Black History Month: Celebrating Tacoma’s greatest African-American players

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

In celebration of Black History Month throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, an incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for Triple-A clubs in Tacoma, selected on a combination of criteria including great play over multiple seasons at Cheney Stadium and/or graduating to big league stardom following a brief stay in The City of Destiny.

Willie McCovey, 1B/OF
Tacoma Giants, 1960

National League MVP, 1969
National Baseball Hall of Fame, 1986

After making his Major League debut with the San Francisco Giants in 1959 and being voted National League Rookie of the Year despite playing in only 52 games (.354, 13 HR), Willie McCovey appeared in 17 games for the Triple-A Giants in 1960, during the franchise’s first year in Tacoma/at Cheney Stadium. Those would be the final minor league games the future Hall of Famer would appear in, playing another 21 big league seasons for the Giants (through 1973), the San Diego Padres (1974-76) and the Oakland A’s (1976), before finishing his career back by the bay (1977-80) with San Francisco (2,588 career MLB games).

Elected by the writers to the Hall of Fame in 1986, McCovey led the National League in home runs three times (’63, ’68, ’69), and hit 521 as a Major Leaguer. He also led the NL in RBI consecutive seasons (1968-69), finished third in MVP voting in ’68, and won the award in ’69 (career-high 126 RBI, led NL with .453 OBP). He played in six All-Star Games, including four straight from 1968 through 1971.

In his Tacoma cameo, McCovey batted .286 over 77 plate appearances, homering three times with 16 RBI.

Adam Jones, OF
Tacoma Rainiers, 2006-07

Four-time Gold Glove Winner
World Baseball Classic Champion, 2017

Like McCovey, Adam Jones’s final appearance with Tacoma would be his final in MiLB at any level. The durable centerfielder of multiple Baltimore Orioles postseason runs in 2012, ’14 and ’16, Jones played fewer than 150 games only once between 2011 and 2016, and led the AL by appearing 162 times in 2012.

Jones was summoned from Tacoma to make his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners on July 14, 2006, and between ’06 and ’07 would play in 197 games with the Rainiers and 73 more with the Mariners. A February 8, 2008 trade to Baltimore would point him to becoming one of that franchise’s all-time greats. Jones racked up numerous major awards with the Orioles, including four Rawlings Gold Gloves (three consecutive, 2012-14), a 2013 Silver Slugger Award, as well as five All-Star Game appearances (four consecutive, 2012-15).

In 2017, Jones provided perhaps the all-time greatest single moment or play to date in World Baseball Classic history, when he robbed Orioles teammate Manny Machado (Dominican Republic) of a home run in the seventh inning of an elimination game in his native San Diego. The United States went on to victory, and ultimately their first WBC championship.

Playing in Baltimore through 2018, Jones spent the 2019 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks and has spent the two most recent seasons with the Orix Buffaloes of Osaka, Japan, in Nippon Professional Baseball. As a Triple-A player with Tacoma, Jones was a .301 hitter with 41 homers. In over 1,800 MLB games, he has 282 career homers and 945 RBI.

Danny Goodwin, 1B/OF
Tacoma Tigers, 1982-85

#1 overall draft pick…twice
Tacoma franchise RBI leader

While Danny Goodwin made plenty of noise as a Cheney Stadium power source for the Oakland A’s-affiliated Tacoma Tigers in the latter half of his career, it was how his pro career began – and then began again – that makes him the answer to an all-time trivia question.

Goodwin is the only player to be selected first overall in the first year player draft twice. Rather than sign with the Chicago White Sox out of high school in Peoria, IL in 1971, Goodwin attended and played for Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA and was taken atop the draft a second time by the California Angels in 1975 (with a record signing bonus of $150,000).

He wound up a veteran of 252 Major League games spread over seven seasons between 1975 and 1982, with the Angels, Minnesota Twins and A’s, ending his career in 1986 with the Nankai Hawks of Osaka, Japan (Japan Pacific League). During 435 games with Tacoma over his final four seasons stateside, Goodwin launched 64 home runs, placing him in a tie for fourth on Tacoma’s all-time list. The franchise’s all-time leader in RBI (301), Goodwin is also top five in Tacoma’s Triple-A history in games played, at-bats (1,520), hits (454), total bases (754) and walks (237).

Bob Perry, OF
Tacoma Giants, 1960-63

As a Tacoma Giant for the first three full seasons of Triple-A baseball in the city, and briefly to begin 1963, Bob Perry is tied for third with Goodwin in all-time games played with Tacoma (435). His 21 triples rank second in franchise history, and Perry is in Tacoma’s top 10 in at-bats (1,414), runs (210), hits (395), total bases (647) and RBI (225). His 50 home runs tie him for 13th all-time.

When Perry’s contract was purchased by the Los Angeles Angels in May 1963 from the San Francisco Giants, he made his Major League debut, appearing in 131 total games through 1964 with the American League club. Perry originally signed with the New York Giants in 1953 prior to their move west – battling through a decade in the minors to make his big league debut. In several more Triple-A stops through his final season in 1970, Perry lifted 206 career minor league homers (six in MLB).

Kelvin Moore, 1B
Tacoma Tigers, 1981-83

A star of the first three Oakland A’s-affiliated teams in Tacoma, Kelvin Moore played in 282 games for the T-Town Tigers before a July 1983 trade to the New York Mets. Over three seasons he got into 76 big league games with Oakland in-between stints with Tacoma.

Moore is top 15 all-time in Tacoma’s Triple-A record book in RBI (213), runs scored (187) and total bases (550), after blasting 57 homers – an average of one every five games played with Tacoma – placing him ninth on the franchise home run list.

Top Five Black Players In St. Paul Saints History

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

_While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great careers for the Saints or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.” _

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for the St. Paul Saints.

ROY CAMPANELLA

April 15, 1947 is an historic day in baseball history. Jackie Robinson became the first African American in Major League Baseball. Just three months later, on July 5, 1947, Larry Doby became the first African American in the American League. Those two men set the stage for other leagues to follow suit. On May 18, 1948, Roy Campanella broke the color barrier in the American Association with the St. Paul Saints. The Saints were the Triple-A affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers. After being buried on the Dodgers bench for the first month of the season, the Dodgers sent Campanella to St. Paul.

While there is debate on why Campanella was sent to the American Association, in his autobiography, “It’s Good To Be Alive,” Campanella said that Dodgers owner Branch Rickey, who integrated the Major Leagues with Robinson, wanted to also be responsible for integrating the American Association. His arrival was a cultural phenomenon in the primarily black Rondo neighborhood in Saint Paul. Four days after he was sent to Saint Paul, future Hall of Fame Dodger manager Walter Alston, wrote Campanella into the lineup on May 22, 1948. It was a short stay for Campanella as he destroyed American Association pitching. Despite getting off to a slow start over his first few games, Campanella went on a tear for a month hitting ,325 with 13 home runs and 39 RBI in 35 games. By early July, Campanella was in Brooklyn where he would stay until his career ended in 1957.

DARRYL STRAWBERRY

His home runs have become legendary. Some grow 10 feet in length as each year goes by, none more so than the one he hit in Duluth. He put one organization on his back and they finished off what he started by winning a championship. He was the shot in the arm another organization needed and helped them win a World Series. What Darryl Strawberry did in 1996 is the perfect Hollywood script.

Following the 1994 season, Strawberry was sentenced to 60-days home confinement after being indicted on federal tax evasion plus a 60-day suspension by Major League Baseball for a positive cocaine test. When the Yankees signed him in June of 1995, he hit just three home runs in 32 games with the big club. After not being offered a contract in 1996, Strawberry signed with the St. Paul Saints. It was, and still is, the biggest signing in franchise history. Fans came from all over, both at home and on the road, to watch this “man among boys.” In 29 games for the Saints, Strawberry hit .435 with 18 home runs and 39 RBI, a .538 on base percentage, and a 1.000 slugging percentage.

