new to this thread, I am going to include a link to the Negro League Baseball Museum ( @nlbmprez), one of the coolest museums in the US. Consider donating to the institution that keeps all of this incredible history for us! https://nlbm.com/donations/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIn_CFpPup6gIVFY3ICh0EVgYeEAAYASAAEgLVa_D_BwE
Since it is Canada Day, going to skip from before the Negro National League to the end. In @MichaelRStahl's "The secret history of black baseball players in Canada’s great white north" @SABRwomeninbb discusses that with Jackie Robinson players moved to play ball in Canada.
"what happened after Jackie Robinson integrated baseball, [as] the Negro Leagues started to decline. Well, what were all those players doing? They didn’t get a chance to play in the Majors, so many of them — way more than people think — went up to Canada.” https://www.salon.com/2017/04/30/the-secret-history-of-black-baseball-players-in-canadas-great-white-north_partner/
As I add something new to this thread, want to continue to highlight the Negro League Baseball Museum ( @nlbmprez), one of the coolest museums in the US. Consider donating to the institution that keeps all of this incredible history for us! https://nlbm.com/
Many have heard of Josh Gibson the GREATEST home run hitter in the history of professional baseball who had a .354 average and 962 homers throughout a 17-season career. His single-season highs were .517 and 84. But he was not the only great power hitter in the Negro Leagues!
George "Mule" Suttles played first base and OF w/ the Birmingham Black Barons, St. Louis Stars and Newark Eagles. Suttles, elected to the HOF in 2006, swung a 50 oz. bat, and was known for hitting mammoth 500+ ft home runs as well as hitting 3 HR in one inning!
