Negro Leagues

Major League Baseball and the NLBM have launched the Negro Leagues 101 initiative, which is an interactive, social media platform that is designed to create greater awareness of black baseball through 101 trinkets of knowledge for baseball and fans of black history.

There are several Negro League players that would have undoubtedly dominated in major league baseball if not for the racism of the times. One of those players was Andy “Lefty” Cooper, a tall, strong pitcher that was inducted rightfully into the National Baseball Hall of Fame decades after his passing. Cooper was born April 24, […]

Joe Williams was considered to be one of the best pitchers of his era, even though he never made it to the majors. The Negro Leagues star even edged out the great Satchel Paige in a vote of who was the greatest pitcher of the leagues of all time. Joseph Williams was born on this […]

Of the three women to play baseball for the Negro Leagues, Connie Morgan has enjoyed less fanfare than her famed colleagues Toni Stone, and Mamie Johnson. Although Morgan’s time in the league was brief, she made her mark simply by willing herself into playing on a professional scale. Constance Enola Morgan was born October 17, […]

Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, the last living of the trio of women who played in the Negro Leagues, has died. The pitcher was a teammate of the pioneering Hank Aaron and amassed a respectable 33-8 record in her three seasons of play. Johnson was born September 27, 1935 in the small town of Ridgeway, South Carolina. […]

    Over the course of its history, The Negro Leagues spawned a series of baseball legends with many going on to dominate in the formerly all-White Major League Baseball organization. Catcher Josh Gibson, the home run king of the Negro League, never got a chance to go to the big show, but was properly recognized […]

The legendary Satchel Paige is considered by baseball fans as the greatest Negro Leagues pitcher, and a pitching legend period for the feats he achieved while playing in the Major League Baseball league. Paige is the first Black pitcher to play in the World Series, and the first Negro Leagues player to be inducted in […]

  The history of the Negro Baseball Leagues is well-documented, with many stars from the league going on to careers in major league baseball and beyond the sport itself. What might not be as well known is that a large number of athletes who played in the Negro Leagues were well-educated men who used the […]

  Major League Baseball legend and Chicago Cubs star Ernie Banks died last Friday, just days short of his 84th birthday. Affectionately known as “Mr. Cub,” the 14-time All-Star played his entire career in the Windy City, remaining a beloved figure beyond his playing days. Banks was born January 31, 1931 in Dallas, Texas. In […]

PATERSON, N.J. (AP) — The light touch of a paint roller is enough to dislodge a chunk of plaster from the crumbling walls of Hinchliffe Stadium. Though silent for decades, the former home of several Negro Leagues teams is getting another chance at bat as baseball’s first National Historic Landmark. Historians, volunteers, activists and a […]

During the Jim Crow era, African-American athletes and fans had limited choices when it came to large gatherings for sports tournaments and special events. With the development of the Negro League baseball teams, the need was amplified as teams traveled the country to play against one another. On Saturday, September 17, 1932, Hinchcliffe Stadium in […]

“Smokey Joe” or “Cyclone Joe” Williams was an African-American/Native American baseball pitcher from Texas who spent his entire career in the Negro Leagues. He’s been called the “greatest pitcher of all time” known for his monumental fastball. Williams stood 6 foot 4 inches tall and played over 20 years, well into his 40’s. In 1909, […]