That would be more than enough for the New York Yankees who elected to re-sign Strawberry on the 4th of July. The Saints would go on to win a championship that season, giving Strawberry his first ring of 1996. While with the Yankees, he hit .262 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI in 63 games while winning his second championship of the season, a World Series title with the Yankees. But it’s what he did over that memorable month of baseball with the Saints that helped him resurrect his career. As Strawberry said on more than one occasion, “St. Paul reminded me how much fun baseball was.”

LEON DURHAM

Don’t mess with the bull or you’ll get the horns. In the case of Leon “Bull” Durham, if you’re a pitcher you could expect a big, powerful swing that more than likely did extreme damage. Durham was out of baseball in 1992, but then something happened in 1993. A brand new Independent Professional Baseball League was formed known as the Northern League. This six-team league in the Midwest and Canada was a first chance, second chance league. First chance for guys who were never drafted out of college and second chance for guys who were released from Major League organizations.

The St. Paul Saints began their first year of existence in 1993 and were managed by former 10-year Major Leaguer, Tim Blackwell. Blackwell had been teammates with Durham with the Chicago Cubs and placed a call to his former teammate inquiring if he was interested in getting back into the game. Durham was interested and the league had its first marquee signing, helping put the Northern League, and the Saints, on the map.

Durham didn’t disappoint, hitting .292 with 11 homers and 59 RBI in 65 games. He led the Saints to a 42-29 record, best in the Northern League, and they would go on to win the first Northern League Championship. Durham would come back in 1994 hitting .241 with eight homers and 26 RBI in 52 games. He turned his time with the Saints into a contract in Mexico later that year and would finish his career in 1996 with the California Angels Triple-A affiliate in Vancouver. But it was his time in St. Paul that perhaps put more eyes on Independent Professional Baseball helping it stay successful nearly 30 years later.

DAMON POLLARD

No one knew what to expect when the St. Paul Saints played their first season in 1993. How good would the baseball be? Would the team last past the Fourth of July? Would anyone show up? It didn’t take long to find out the baseball was high quality, the Saints would not only finish the season, but win a championship, and the fans came out in droves. That first team set the tone for the next 28 seasons as 11 players had their contract purchased by Major League organizations, a franchise record that stood each season the organization was an independent franchise. It included the first African American in Saints history to have his contract purchased, pitcher Damon Pollard.

The 5’8, 165 right-hander wasn’t big in stature, but he was a giant at the end of games. The former 14th round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 1990 out of the University of Southern Mississippi, reached High-A in 1992 before being released. He signed with the Saints in 1993 and was instrumental in the back end of the bullpen. He went 2-2 with a 2.27 ERA and 14 saves in 29 games (25 games finished). Across 31.2 innings he struck out 35. Not only that, but he fanned the final batter in the Championship Series as the Saints went on to defeat the Rochester Aces three-games-to-one and claim the first ever Northern League title.

Following the season, Pollard had his contract purchased by the Montreal Expos and spent the 1994 season with the Expos and Milwaukee Brewers Minor League affiliates before going back to the Expos organization in 1995.

While he will always be remembered as the pitcher that finished off that 1993 championship season, Pollard will also be remembered as the first African American to have his contract purchased by a Major League organization from the Saints.

CHARLIE NEAL

One season is all it took for Charlie Neal to make his mark. He showcased the talents that would lead him to the Major Leagues and an eventual World Series ring just two years after playing in the American Association in 1954. As a 23-year-old, Neal played for the Triple-A Saints and had an incredible season hitting .272 with 18 home runs and 66 RBI across 146 games. He led the team in hits, with 159, doubles (25), triples (13), and extra-base hits with 56. On top of that he swiped a team-leading 20 bases.

Following the 1954 season the Boston Red Sox reportedly inquired about purchasing Neal from the Dodgers for $100,000. The Dodgers turned it down, but had the deal gone through there was a legitimate chance that Neal would have become the first African American player in Red Sox history.

Neal made the Major Leagues in 1956 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, making the move to Los Angeles with the franchise in 1958. Just one year later Neal helped the Dodgers win their second title, and first in Los Angeles. He was a Gold Glove second baseman in 1959 and helped tie the Milwaukee Braves by the close of the 154-game season. He played a key role in helping the Dodgers sweep the Braves in the tie-breaker series with five hits in 12 at bats. He hit .370 in a six-game series victory over the Chicago White Sox in the World Series. Overall, Neal played eight seasons in the Major Leagues for the Dodgers, New York Mets, and Cincinnati Reds.

MiLB Announces “The Nine” to Celebrate, Engage and Welcome Black Fans

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 1, 2022 — Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign. The new inclusion initiative follows MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión Latino fan engagement platform introduced in 2017 that included 76 MiLB teams in 2021.

The Nine will recognize and honor numerous Black pioneers and trailblazing civil rights leaders in all 120 MiLB communities, ensuring the heroes of the past and their contributions continue to be celebrated through ceremonies and events at MiLB ballparks and in the community. Recent tributes and celebrations have included Negro Leagues commemorative games honoring the Austin Black Senators in Round Rock (TX), the Bradenton (FL) Nine Devils, and Page Fence Giants near Lansing (MI). Additional tribute games are being planned for the 2022 season and beyond.

“The Nine will shine bright spotlights on these successful initiatives and transform them into national campaigns reaching more fans and communities, further showcasing our teams’ commitment to representing, honoring, and welcoming all fans to MiLB’s unique brand of fun,” said Kurt Hunzeker, MLB’s Vice President of Minor League Business Operations. “The Nine is just the latest example of MiLB teams being true community champions.”

In addition to player- and team-related content, The Nine will focus heavily on creating new opportunities for youth participation among young Black boys and girls, particularly in communities where youth baseball and softball programming is either nonexistent or difficult to access.

Central to this youth-focused push is a planned expansion of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program throughout MiLB’s national footprint. New competitions in MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run and Junior Home Run Derby event series will also debut in MiLB markets beginning in 2022.

MiLB teams will continue to build relationships with local Black-owned and operated businesses, local artists and entertainers in an effort to embrace Black culture and make MiLB ballparks a hub for culturally relevant concerts, shows, and community events.

With several MiLB teams having a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in their community, opportunities will be provided for those schools to start internship and mentorship programs with their local team, creating opportunities for on-the-job experience for students prior to entering the job market. Additionally, MiLB recently partnered with TeamWork Online to create a more inclusive virtual job fair and ongoing talent pipeline that aims to recruit and position qualified and ready-for-hire candidates from across the country for potential management- and executive-level roles within MiLB team front offices.

R-Phils Remember the Greats During Black History Month

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for the Reading Phillies and Fightin Phils. This is by no means a complete list of the best, just some great names to look back on.

Ryan Howard spent his entire 13-year Major League career with the Philadelphia Phillies. He was originally taken by the Phils in the 5th round in 2001. Howard, a top-ranked prospect, skyrocketed after the 2004 season when he spent the majority of his time in Reading. With the R-Phils, he batted .297 in 103 games while driving in a team-high 102 runs. He also hit 37 home runs to break the R-Phils record and was named the Eastern League MVP. He went on to hit 46 homers in total that season between Double-A, Triple-A and the Major Leagues. Nicknamed “The Big Piece”, he not only led the National League in homers (48) and RBI (146) in 2008, he also helped to lead the Phillies’ to their first World Series Championship in 28 years. The first-baseman was a three-time All-Star, was named the MVP of the NL Championship Series in 2009, and won an exciting home run derby in 2006. Howard is one of only four players, along with Cal Ripken Jr., Dustin Pedroia and Kris Bryant, to win an MVP Award (2006) the year after having won the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award (2005). The R-Phils honored Howard with an induction into the Baseballtown Hall of Fame in 2018.

Jimmy Rollins joined the farm system after being drafted in the 2nd round in 1996. Just three years later Rollins made his debut in Baseballtown, where he developed into an all-around hitter and fulltime shortstop. He recorded 145 hits, including 21 doubles, eight triples, and 11 home runs. The speedster also stole 24 bases. But most impressively, Rollins walked (51) more times than he struck out (47). Howard’s teammate on the 2008 World Series champion Phillies, Rollins took MVP honors the previous season. In a 17-season career that also included time with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox, Rollins amassed 2,455 hits and 470 stolen bases. He was a three-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner and still stands as the Phillies all-time hits leader. Rollins entered Reading’s Hall of Fame in 2019.

