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MLB adds Negro Leagues to official records

 

Major League Baseball has officially bestowed Major League status upon seven professional Negro Leagues that operated between 1920 and 1948. The decision means that the approximately 3,400 players of the Negro Leagues during this time period are officially considered Major Leaguers, with their stats and records becoming a part of Major League history.

The seven leagues are the Negro National League (I) (1920-31), the Eastern Colored League (1923-28), the American Negro League (1929), the East-West League (1932), the Negro Southern League (1932), the Negro National League (II) (1933-48) and the Negro American League (1937-48).

I don't profess to know what significance this will have on the record books and statistics, but it seems like an overdue gesture to recognize the players that were not allowed to play in the Major Leagues because of the color of their skin, even though many were clearly as good as their Caucasian contemporaries.

Here are some random samples of cards from my Negro League collection.


Rafael Almeida, Monarch Corona, Centennial Series, Card #37.

1986 Fritsch, Card #49.

1990 Stars of the Negro Leagues, Card #6.

1994 Ted Williams, Card #106.

2020 Kreindler, Card #46.

2001 Fleer Greats of the Game, Card #39.

1974 Laughlin Old Time Black Stars, Card #32.

2009 Topps Allen & Ginter Negro League Star, Card #18.

Bob Lemke Art Card. 

Once I learned about this new, I quickly went to "work" to capture the moment. The post was assembled in haste, so I apologize for any miscues.

I hope all is well.

CinciCuse Bill

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Comments

  1. FujiDecember 17, 2020 at 9:08 AM

    That's really cool news. Kudos to Major League Baseball. I've always been amazed by how well MLB kept box scores and kept records for their games back in the day. I wonder if all of these leagues did the same... and like you mentioned the impact it might have on the record books.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Lost CollectorDecember 18, 2020 at 8:31 AM

    This indeed is cool news, and long overdue Very cool!

    ReplyDelete

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