There is little doubt that the integration of professional baseball resulted in the collapse of the Negro Leagues. But did the signing of Jackie Robinson also signal the decline of baseball as an entertainment staple in the black community? Bill Blair of the Dallas Elite Newspapers discusses the issue with Black Athlete Sports Network. Read the whole story here.

Technorati Tags: Negro League, Negro Leagues, Jackie Robinson

Harold "Buster" Hair, the last living connection to Jacksonville’s Red Caps, recalls his early days as a batboy for the Red Caps and his own Negro League baseball career in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel. Read the entire article here.

Technorati Tags: Negro League, Negro Leagues, Jacksonville Red Caps

Unmarked graves make up a large part of Chicago’s Burr Oak Cemetary. But, through the efforts of Jeremy Crock the gravesites of eight former Negro League players are now marked with headstones. The grave markers were placed and dedicated Saturday (June 18th) in a ceremony attended by friends, relatives and Negro League basebal fans. Read the whole story in the Chicago Sun Times.

Technorati Tags: Negro League, Negro Leagues

The Erie Seawolves (Eastern League) will pay tribute to the players of the Negro Leagues and Erie’s own black baseball legacy Saturday night (06/04/2005) with a special Negro League Appreciation Day. During their evening game against the Harrisburg Senators the Seawolves will don the uniform of the old Erie Pontiacs, a semipro squad based in Erie during the Negro League era. The visiting Harrisburg Senators will also wear Negro League uniforms during the game.

The Seawolves have announced that the first 2000 fans into the ballpark will receive a lithographic print by local artist Kevin-John Jobczynski honoring Erie native Sam Jethroe, star Cleveland Buckeyes (Negro National League) outfielder during the late 1940s and National League Rookie Of The Year with the Milwaukee Braves.

For more information and tickets for the game visit the Erie Seawolves site.

Technorati Tags: baseball, Negro League, Negro Leagues, Erie Seawolves

Robert “Bob” Aldridge, former Cleveland Buckeyes and Negro National League star during the late 1940s, passed away June 1, 2005 in Tallahassee. Aldridge, who finished his career with the Richmond Giants, was 80 years old. The Tallahassee Democrat has a nice feature on Aldridge which can be read here.

Technorati Tags: baseball, Cleveland Buckeyes, Negro League, Negro Leagues, Robert Aldridge