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MLB, Player’s Union Team Up with Negro League Baseball Museum

By David Hill

Apr 23, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Stage actors from the Pittsburgh Opera production of "The Summer King" an opera based on the life of negro league catcher Josh Gibson (not pictured) perform God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch against the New York Yankees at PNC Park. The Pirates won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Stage actors from the Pittsburgh Opera production of "The Summer King" an opera based on the life of negro league catcher Josh Gibson (not pictured) perform God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch against the New York Yankees at PNC Park. The Pirates won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Negro League Baseball Museum is an important part of the history of the game. On Wednesday, it will finally get the recognition it deserves from both MLB and the Player’s Union.

Some of the greatest players in professional baseball history never had a chance to play in the majors. Due to segregation, MLB would not allow anyone who was not white in their game. From 1884, when Welday Walker and Fleet Walker played for Toledo, to 1947, when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, black players were forced to play overseas or in the Negro Leagues.

As such, the Negro League Baseball Museum plays a vital role in keeping the memory of those players alive. While several members of the league have been enshrined in the MLB Hall of Fame, that era does not receive the attention it deserves. The museum serves a vital part in preserving those memories, and keeping those players in our consciousness.

In a move that is long overdue, the Negro League Baseball Museum will finally be getting support from MLB. On Wednesday, commissioner Rob Manfred is slated to announce that MLB and the Player’s Union will officially partner with the museum. The league will also make a large donation to the museum, although there is no word yet on the amount.

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It is not as though MLB or the Player’s Union have avoided the Negro League Baseball Museum in the past. They have provided some support before, although not to the same level as they will going forward. It is also a place where the stars of today have gone to reflect upon the past. Adam Jones, for instance, traveled to the museum to pay homage to those who came before following his series in Boston when he was targeted with racial slurs.

Given the divisive rhetoric so prevalent these days, it is important to remember the way society used to be. As a people, we are stronger when unified, working together for a common cause. The Negro League Baseball Museum is a reminder of the dark days when people were segregated due to their skin color.

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MLB and the Player’s Union are joining forces with the Negro League Baseball Museum. It’s about time.

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