|
AALP's Centennial Celebration of National Negro League
By Tricia Hall
Sojourner’s Truth Reporter
Toledoans gathered on Saturday, October 24 to celebrate the
100th anniversary of the National Negro League
and specifically three local baseball teams.
The press event was held at Jerusalem Baptist Church on Dorr
Street and organized by The African American Sports’ Legends
of Northwest Ohio, a component of The African American
Legacy Project.
“We’re here to celebrate the wonderful history of sports in
this city. We must also pause to reflect and remember 100
years of the Negro League. There is sadness when we reflect
on the Negro Leagues because it had to exist in the first
place. There were players who should have played in major
leagues. Toledo has been a welcoming place for people of all
talents,” said Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz.
In addition to the Mayor, the press conference received
remarks from two Lucas County Commissioners: Tina Skeldon
Wozniak and Pete Gerken, and two City of Toledo
Councilmembers Cecilia Adams, PhD and Tiffany
Preston-Whitman, PhD.
“We are excited to participate in this celebration, let’s
continue to move together as one Toledo team,” Skeldon. |
 |
|
The press event provided visuals commemorating highlights of
the National Negro League and concluded with a donation of a
Negro League jersey and Negro League history book from the
Preston-Whitman family to the African American Legacy
Project.
The African American Sports’ Legends of Northwest Ohio
committee: Doug Allen, Jackie Allen, Leroy Bates, Robert
Bates, Land Battles, Truman Claytor, James Coogler, Terry
Crosby, Robert Gore, Wes Harper, Bill Hayes, Ed Jaynes,
James L. Jones, Willie Loper, John Preston, Marcus Newbern,
Ed Norrils, Robert Shorter, Keith Mathis Smith and George
Snelling.
The committee’s mission is to discover, document and
preservation of the histories and achievements of
African-American athletes, coaches and distinguished
citizens who have made significant contributions to
athletics through their genre, regardless of gender.
Primarily, but not exclusive, attention shall be directed to
those whose excellence have made a positive impact and
influence upon the African American and/or global
communities and who may be recognized and/or visually
memorized at a common venue in perpetuity in the Hall of
Legends.
The National Negro League was created by founder Rube Foster
and ran from 1920-1931 and included 22 teams. The press
conference closed with a digital replica of a historical
marker bearing the names of three Negro League Teams: Toledo
Tigers, Toledo Cubs and Toledo Crawfords who played their
homes games at the old Swayne Field baseball stadium. On a
national level, the Negro League paved the path for Jackie
Robinson to break into Major League Baseball in 1947.
|
