African American Heritage House

Black History Month

History


1862 Blacks were first introduced to baseball during the Civil War.

During the Civil War over 180,000 freed slaves fought for the north.

The two forms of recreation in army camps during this period were boxing and baseball. 

Blacks and whites played the game together on the battle field.

1872 Bud Fowler was the very first black athlete to join a white team.  He was born in Cooperstown, New York

Fowler played through the northeast. He bounced from team to team, playing professional ball for white and black teams for nearly twenty years.

1920 Negro Leagues baseball (NLB)

Established

1920-1931 Negro National League

1923-1928 Eastern Colored League

1937-1960 Negro American League

1924 first NLB World Series

1933 first NLB All-Star Games

 

Negro League Baseball Hall of Fame Players


Year Inducted

 Satchel Page (1971) P

Josh Gibson (1972) C

Buck Leonard (1972) 

Monte Irvin (1973)

Cool Papa Bell (1974)

Judy Johnson (1975)  William Julius Johnson  (1989)

Oscar Charleston 1976)

John Henry Lloyd (1977

Martin Dihigo (1977)

Rube Foster (1981)

Ray Dandridge (1987)

Leon Day (1995)

Willie Foster (1996)

Willie Wells (1997)

Bullet Rogan (1998)

Smokey Joe Williams (1999)

Turkey Stearnes (2000)

Hilton Smith (2001)

Biz Mackey (2006)