Outfielder Marlon Byrd went around the block in the Major Leagues. Originally drafted by Philadelphia in 1999, he also spent time with the Nationals, Rangers, Cubs, Red Sox, Mets, Pirates, Reds, Giants, and Indians. Byrd spent 2001 in Reading in addition to three games in 2003 as a part of a rehab stint. In an incredible campaign, he finished with a .316 batting average, leading the team in home runs (28), RBI (89), triples (8), hits (161), runs scored (108), and stolen bases (32). Rightfully so, Byrd was named the Eastern League MVP, Rookie of the Year, and post-season All-Star. He led his team to the Championship Series which was ultimately cancelled due to 9/11. The following year he was selected to the Futures Game for top prospects. In his rookie season with Philadelphia (’03), he drove in 45 runs on 150 hits. With a stellar .303 BA, he finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting. After a career spanning fifteen years in the majors, Byrd ended with a .275 batting average, 159 home runs, 710 runs batted in, and one All-Star game appearance.

Marlon Anderson spent a season and a half in Baseballtown and made his mark in the history books. He joined the farm system in 1995 after being drafted in the second round. In 1997, his full summer, he led the R-Phils in triples (6), hits (147), runs (88), stolen bases (27), and sac bunts (9). Anderson made an impressive debut as a Major Leaguer by hitting a pinch-hit home run. After his time with the Phillies, he also played with the Devil Rays, Cardinals, Mets, Nationals, and Dodgers. On June 11, 2005, Anderson hit an inside-the-park home run at Shea Stadium in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game. He will forever be known for his clutch hitting and utility defense.

Michael Bourn was drafted by the Phillies in the fourth round of the 2003 draft. He worked his way up the system, skipping Clearwater to join Reading in 2005 and 2006 as an outfielder. He was a fiend on the basepaths, leading the team with 68 stolen bases in 215 games. He also led in triples (’05, 8; ’06, 6), runs scored (’06, 62), and walks (’05, 63). Bourn earned the reputation as a windshield-wiper type outfielder for his ability to cover a lot of turf by throwing out 21 base runners from the outfield. After parts of two seasons with Philadelphia, he was traded with Geoff Geary and Mike Costanzo to the Houston Astros in exchange for Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett. Bourn also spent part of his career with the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Baltimore Orioles. Throughout his eleven-year career, he received two Gold Gloves, was named to the NL All-Star team twice, and was a three-time National League stolen base leader.

Like the Copa de la Diversion initiative that brought about Los Luchadores de Reading and Fiesta Friday’s, Minor League Baseball is working towards greater inclusivity with the introduction of The Nine, the first Black-centric outreach program in MiLB’s storied history. “Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect Clubs’ local market efforts in a coordinated and centralized campaign that authentically engages and welcomes Black fans, businesses, schools, and civic leaders into MiLB’s fun-filled experiences, both in the ballpark and in the community.” The Reading Fightin Phils are a community-oriented organization that is dedicated to providing an inclusive experience for all different kinds of fans. America’s Classic Ballpark is a safe, family-friendly place to gather, celebrate, and make memories that will last a lifetime.

America’s Classic Ballpark is proud to be a part of Pennsylvania’s Americana Region and was voted the #1 stadium in all of Double-A by MiLB’s Ben Hill. Follow the R-Phils at rphils.com, on Twitter and TikTok at @ReadingFightins, on Instagram @fightins, and like them on Facebook via www.facebook.com/fightins for all information.

Before more than 1,200 Worcester Public Schools Students, WooSox and Red Sox Stars Commemorate Jackie Robinson’s Birthday on the Eve of Black History Month 

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Stories and lessons come from Josh Ockimey, Oil Can Boyd, and Rich Gedman.

WORCESTER, MA — In 1997, on the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s dismantling of Major League Baseball’s color barrier, Worcester Red Sox President Dr. Charles Steinberg, then Executive Vice President of the San Diego Padres, watched as a reporter kneeled next to a little girl to ask if she knew who Jackie was.

“I’ve heard of her, but I don’t exactly know what she did,” she replied.

The admission was innocent, but Steinberg worried. The perceived threat to Robinson’s memory galvanized him into establishing a tradition in 2003 with the Boston Red Sox, which he brought to Pawtucket and now Worcester: gathering with local students annually on Robinson’s birth date, January 31—also the eve of Black History Month—to celebrate Robinson’s legacy through the telling of stories and lessons. For the 20th consecutive year, the Hall of Famer’s legacy was celebrated by New England’s premier baseball teams.

Over 1,200 students from Worcester Public Schools, their teachers, and Worcester Superintendent Maureen Binienda tuned into Monday morning’s one-hour Zoom event, “A Celebration of Jackie Robinson.” The children, from more than a dozen schools, were all 4th, 5th, or 6th graders. They listened to WooSox star first baseman Josh Ockimey, WooSox hitting coach and Red Sox Hall of Famer Rich Gedman, former pennant-winning pitcher Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd, and businessman and civil rights leader Frank Jordan.

“The Red Sox have won four World Series since Jackie broke baseball’s color barrier [in 1947],” Steinberg said. “Can you imagine if the Boston Red Sox weren’t allowed to have David Ortiz on the team? No Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., or Xander Bogaerts?”

Segregation seems unimaginable today, but it was only 75 years ago that Black players couldn’t intermingle with white players on the baseball diamond. For more than a decade afterward, in many cities, Black players couldn’t stay at the same hotels or eat at the same restaurants as their white counterparts.

Ockimey—whom students gleefully and audibly welcomed—said he first comprehended the magnitude of Robinson’s influence in first grade, when his father taught him about the Negro Leagues and took him on a trip to Cooperstown. Ockimey was born in Philadelphia in 1995, long after Jim Crow laws dissipated, but he said that as a Black man in America, he often feels he must work twice as hard as everyone else.

Boyd, a fifth-generation professional ballplayer, reflected on his childhood in the ’60s and ’70s in Meridian, Mississippi.

“My whole family grew up playing baseball,” Boyd said. “I’d often hear names like Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson, and Cool Papa Bell, and I’d try to imitate them, too.”

Boyd played collegiately at Jackson State University before the Red Sox selected him in the 16th round of the 1980 amateur draft. The lithe and affable right-hander catapulted the Red Sox into the World Series in 1986 with a career-high 16 wins. His battery-mate was Gedman, Worcester’s own two-time All-Star and Red Sox Hall of Famer.

Like Boyd, Jordan grew up in the segregated South. He credited Robinson with giving him the belief that times would change. Now the co-founder of the Boston Area Church League and Special Advisor to the Red Sox for two decades, Jordan devotes himself to bringing positive change to Boston’s youth through baseball.

“Baseball as a sport has done so much to open the door of communication that bring people together,” Jordan said. “To the kids: Get to know your classmates. Get to know your friends. You will find that we all have so much in common. That is the best avenue to change the world and make it a better place.”

Gedman echoed the sentiment.

“[In a clubhouse], the most important thing is listening, to hear what other people think and feel,” Gedman said. “Sometimes we assume everyone thinks like we do. Everyone is a part of the team, and [in WooSox ’21], nobody thought they were more special than anyone else, and we went out and played like a team.”

Steinberg concluded the WooSox’ third annual event with the reminder that positive change takes time, courage, and a willingness to get involved, adding that it’s already in motion for women in baseball. He pointed to the New York Yankees’ recent hiring of Rachel Balkovec, baseball’s first woman manager. Days after, the Red Sox became the first organization to have two women coaches in their organization in Bianca Smith and Katie Krall.

“The next Jackie Robinson is going to be Jacqueline Robinson,” Steinberg said. “Women are great athletes who play their hearts out, and no woman should be deprived of playing baseball if she can play. You might just find that there’s a woman who can throw that ball with the best of them and run like the wind.”

Perhaps the future Jacqueline Robinson heard his words Monday.

