Recognizing Greatness
MLB does right by the men and teams of Negro League baseball
UNSCRIPTED
By Keith Edmonds
Of Fort Wayne Ink Spot
When a discussion of Major League Baseball's "greatest players" comes up, we hear the familiar names—Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Pete Rose, Ty Cobb. Their contributions to the sport have been recorded and cannot be disputed. They are spoken of reverently so often that they’ve become embedded in our minds as something that is as American to us as apple pie is to dessert.
However, what has often been unmentioned and brushed aside as “insignificant” and “irrelevant” are the names of Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson and Jim Robinson of the Negro Leagues. These are names that should be synonymous with “greatness” in professional baseball’s rich history as the aforementioned players. Yet, to the novice fan, these men and their contributions have been concealed in the historical record books. That is until now.
In a historic move, Major League Baseball—which often mentioned the contributions of the Negro League players and teams in passing—is officially correcting a longtime oversight in the game's history by recognizing those professionals as Major League-caliber players. The league will include their statistics and records as part of MLB history.
This decision to rewrite baseball history coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues during the 2020 season. It will be a tedious process, but one that is worth the wait.
This move is unprecedented but long overdue. John Thorn, the official historian of Major League Baseball, acknowledged, “MLB's racist legacy continued long after the Negro Leagues folded,” adding that this week’s acknowledgment of the leagues was "profoundly gratifying." The MLB announcement is the culmination of its efforts to honor the Negro Leagues, for which some 3,400 Black athletes played in from 1920 to 1948.
My father and grandfather often shared with me the names of players from the Negro Leagues, but finding information on them was difficult. Sure, you could find a player mentioned here and there, but to find a composite listing of Negro League players and their significant contributions was difficult at best.
The MLB decision comes during a national reckoning following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police this past spring. Floyd's death led to a discussion of how race, discrimination and social inequities influence American life, including sports. MLB's move means that Negro League players like Josh Gibson will get their just due and teams like the Homestead Grays, Kansas City Monarchs and the Birmingham Black Barons will finally receive their proper respect as well.
Oversight is difficult to admit but often appreciated as a “correctable error” in the minds of those recognizing it. Though this is only the first step in this process, it is a monumental step for those making this decision. My only hope is that I can now share with my sons what was shared with me when my grandpa would say, “Man, the players in the Negro Leagues could flat out play. Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson were just as good as any white man playing up there. Go look em’ up and come back and tell me what I already know!”
Grandpa, rest in peace; you were right again!
