Tony McClean: Why The Negro Leagues Still Matter
[Tony McClean is the editor-in-chief for the Black Athlete Sports Network.]
Just a few years ago, FoxSports.com ran a column by noted sports historian Elliott Kalb ranking the greatest catchers in baseball history.
We here at BASN were delighted to see Hall of Famer and Negro League great Josh Gibson sit atop the list over such greats as Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra and another ex-Negro Leaguer, Roy Campanella.
To no surprise however, there were some that had a problem seeing the great slugger even on the list, let alone being ranked No. 1. They questioned the validity of his career and also questioned his all-time numbers.
They even went as far as to say the Negro Leagues couldn't compare to Major League Baseball.
Those of you who are familiar with our site know that I've enjoyed writing several spotlights on the Negro Leagues over the years. It bugs the hell out of me that even in this day, these great players still get shortchanged on their contributions to the "National Pastime".
That kind of narrow minded thinking is the one of the reasons why we here at BASN firmly embrace the history and great legacy of these players. As I've stated several times, I personally don't acknowledge anything about Major League Baseball before April 15, 1947 for obvious reasons.
One of the biggest myths about the Negro Leagues is that there aren't any definitive sources of information about their players. Let me be the first to tell you that is one of the greatest lies of the century.
Since the early 90's and beyond, there are several books available either through your local book stores, libraries, or the Internet. Many have definitive stats or yearly chronicles of league play as far back as the 1800's.
Two books that come to mind are one's that I personally use as research for my articles.
"The Complete Book of The Negro Leagues: The Other Half Of Baseball History" written by historian John Holway goes into detail year by year, with statistics on every player by team, plus text and stats on the Cuban Leagues, Puerto Rico, and the great post-season games, plus match ups against the best white stars.
Holway, who's been researching the sport of baseball since 1944, has also released previous books on the Negro Leagues. He along with author and fellow historian James A. Riley are among the nation's most knowledgeable experts of the Negro Leagues....
Read entire article at http://www.blackathlete.net
Just a few years ago, FoxSports.com ran a column by noted sports historian Elliott Kalb ranking the greatest catchers in baseball history.
We here at BASN were delighted to see Hall of Famer and Negro League great Josh Gibson sit atop the list over such greats as Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra and another ex-Negro Leaguer, Roy Campanella.
To no surprise however, there were some that had a problem seeing the great slugger even on the list, let alone being ranked No. 1. They questioned the validity of his career and also questioned his all-time numbers.
They even went as far as to say the Negro Leagues couldn't compare to Major League Baseball.
Those of you who are familiar with our site know that I've enjoyed writing several spotlights on the Negro Leagues over the years. It bugs the hell out of me that even in this day, these great players still get shortchanged on their contributions to the "National Pastime".
That kind of narrow minded thinking is the one of the reasons why we here at BASN firmly embrace the history and great legacy of these players. As I've stated several times, I personally don't acknowledge anything about Major League Baseball before April 15, 1947 for obvious reasons.
One of the biggest myths about the Negro Leagues is that there aren't any definitive sources of information about their players. Let me be the first to tell you that is one of the greatest lies of the century.
Since the early 90's and beyond, there are several books available either through your local book stores, libraries, or the Internet. Many have definitive stats or yearly chronicles of league play as far back as the 1800's.
Two books that come to mind are one's that I personally use as research for my articles.
"The Complete Book of The Negro Leagues: The Other Half Of Baseball History" written by historian John Holway goes into detail year by year, with statistics on every player by team, plus text and stats on the Cuban Leagues, Puerto Rico, and the great post-season games, plus match ups against the best white stars.
Holway, who's been researching the sport of baseball since 1944, has also released previous books on the Negro Leagues. He along with author and fellow historian James A. Riley are among the nation's most knowledgeable experts of the Negro Leagues....