BlueClaws a Part of MiLB’s “The Nine” Initiative to Debut This Year

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 1, 2022 — Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign. The new inclusion initiative follows MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión Latino fan engagement platform introduced in 2017 that included 76 MiLB teams in 2021.

The BlueClaws are proud to be one of a number of teams participating in the program in its first season in 2022.

The Nine will recognize and honor numerous Black pioneers and trailblazing civil rights leaders in all 120 MiLB communities, ensuring the heroes of the past and their contributions continue to be celebrated through ceremonies and events at MiLB ballparks and in the community. Recent tributes and celebrations have included Negro Leagues commemorative games honoring the Austin Black Senators in Round Rock (TX), the Bradenton (FL) Nine Devils, and Page Fence Giants near Lansing (MI). Additional tribute games are being planned for the 2022 season and beyond.

“The Nine will shine bright spotlights on these successful initiatives and transform them into national campaigns reaching more fans and communities, further showcasing our teams’ commitment to representing, honoring, and welcoming all fans to MiLB’s unique brand of fun,” said Kurt Hunzeker, MLB’s Vice President of Minor League Business Operations. “The Nine is just the latest example of MiLB teams being true community champions.”

In addition to player- and team-related content, The Nine will focus heavily on creating new opportunities for youth participation among young Black boys and girls, particularly in communities where youth baseball and softball programming is either nonexistent or difficult to access.

Central to this youth-focused push is a planned expansion of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program throughout MiLB’s national footprint. New competitions in MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run and Junior Home Run Derby event series will also debut in MiLB markets beginning in 2022.

MiLB teams will continue to build relationships with local Black-owned and operated businesses, local artists and entertainers in an effort to embrace Black culture and make MiLB ballparks a hub for culturally relevant concerts, shows, and community events.

With several MiLB teams having a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in their community, opportunities will be provided for those schools to start internship and mentorship programs with their local team, creating opportunities for on-the-job experience for students prior to entering the job market. Additionally, MiLB recently partnered with TeamWork Online to create a more inclusive virtual job fair and ongoing talent pipeline that aims to recruit and position qualified and ready-for-hire candidates from across the country for potential management- and executive-level roles within MiLB team front offices.

-Minor League Baseball / BlueClaws-

Red Wings Join “The Nine”, A New Initiative To Celebrate, Engage, And Welcome Black Fans

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Minor League Baseball has announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace

Minor League Baseball has announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign. The new inclusion initiative follows MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión — the Latino fan engagement platform introduced in 2017 that included 76 MiLB teams in 2021.

The Nine will recognize and honor numerous Black pioneers and trailblazing civil rights leaders in all 120 MiLB communities, ensuring the heroes of the past and their contributions continue to be celebrated through ceremonies and events at MiLB ballparks and in the community. Recent tributes and celebrations have included Negro Leagues commemorative games honoring the Austin Black Senators in Round Rock (TX), the Bradenton (FL) Nine Devils, and Page Fence Giants near Lansing (MI). Additional tribute games are being planned for the 2022 season and beyond.

“The Nine will shine bright spotlights on these successful initiatives and transform them into national campaigns reaching more fans and communities, further showcasing our teams’ commitment to representing, honoring, and welcoming all fans to MiLB’s unique brand of fun,” said Kurt Hunzeker, MLB’s Vice President of Minor League Business Operations. “The Nine is just the latest example of MiLB teams being true community champions.”

In addition to player- and team-related content, The Nine will focus heavily on creating new opportunities for youth participation among young Black boys and girls, particularly in communities where youth baseball and softball programming is either nonexistent or difficult to access.

Central to this youth-focused push is a planned expansion of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program throughout MiLB’s national footprint. New competitions in MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run and Junior Home Run Derby event series will also debut in MiLB markets beginning in 2022.

MiLB teams will continue to build relationships with local Black-owned and operated businesses, local artists and entertainers in an effort to embrace Black culture and make MiLB ballparks a hub for culturally relevant concerts, shows, and community events.

With several MiLB teams having a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in their community, opportunities will be provided for those schools to start internship and mentorship programs with their local team, creating opportunities for on-the-job experience for students prior to entering the job market. Additionally, MiLB recently partnered with TeamWork Online to create a more inclusive virtual job fair and ongoing talent pipeline that aims to recruit and position qualified and ready-for-hire candidates from across the country for potential management- and executive-level roles within MiLB team front offices.

M-Braves Join “The Nine”, A New Initiative To Celebrate, Engage, And Welcome Black Fans

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and

Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign. The new inclusion initiative follows MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión Latino fan engagement platform introduced in 2017 that included 76 MiLB teams in 2021.

The Nine will recognize and honor numerous Black pioneers and trailblazing civil rights leaders in all 120 MiLB communities, ensuring the heroes of the past and their contributions continue to be celebrated through ceremonies and events at MiLB ballparks and in the community. Recent tributes and celebrations have included Negro Leagues commemorative games honoring the Austin Black Senators in Round Rock (TX), the Bradenton (FL) Nine Devils, and Page Fence Giants near Lansing (MI). Additional tribute games are being planned for the 2022 season and beyond.

“The Nine will shine bright spotlights on these successful initiatives and transform them into national campaigns reaching more fans and communities, further showcasing our teams’ commitment to representing, honoring, and welcoming all fans to MiLB’s unique brand of fun,” said Kurt Hunzeker, MLB’s Vice President of Minor League Business Operations. “The Nine is just the latest example of MiLB teams being true community champions.”

In addition to player- and team-related content, The Nine will focus heavily on creating new opportunities for youth participation among young Black boys and girls, particularly in communities where youth baseball and softball programming is either nonexistent or difficult to access.

Central to this youth-focused push is a planned expansion of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program throughout MiLB’s national footprint. New competitions in MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run and Junior Home Run Derby event series will also debut in MiLB markets beginning in 2022.

MiLB teams will continue to build relationships with local Black-owned and operated businesses, local artists and entertainers in an effort to embrace Black culture and make MiLB ballparks a hub for culturally relevant concerts, shows, and community events.

With several MiLB teams having a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in their community, opportunities will be provided for those schools to start internship and mentorship programs with their local team, creating opportunities for on-the-job experience for students prior to entering the job market. Additionally, MiLB recently partnered with TeamWork Online to create a more inclusive virtual job fair and ongoing talent pipeline that aims to recruit and position qualified and ready-for-hire candidates from across the country for potential management- and executive-level roles within MiLB team front offices.

Trash Pandas Celebrate Black History Month

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

In celebration of Black History Month throughout the month of February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious careers in the big leagues, others had a great Minor League career, or in some cases, one incredible season that went down as a year for the ages.

Here is a look back at the five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for North Alabama’s team.

Prince Fielder

The seventh overall pick in the 2002 draft was destined for stardom from a young age. The son of World Series Champion and All-Star Cecil Fielder, Prince began his professional career in 2002 in the Milwaukee Brewers system.

After finishing 2003 in Low-A, Fielder skipped High-A in 2004 and went straight to Double-A Huntsville as a 20-year-old for his third professional season. Despite being one of the youngest players in the Southern League, Fielder had an impressive season, batting .272 with 23 home runs, 78 RBI, 70 runs, 29 doubles, and 11 stolen bases over 135 games for the Stars. Those totals ranked among the Southern League leaders in numerous categories including home runs (T-2nd), RBI (T-4th), and hits (T-5th, 135), That summer, Fielder launched a home run at the Southern League All-Star Game and played for Team USA at the All-Star Futures Game in Houston.

The next season, Fielder made his MLB debut for the Brewers and never looked back, playing over 1,600 big leagues games between the Brewers, Detroit Tigers, and Texas Rangers. He ended a 12-year big league career in 2016 with six All-Star selections, three Silver Slugger Awards, and was eventually named to the Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor.

Rickie Weeks

Another member of the 2004 Huntsville Stars proved to be one of the franchise’s best. Rickie Weeks took an interesting path to North Alabama, winning the Golden Spikes Award for Southern University in 2003 and making his MLB debut for the Brewers later that season after being selected second overall in the draft.

