Negro Baseball League

The Negro baseball leagues were professional baseball leagues that were made up of mostly African Americans. Negro league baseball operated from 1885 until about 1951 when the league dissolved.

The history of the Negro baseball leagues is a long one. The Negro baseball leagues started out as mainly amateur leagues. The first baseball game in the history of Negro league baseball happened in September of 1860. It took place between two Negro league baseball teams, the Weeksville of New York and the Colored Union Club.

The first Negro professional baseball league team was the Babylon Black Panthers that were formed in 1885. This Negro league baseball teams player's included waiters and porters who worked in the Argyle Hotel in New York. The teams went on to play for several years, throughout the World Wars, until integration.

It was finally decided that Negro league baseball players should be integrated into the regular teams, and that the Negro leagues were contrary to that goal. The Negro National League folded after the 1948 season, and many of the players went on to try out for minor and major league baseball team.

From the Negro League, some players went on to professional fame. Hank Aaron was the last player to hold a regular position in the major leagues. Minnie Miñoso was the last player to play in a major league game, and Buck O’Neil was the last player to appear in a professional game.

The Negro leagues baseball hall of fame took some work to get started. At the induction for the Baseball Hall of Fame, Ted Williams, pleaded for the Negro League all stars to be included. The Hall of Fame originally planned a “separate but equal” display, but it was criticized by press, fans, and players. In 1971, the Baseball Hall of Fame agreed to admit the Negro League players as equals, and a committee selected Satchel Page, and then: Cool Papa Bell, Oscar Charleston, Martin Dihigo, Josh Gibson, Monte Irvin, Judy Johnson, Buck Leonard, and John Henry Lloyd. Later on more players were added by separate committees.

To see all of the history of Negro league baseball, you can visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. There you can see all of the Negro league baseball apparel, including a Negro league baseball jersey from the major teams. You can also see pictures of the Negro baseball league from their glory days. The Negro baseball league museum is located in Kansas City, Missouri.