1/18/2024 0 Comments Racial progress u.s. mintUnlike the teams competing, however, the stands did not reflect the racial segregation that was still being upheld even after Brown v Board. Taking the field with a sense of fervor and enthusiasm unmatched in the majors, the Negro Leagues' players soon began attracting large crowds in cities all across the United States. At a time when Major League Baseball's race barrier was still fully intact, the Negro Leagues provided a playing field where more than 2,600 Black and Latino baseball players "forged a glorious history in the midst of an inglorious era of segregation," according to Cleaver's bill. The Negro National League lasted until 1931, thereby laying the groundwork for the next six African American baseball leagues that succeeded Foster's creation. "The whole world knows the story of Jackie Robinson, but far fewer people know the extraordinary history and impact of the Negro Leagues." "Many of the athletes who played in the Negro Leagues never received the praise and recognition they deserved," said Cleaver. From this seminal meeting emerged the Negro National League, the first successful, well-organized professional Black baseball league to take off in the United States. Hoping to form a "league of their own" in February of 1920, Foster brought together eight independent African American baseball teams at the Paseo YMCA, located just one block away from the grounds of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in a red-brick building now recognized as the Buck O'Neil Center. By the dawn of the 20th century, efforts to establish an all-Black professional baseball league were being led by Andrew "Rube" Foster, a former pitcher for two African American teams who went on to manage Chicago's Leland Giants in 1907. "This bill will help right some of the wrongs of our nation's past by honoring the players who never let prejudice or discrimination diminish their love for the game of baseball."īarred from joining the rosters of major and minor league baseball teams due to the color of their skin, African American ball players began forming their own professional teams in the latter half of the 1800s. "I'm overjoyed to see this legislation earn a thumbs up from all my colleagues in the House, and it makes me ecstatic just thinking about the millions of dollars this bill will raise for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum back home in Kansas City," Cleaver said. Introduced by Cleaver in July of last year, the Negro Leagues Baseball Centennial Commemorative Coin Act is projected to raise up to $6 million for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum located in Kansas City's historic 18th & Vine district. (Kansas City, MO) – Last Saturday, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) announced that the United States House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill directing the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins commemorating Negro League baseball's 100th anniversary.
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