In his first full professional season, the 21-year-old Weeks joined the Stars in 2004 and spent the entire season in Huntsville.

Over 133 games, Weeks batted .259 with eight home runs, 42 RBI, 35 doubles, 57 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases while ranked as the Brewers’ top prospect. His 35 doubles led the Southern League and he joined Fielder on the American squad for the All-Star Futures Game in Houston.

That 2004 season was Weeks’ only at the Double-A level. He became a mainstay in the Brewers’ lineup in 2005 and spent more than a decade in the big leagues, mainly with Milwaukee. In 2011, he earned his first and only All-Star selection and is also enshrined on the Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor.

Lorenzo Cain

It took a little while for Lorenzo Cain to reach Double-A, and just a bit longer to reach the big leagues. But once he got there, he never looked back.

Drafted by the Brewers in the 17th round of the 2004 draft, Cain first arrived in Huntsville late in the 2008 season and hit .277 over 40 games in his Double-A debut following a strong start with High-A Brevard County. The next year, he returned to Huntsville, but his average dipped to .214. In 2010, Cain, but it all together and hit .324 with 21 stolen bases over 62 games for the Stars to be named a Southern League Mid-Season All-Star.

He made his MLB debut for the Brewers later that season before an offseason trade sent him to the Kansas City Royals. He became a regular in the Kansas City lineup in 2013 and worked his way to stardom over the next couple seasons. He earned ALCS MVP honors in 2014 as the Royals reached the World Series for the first time since 1985. The next year, he earned his first All-Star selection and drove in three runs in the decisive Game 5 of the World Series to lead Kansas City to the title.

Cain returned to the Brewers as a free agent in 2018, earning his second All-Star selection that season. A strong defensive center fielder, Cain earned his first Gold Glove Award in 2019. Now 36 years old, Cain is still on the Milwaukee roster heading in to the 2022 season.

Gary Jones

Although Gary Jones never played in a Major League game, his contributions to the Huntsville Stars rank him among the greats in franchise history. In 1986, Jones arrived to North Alabama for the first time and hit .311 with two home runs, 49 RBI, 34 stolen bases, and led the league with both 116 runs scored and 128 walks for a dominant Stars squad that went 78-63 before ultimately falling in the Southern League Championship Series.

Three years later, Jones returned to Huntsville for the second time as a 28-year-old player/coach and hit .275 with 16 stolen bases, 67 runs, and 45 RBI over 96 games in what proved to be his final season as a player. His 235 career walks and .486 on-base percentage for the Stars are both franchise records.

Jones became a full-time coach the next season and quickly worked his way back to Huntsville in 1994. In his only season at the helm for the Stars, he earned Southern League Manager of the Year honors after guiding the club to an 81-57 record, the best winning percentage in Stars history. In the playoffs, the Stars swept Chattanooga before defeating Carolina in four games to win the second Southern League title in franchise history.

Jones has been coaching ever since; leading affiliates from a number of different organizations. From 2014-17, he was the third base coach for the Chicago Cubs, including their World Series winning club in 2016. Most recently, he managed Triple-A Lehigh Valley from 2018-21 and will be back in the big leagues as the first base coach for the Detroit Tigers in 2022.

Torii Hunter Jr.

A fan favorite with a contagious energy both on and off the diamond, Torii Hunter Jr. was a mainstay in the Rocket City Trash Pandas’ lineup during the inaugural 2021 season

Constantly dancing in the dugout and making friends along the railing before the game, Hunter dazzled on the field with spectacular defense in the outfield and speed on the bases, with his 12 stolen bases tying for 16th in Double-A South.

On June 15, he became the first player in Trash Pandas history to record a steal of home plate as a part of a delayed double steal against Biloxi. He ended his first season at the Double-A level at the top of his game, hitting .333 with six doubles and eight runs scored over 12 September games.

Although Hunter Jr.’s long-term legacy in the Rocket City is still to be written, his impact in the team’s first season ranks him among the favorites.


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Minor League Baseball Announces “The Nine,” a New Initiative to Celebrate, Engage, and Welcome Black Fans

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

NEW YORK, NY, Feb. 1, 2022 — Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign. The new inclusion initiative follows MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión Latino fan engagement platform introduced in 2017 that included 76 MiLB teams in 2021.

The Nine will recognize and honor numerous Black pioneers and trailblazing civil rights leaders in all 120 MiLB communities, ensuring the heroes of the past and their contributions continue to be celebrated through ceremonies and events at MiLB ballparks and in the community. Recent tributes and celebrations have included Negro Leagues commemorative games honoring the Austin Black Senators in Round Rock (TX), the Bradenton (FL) Nine Devils, and Page Fence Giants near Lansing (MI). Additional tribute games are being planned for the 2022 season and beyond.

“The Nine will shine bright spotlights on these successful initiatives and transform them into national campaigns reaching more fans and communities, further showcasing our teams’ commitment to representing, honoring, and welcoming all fans to MiLB’s unique brand of fun,” said Kurt Hunzeker, MLB’s Vice President of Minor League Business Operations. “The Nine is just the latest example of MiLB teams being true community champions.”

In addition to player- and team-related content, The Nine will focus heavily on creating new opportunities for youth participation among young Black boys and girls, particularly in communities where youth baseball and softball programming is either nonexistent or difficult to access.

Central to this youth-focused push is a planned expansion of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program throughout MiLB’s national footprint. New competitions in MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run and Junior Home Run Derby event series will also debut in MiLB markets beginning in 2022.

MiLB teams will continue to build relationships with local Black-owned and operated businesses, local artists and entertainers in an effort to embrace Black culture and make MiLB ballparks a hub for culturally relevant concerts, shows, and community events.

With several MiLB teams having a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in their community, opportunities will be provided for those schools to start internship and mentorship programs with their local team, creating opportunities for on-the-job experience for students prior to entering the job market. Additionally, MiLB recently partnered with TeamWork Online to create a more inclusive virtual job fair and ongoing talent pipeline that aims to recruit and position qualified and ready-for-hire candidates from across the country for potential management- and executive-level roles within MiLB team front offices.

###

*About Minor League Baseball *

Minor League Baseball consists of 120 teams across four classification levels (Single-A, High-A, Double-A and Triple-A) that are affiliated with Major League Baseball’s 30 teams. Fans flock to MiLB games to see baseball’s future stars and experience the affordable family-friendly entertainment that has been a staple of MiLB since 1901. For more information, visit MiLB.com. Follow MiLB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Top five Black players in RoughRiders History

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across minor league baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious major league careers, others simply had great minor league careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages”. In order to honor those who made their way through the Rangers system, this list does not include players who rehabbed in Frisco.

Here is a look at five Black players that stood out in RoughRiders franchise history (in no particular order):

Brandon Boggs

A native of St. Louis, Boggs was drafted out of Georgia Tech by the Rangers in the fourth round of the 2004 draft and picked his way through the Texas system to the big leagues. In 2007, he made his stop in Frisco, hitting .266/.385/.508 over 104 games with 19 home runs and 55 RBIs. Boggs touched down in Texas the following season, playing in 101 games with the Rangers while accumulating a .733 OPS with eight home runs. Over four big league seasons, Boggs hit .209/.315/.380 with the Rangers and Brewers from 2008 to 2011.

Jason Bourgeois

Bourgeois was a member of the inaugural 2003 RoughRiders team and played in Frisco in 2004 as well. A second-round selection of the Rangers in 2000 out of Forest Brook High School in Houston, Texas, the outfielder hit .254/.309/.342 over 193 games in a Riders uniform while totaling 33 steals, 24 doubles and six home runs. After making his debut with the Chicago White Sox in 2008, Bourgeois went on to play for Milwaukee, Houston, Kansas City, Tampa Bay and Cincinnati over an eight-year major league career.

