Negro leagues

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia | Date: 2007

Associations of teams of black baseball players active largely between 1920 and the late 1940s. The principal leagues were the Negro National League, originally organized by Rube Foster in 1920, and the Negro American League, organized in 1937. The most noted teams included the Homestead (Pa.) Grays, who won nine pennants in the years 1937–45 and included the great hitters Cool Papa Bell, Buck Leonard, and Josh Gibson. In the mid 1930s the Pittsburgh Crawfords included Satchel Paige and the clutch-hitter William Julius “Judy” Johnson. The Kansas City Monarchs, after winning four national championships, lost Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers; the breaking of the colour barrier in major and minor league baseball led to the Negro leagues' decline.



Copyright 1994-2007 Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles from HighBeam Research

Why The Negro Leagues Still Matter
Tennessee TRIBUNE, The; 6/2/2005; McClean, Tony; 754 words ; McClean, Tony Tennessee TRIBUNE, The 06-02-2005 "In an alternate universe, this is the man -- not Babe Ruth -- whose short, compact swing produces the longest, and most home runs. He would be the charismatic figure that would first reach 500, 600, and 700 career home runs. Playing in the Negro Read more
Negro Leagues museum angles for artifacts
The Topeka Capital-Journal; 11/5/2004; Capital-Journal; 481 words ; As the story goes, Cleveland needed pitching during the 1948 pennant race, and Indians owner Bill Veeck tried out Satchel Paige by having him throw using a cigarette as home plate. Paige threw five fastballs, four of them right over the target, signed with the Indians and helped them win the Read more
A journey back in time - Exhibit details history of Negro Leagues.
The Boston Herald; 7/8/1999; Conroy, Steve; 486 words ; Satchel Paige pitched into his 60s. Josh Gibson once hit 75 homers in a season. And Cool Papa Bell was so fast that he could hit the light switch and be in bed before the room got dark. Those stories are all part of the Negro Leagues' legend. But the Negro Leagues exhibit at the John Hancock Read more
O'Neil, history are here; Former star preserves Negro Leagues memory
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; 6/2/2006; DON WALKER; 490 words ; ... headed to the game also will be given a Negro Leagues placard. Copyright 2006, Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved. (Note: This notice does not apply to those news items already copyrighted and received through wire services or other media.) Read more
O'Neil, history are here: Former star preserves Negro Leagues memory.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, WI); 6/2/2006; 513 words ; ... be given a Negro Leagues placard. Copyright (c) 2006, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write ... Read more