Theodore Talk: Why Black Baseball Matters

In 1920 Andrew “Rube” Foster established the Negro National League in Kansas City, Missouri. Featuring teams in Chicago, Cincinnati, Dayton, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and St. Louis, the NNL adopted the slogan, “We Are the Ship, All Else the Sea” as a pledge to set its own course. Many teams discovered financial success coming out of the gate; Foster’s American Giants drew nearly 200,000 spectators during the 1921 season.

The NNL created a forum where many star players could make a bigger name for themselves – especially to white audiences. Future Hall of Famers Cool Papa Bell, Martín Dihigo, Willie Foster, Judy Johnson, Satchel Paige, and Turkey Stearnes all flourished in the NNL, along with many others. The creation of the Negro Leagues proved that Black players could play on even terms with their white counterparts – and draw just as much interest from baseball fans.

Larry Lester, co-founder of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, located near the AG site, will discuss how these men of color changed the landscape of American history and became a bridge over troubled waters. When you place their achievements against the background of discrimination and political resistance it makes all of baseball history more impressive in its efforts toward social change.

Register for this presentation here. Registration rates are free for all members.

You must register for each lecture with an email address associated with your Zoom account. If you don’t have one, you can sign up for a free Zoom account.

Even if you can’t attend the live Theodore Talk, as long as you register you will receive a link to a recording of the event. All Theodore Talks have Closed Captioning enabled.

For more information, contact Brad Lucht.