DeMarcus Evans

Evans came to the RoughRiders in 2019 and immediately made an impact, going 2-0 with a 0.96 ERA over 30 outings while striking out 60 in 37.2 innings. For his efforts, Evans was named the Texas Rangers Minor League Reliever of the Year for the second-straight season as well as the 2019 MiLB Relief Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America. The Petal, Mississippi native was selected out of Petal High School by the Rangers in 2015 and made his major league debut in 2020 with Texas. While playing in Arlington over the last two seasons, Evans has made 29 outings, owning a 4.75 ERA with 37 strikeouts to 16 walks in his 30.1 innings.

Taylor Hearn

Hearn came to the Rangers organization from Pittsburgh in a trade for Keone Kela in 2018. Following the trade, Hearn went 1-2 with a 5.04 ERA in five starts with the RoughRiders that season, whiffing 33 in 25.0 innings while walking nine. The next year, the Royse City, Texas native made his first appearance in the big leagues with the Rangers and has complied 57 outings, 12 starts, in his last three seasons in Texas. In 2021, Hearn excelled as a reliever, going 2-2 with a 3.54 ERA over 31 games out of the bullpen.

John Mayberry Jr.

The 19th-overall selection in the 2005 draft by the Rangers, Mayberry played for the RoughRiders in 2007 and 2008. Over those two seasons, he hit .248/.311/.468 with 18 home runs and 51 RBIs over 90 games. Going on to make his MLB debut with the Phillies in 2009, the former Stanford Cardinal played seven seasons in the majors, hitting .235/.299/.421 between Philadelphia, New York (N.L.) and Toronto. His best season came in 2011, when Mayberry hit .273/.341/.513 with 15 long balls and 49 knocked in over 104 games, totaling a 1.6 WAR.

Biloxi Shuckers Join in Minor League Baseball’s “The Nine” 

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and

Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign. The new inclusion initiative follows MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión Latino fan engagement platform introduced in 2017 that included 76 MiLB teams in 2021.

The Nine will recognize and honor numerous Black pioneers and trailblazing civil rights leaders in all 120 MiLB communities, ensuring the heroes of the past and their contributions continue to be celebrated through ceremonies and events at MiLB ballparks and in the community. Recent tributes and celebrations have included Negro Leagues commemorative games honoring the Austin Black Senators in Round Rock (TX), the Bradenton (FL) Nine Devils, and Page Fence Giants near Lansing (MI). Additional tribute games are being planned for the 2022 season and beyond.

“The Nine will shine bright spotlights on these successful initiatives and transform them into national campaigns reaching more fans and communities, further showcasing our teams’ commitment to representing, honoring, and welcoming all fans to MiLB’s unique brand of fun,” said Kurt Hunzeker, MLB’s Vice President of Minor League Business Operations. “The Nine is just the latest example of MiLB teams being true community champions.”

In addition to player- and team-related content, The Nine will focus heavily on creating new opportunities for youth participation among young Black boys and girls, particularly in communities where youth baseball and softball programming is either nonexistent or difficult to access.

Central to this youth-focused push is a planned expansion of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program throughout MiLB’s national footprint. New competitions in MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run and Junior Home Run Derby event series will also debut in MiLB markets beginning in 2022.

MiLB teams will continue to build relationships with local Black-owned and operated businesses, local artists and entertainers in an effort to embrace Black culture and make MiLB ballparks a hub for culturally relevant concerts, shows, and community events.

With several MiLB teams having a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in their community, opportunities will be provided for those schools to start internship and mentorship programs with their local team, creating opportunities for on-the-job experience for students prior to entering the job market. Additionally, MiLB recently partnered with TeamWork Online to create a more inclusive virtual job fair and ongoing talent pipeline that aims to recruit and position qualified and ready-for-hire candidates from across the country for potential management- and executive-level roles within MiLB team front offices.

###

*About Minor League Baseball *

Minor League Baseball consists of 120 teams across four classification levels (Single-A, High-A, Double-A and Triple-A) that are affiliated with Major League Baseball’s 30 teams. Fans flock to MiLB games to see baseball’s future stars and experience the affordable family-friendly entertainment that has been a staple of MiLB since 1901. For more information, visit MiLB.com. Follow MiLB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

“The Nine” – The best Black players in Jacksonville history

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are taking a look back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for Jacksonville, plus a legendary Negro leagues star with ties to the city.

HENRY AARON

At just 15 years old in 1949, Aaron earned a tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers, but his unorthodox batting grip likely contributed to the team deciding not to offer him a contract (incidentally, the first time Aaron hit conventionally with his right hand on top of his left, which he was instructed to do in 1952, he homered). He signed instead with a semi-pro team called the Mobile Black Bears, collecting $3 per game. Aaron’s mother, Estella, only granted Henry permission to play with the Black Bears on the condition that he did not travel with the team, thus limiting him to games in their hometown of Mobile.

Two years later, Henry inked a deal for $200 per month as a shortstop with the Negro American League champion Indianapolis Clowns. Immediately, Aaron excelled, batting .366 with five home runs and nine stolen bases in 26 games to help Indianapolis win the 1952 Negro Leagues World Series. He was just 18 years old.

Aaron’s instantaneous stardom quickly caught the eye of several major league organizations. He signed with the Braves, who assigned him to Class A Jacksonville for the 1953 season. Along with Black teammates Horace Garner and Felix Mantilla, Aaron integrated the South Atlantic League. Despite the pressure of breaking the color line in places like Montgomery, Ala., Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah, Ga., and Charleston and Columbia, S.C., Aaron led the league in batting average (.362), runs scored (115), hits (208), doubles (36), total bases (338) and RBIs (135). He spurred Jacksonville to the league championship and was named MVP. As one scribe wrote in regards to Aaron’s performance while navigating the Jim Crow laws that still governed the South at the time, “Henry Aaron led the league in everything except hotel accommodations.”

The next season, Aaron made his major league debut for the Milwaukee Braves, sparking a career that can be argued as the greatest in baseball history. He wound up launching 755 home runs in an extraordinary 23-year career, but even if he didn’t hit a single long ball in his career, Aaron still would have totaled more than 3,000 hits. He accumulated an MLB record 6,856 total bases; second-place Stan Musial is closer to 10th-place Carl Yastrzemski than he is to Aaron in first. Aaron knocked in 2,297 runs, the most in major league history. When he finally retired, he had scored 2,174 runs, the most of any National League player (he has since been passed by Barry Bonds).

Add it all up, and Aaron was a 25-time All-Star (some seasons during his playing days had more than one All-Star Game). That number is so staggering it blows the mind. It’s more All-Star Games than Tom Seaver and Frank Robinson combined. It’s as many All-Star Games that Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Schmidt can tally up. Even fellow Jacksonville Hall of Fame alums Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan and Phil Niekro combined for 23 All-Star Games between the three of them.

Aaron’s greatness is synonymous with more than just baseball because of how much he had to endure outside of the ballpark. Sadly, the blatant racism he began encountering with Jacksonville in 1953 was a harbinger of things to come. Aaron still rose above it in every single step of the journey anyway.

WILLIE WILSON

The Kansas City Royals’ first-round pick in 1974, Willie Wilson batted .253/.309/.325 with Double-A Jacksonville in 1976. Though he was still growing his game as a 20-year-old talent, he made his major league debut the same season for Kansas City and go on to play 19 seasons for the Royals.

Wilson did virtually everything during his big league career; he was a two-time All-Star, earned two Silver Slugger Awards and one Gold Glove Award, won the 1982 American League batting title (.332), set a league and club record in 1979 with 83 stolen bases and set all-time Royals records with 612 steals and a preposterous 13 inside-the-park home runs. Simply put, he was a dazzling player, finishing with 46.1 career bWAR and earning induction into the Royals Hall of Fame.

After playing 15 seasons with the Royals, including the 1985 campaign that saw the franchise win its first World Series title, Wilson played two years with Oakland before a pair of seasons with the Cubs to finish his career.

GIANCARLO STANTON

The 2009 season for Giancarlo Stanton, then known as Mike, was a remarkable campaign on his rise towards stardom in the major leagues. At just 19 years old, Stanton wound up leading both High-A Jupiter and Double-A Jacksonville in home runs despite playing in just 50 and 79 games, respectively, with the clubs.

Stanton returned to Jacksonville to start the 2010 campaign and mashed 15 home runs in his first 28 games, tallying 28 walks, 28 runs and 33 RBIs with a batting line of .340/.481/.854 during that stretch. After 52 games, he was hitting .313/.442/.729 with 21 home runs and 52 RBIs before the Marlins called him up to the major leagues.

In 12 MLB seasons since with the Marlins and New York Yankees, Stanton has walloped 347 long balls while batting .268/.358/.543 (143 OPS+). A four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Stanton was named the 2017 NL MVP after leading MLB in both home runs (59) and RBIs (132). His slugging percentage (.631) and OPS+ (169) topped the National League during that campaign.

Stanton also finished second in the MVP balloting in 2014 after besting the NL in homers (37) and slugging percentage (.555).

FRANK WHITE

Frank White is perhaps the most successful graduate of the Kansas City Royals Baseball Academy – established by team owner Ewing Kauffman and run by Syd Thrift – a flagship program that sought to refine the skills of athletically-gifted prospects who had been neglected by other major league teams because they had not played much baseball in high school or college. Like many of the Academy’s projects, Frank White had not been drafted. The Royals developed him into one of the leading second basemen of his generation.

One of the greatest defensive second basemen in major league history, White reached Double-A Jacksonville at just 21 years old in 1971. He slashed .252/.316/.318 with 13 stolen bases in 16 attempts over 91 games. Sadly, he was the only African-American player with Jacksonville at the time, so at various stops, his teammates would bring him food and drinks while he remained on the bus. White moved up to Triple-A Omaha to start the 1972 season before making his big league debut for the Royals later in that 1972 campaign.

Along with Wilson and other Royals legends like George Brett, White helped form the nucleus of Kansas City teams that won six division titles, two AL pennants and the 1985 World Series from 1976-85. Over a remarkable 18-year career, White earned eight Gold Glove Awards, five All-Star appearances and a Silver Slugger Award.

White’s No. 20 was retired by the Royals in 1995, the same year he was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame.

JOHN JORDAN “BUCK” O’NEIL

One of six members of the incoming Hall of Fame baseball class in 2022, John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil lived perhaps the most impactful life in baseball history.

Raised in Sarasota, Fla., O’Neil made his way to Jacksonville after receiving a scholarship to Edward Waters College, where he played both baseball and football. In 1937, he began his 11-season playing career in the Negro leagues, 10 of which would come with the legendary Kansas City Monarchs. O’Neil won a pair of batting titles, hitting .345 in 1940 and .350 in 1946 and developed a reputation as a smooth-fielding first baseman. He also managed the Monarchs from 1948-1955, leading the team to four Negro American League titles.

Though he never reached the major leagues as a player, O’Neil is credited with becoming both MLB’s first Black scout and coach. O’Neil is credited with scouting Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Lou Brock and Lee Smith, as well as other prominent major leaguers like Joe Carter and Oscar Gamble.

In addition to his work as a player, manager, scout and coach, O’Neil spent much of the later decades of his life as an advocate for the Negro leagues. He served as founder and board chairman of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum before dying in 2006 at the age of 94.

The Baseball Hall of Fame honors O’Neil’s legacy with the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award, which is given to individuals whose extraordinary efforts enhanced baseball’s positive impact on society, broadened the game’s appeal and whose character, integrity and dignity are comparable to the qualities exhibited by O’Neil.

BONUS: JOHN HENRY “POP” LLOYD

Though it is not certain where exactly Lloyd was born in Florida, he was raised by his grandmother in and around Jacksonville during his childhood. Often regarded as the greatest shortstop in the history of the Negro leagues thanks to his batting, fielding and base-stealing prowess, Lloyd enjoyed a 25-year career in which he regularly batted over .300.

As a player, Lloyd spent time with the Cuban X-Giants, Philadelphia Giants, Chicago Leland Giants, New York Lincoln Giants, Chicago American Giants, New York Lincoln Stars, Brooklyn Royal Giants, New York Bacharach Giants, Columbus Buckeyes, Atlantic City Bacharach Giants, Hilldale Daisies and the Harlem Stars. Lloyd also managed four of those teams over a span of six years while playing.

During his playing career, Lloyd was often compared with Hall of Fame shortstop Honus Wagner. While playing in Cuba, Lloyd earned the nickname “El Cuchara” (translated to English meaning “The Tablespoon” or “The Shovel”), for how he characteristically scooped up a glove-full of dirt from the ground every time he fielded a ball, similar to the style of Wagner.

Unfortunately, like many Negro leagues players, Lloyd passed away before he was elected into the Hall of Fame. His election came in 1977, 13 years after his death.

BEST OF THE REST

MARQUIS GRISSOM

Grissom batted .299/.365/.414 with Jacksonville in 1989 before embarking on a 17-year major league career. He helped the Atlanta Braves win the 1995 World Series and also spent time with the Montreal Expos, San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Indians. Grissom was a four-time Gold Glove Award winner and two-time All-Star.

DELINO DeSHIELDS

Like Grissom, DeShields was a member of the 1989 Jacksonville Expos, slashing a robust .270/.413/.371. He went on to play 13 seasons in the major leagues for the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, tallying eight seasons with at least 35 stolen bases.

MATT KEMP

Kemp hit .327/.402/.528 in 48 games with Jacksonville in 2006, a season that saw him later make his MLB debut. A three-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glover and two-time Silver Slugger over a 15-year career mainly with the Dodgers, Kemp finished playing with 1,808 hits and 287 home runs. He finished second in the NL MVP balloting in 2011 after batting .324/.399/.586 while leading the league in both home runs (39) and RBIs (126).

DAVE ROBERTS

Roberts put up stellar numbers with Jacksonville in both 1997 and 1998 as a Detroit Tigers farmhand. He is perhaps most well-known in his playing career for stealing second base in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, helping to ignite the Boston Red Sox to a historic 3-0 series comeback over the New York Yankees and eventually leading the club to its first World Series title since 1918. Roberts has served as the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2016, winning five NL West division titles, three NL pennants and the 2020 World Series.

JAMES LONEY

Loney slashed .264/.339/.378 as a member of both the 2004 and 2005 Jacksonville Suns. He made his debut for the Dodgers in 2006 and wound up playing 11 seasons in the major leagues with Los Angeles, the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox. He owns a career MLB batting line of .284/.336/.410.

EDWIN JACKSON

A member of the Jacksonville Suns in both 2003 and 2005, Jackson played for 14 different MLB teams in his 17-year career. He was an All-Star with Detroit in 2009, when he went 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA in 33 starts covering 214.0 innings. Jackson also helped the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals capture the franchise’s 11th World Series championship.

Drive Honored to be Part of MiLB’s “The Nine” Initiative

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and

Minor League Baseball® (MiLB™) today announced the launch of “The Nine,” a new, Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball, and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine will connect MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign. The new inclusion initiative follows MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión Latino fan engagement platform introduced in 2017 that included 76 MiLB teams in 2021.

The Nine will recognize and honor numerous Black pioneers and trailblazing civil rights leaders in all 120 MiLB communities, ensuring the heroes of the past and their contributions continue to be celebrated through ceremonies and events at MiLB ballparks and in the community. Recent tributes and celebrations have included Negro Leagues commemorative games honoring the Austin Black Senators in Round Rock (TX), the Bradenton (FL) Nine Devils, and Page Fence Giants near Lansing (MI). Additional tribute games are being planned for the 2022 season and beyond.

“The Nine will shine bright spotlights on these successful initiatives and transform them into national campaigns reaching more fans and communities, further showcasing our teams’ commitment to representing, honoring, and welcoming all fans to MiLB’s unique brand of fun,” said Kurt Hunzeker, MLB’s Vice President of Minor League Business Operations. “The Nine is just the latest example of MiLB teams being true community champions.”

In addition to player- and team-related content, The Nine will focus heavily on creating new opportunities for youth participation among young Black boys and girls, particularly in communities where youth baseball and softball programming is either nonexistent or difficult to access.

Central to this youth-focused push is a planned expansion of Major League Baseball’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) Program throughout MiLB’s national footprint. New competitions in MLB’s Pitch, Hit & Run and Junior Home Run Derby event series will also debut in MiLB markets beginning in 2022.

MiLB teams will continue to build relationships with local Black-owned and operated businesses, local artists and entertainers in an effort to embrace Black culture and make MiLB ballparks a hub for culturally relevant concerts, shows, and community events.

With several MiLB teams having a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in their community, opportunities will be provided for those schools to start internship and mentorship programs with their local team, creating opportunities for on-the-job experience for students prior to entering the job market. Additionally, MiLB recently partnered with TeamWork Online to create a more inclusive virtual job fair and ongoing talent pipeline that aims to recruit and position qualified and ready-for-hire candidates from across the country for potential management- and executive-level roles within MiLB team front offices.

Black History Month: Indy Celebrates Indians, Clowns and ABCs History

Here is a link to the original story on the team's website.

 

In celebration of Black History Month, throughout February, teams across Minor League Baseball are looking back at five of the best Black players to suit up for their club or play for a team within its market.

While some of these standout performers went on to long and illustrious Major League careers, others simply had great Minor League careers or, in some cases, just one incredible season that went down as “a year for the ages.”

Here is a look at five of the best Black baseball players ever to suit up for the Indianapolis Indians, Indianapolis Clowns and Indianapolis ABCs.

Andrew McCutchen

After being selected by Pittsburgh as the 11th overall pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, it took just two years for outfielder Andrew McCutchen to rise from rookie ball to Triple-A. Following a brief 17-game showing with Indianapolis in 2007 in which he hit .313, he paced the 2008 Indians in batting average (.283), hits (145), doubles (26) and OPS (.770) while finishing second in stolen bases (34) to earn himself a spot on the International League midseason All-Star team and a selection to the Futures Game.

Despite the stellar season, the budding five-tool superstar found himself in Indy once again to start the 2009 campaign. He hit safely in 17 of his last 20 games in an Indians uniform, compiling a .368 average, nine extra-base hits, 11 RBI and 16 runs scored during the stretch. He then broke into the majors with Pittsburgh on June 4 and collected two hits, three runs scored, one RBI and a stolen base in his MLB debut, and never looked back. He has become a five-time National League All-Star (2011-15), four-time Silver Slugger (2012-15), Gold Glove Award winner (2012) and MVP (2013). His NL MVP honor made him just the sixth former Indian to win an MVP Award and the first since Hall of Famer Larry Walker in 1997.

In addition to his numerous on-the-field accolades, McCutchen was presented with the Roberto Clemente Award in 2015, given annually to an MLB player who “best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.”

Razor Shines

A name synonymous with Indianapolis Indians baseball, Razor Shines played in over 800 games for the Indians across nine seasons (1984-89, 1991-93). Shines’ best season with Indianapolis came in 1984, his first campaign in the Circle City, when he had 26 doubles, 18 home runs and 80 RBI to earn Team MVP honors. Overall, his longevity and success has him among Indy’s all-time leaders in home runs (T-3rd, 68), RBI (4th, 404) and doubles (5th, 138).

While he only saw brief major league action in parts of four seasons, Shines played a huge role in guiding Indianapolis to American Association supremacy throughout the 1980s. He was part of four American Association pennant-winning teams (1984, ’86, 1988-89) and contributed to four consecutive AA postseason championships (1986-89). His image and likeness will forever be connected to the baby-blue Montreal Expos uniform era of dominance in Indianapolis Indians history.

Shines served as a player-coach for Indy in 1993, the final year of his playing career, and attended the final game played at Bush Stadium on July 3, 1996. He managed and coached for various minor and major league teams (White Sox, 2007; Mets, 2009-10) up through 2015. Shines most recently returned to Indianapolis in August 2019 to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the Indians 1989 American Association championship during Fan Appreciation Weekend.

Minnie Miñoso

After three years with the New York Cubans of the Negro National League, two of which he was named an All-Star, Minnie Miñoso made his major league debut with Cleveland on April 19, 1949, at 23 years old. Following the Golden Days Era Committee vote in December 2021, he will become the 13th former Indianapolis Indian enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

In 17 major league seasons, Miñoso – nicknamed the Cuban Comet – consistently ranked among American League leaders, topping the AL three times in stolen bases (1951-53) and triples (1951, ’54, ’56), and once in total bases (1954), doubles (1957) and hits (1960). The nine-time All-Star (1951-54, ‘57, 1959-60 [midseason and postseason]) and three-time Gold Glove Award winner (1957, 1959-60) finished fourth in AL MVP voting four times, the first coming in his first full MLB season when he also finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year race.

Miñoso, at age 38, appeared in 52 games with Indianapolis – then-affiliate of Chicago (AL) – in 1964. He hit .264 (47-for-178) with 11 doubles, four home runs, 26 RBI and six stolen bases. It was his first trip back to the minor leagues since 1950 with Triple-A San Diego. He was inducted into the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996 and received 14 votes from the 16-member Golden Days Era Committee on Dec. 5, 2021, to be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Miñoso, who died on March 1, 2015, will be officially inducted posthumously in the Hall of Fame Class of 2022 on July 24 in Cooperstown.

Hank Aaron

In 23 years in Major League Baseball, Hank Aaron became known as one of the best to ever step foot on a diamond. He hammered – a good testament to his well-known nickname, Hammerin’ Hank – 755 home runs over the course of his lengthy major league career, with an MLB-leading 44 in 1957 when he was voted National League MVP. He is the current record holder for career RBI (2,297) and total bases (6,856) over 3,298 games. He spent 21 of his 23 MLB seasons with the Braves, from Milwaukee to Atlanta where he died in 2021. However, that’s not where his career began.

As an 18-year-old, Aaron spent 26 official games donning an Indianapolis Clowns uniform. That’s according to The Howe Sports Bureau, because those stats can seldom be found anywhere else. In those games, he hit .366 with five home runs, 33 RBI, 41 hits and nine stolen bases – numbers that do not count toward his career MLB totals.

Over his career, he led MLB four times in RBI (1957, ’60, ’63 and ’66) and total bases (1957, 1959-60, ’63), three times in slugging percentage and OPS (1959, ’63, and ’71), twice in total hits (1956, ’59) and runs (1963 and ’67), and once in batting average (1959), not to mention the seasons in which he just led the National League. In addition to his 1957 NL MVP Award – the year in which he led the Milwaukee Braves to a World Series title over the Yankees – he was named an All-Star 25 times over 21 consecutive seasons from 1955-75, earned MVP votes 19 consecutive seasons from 1955-73 and won three Gold Glove Awards (1958-60).

Oscar Charleston

Hall of Famer Oscar Charleston’s long and historic career began in his hometown of Indianapolis. After working as the batboy for the Indianapolis ABCs as a child and spending his mid-to-late teenage years serving in World War I, Charleston hit cleanup for the ABCs in 1920, the first year of the National Negro League.

Nicknamed the Hoosier Comet, Charleston led the league with 122 hits, 80 runs scored and 11 triples that season. After a year away, he returned to Indianapolis in ’22 and continued to flash his speed and just a hint of power. He led the league in almost every offensive category that season, setting career highs in games played (101), runs scored (105), total hits (150), triples (18) and RBI (102). In 18 years with seven different teams, Charleston played in 916 games and hit .364 with 80 triples, 143 home runs, 853 RBI and 209 stolen bases.

During his playing career Charleston also served as manager of the Harrisburg Giants (1924-26), Hilldale Club (1929), the Pittsburgh Crawfords-turned Toledo/Indianapolis Crawfords (1933-40) and Philadelphia Stars (1941). He managed the Stars in 1948 at the age of 51 and came out of retirement in 1954 to manage the Indianapolis Clowns, a team that featured two women – Connie Morgan and Mamie “Peanut” Johnson – on its roster.

Other Black players who played for the Indians or in the Indianapolis market and narrowly missed top five recognition include George Foster, Ken Griffey Sr., Eric Davis, Hal McRae, Don Buford, Dallas Williams and Larry Raines.