Bases Loaded
West Wins 10 - 8 Over East In Black All-Star Game Honoring The Negro League World Series
Satch Page and Josh Gibson may not be here but one hundred years after the first Negro League World Series, the game is as exciting as ever.
On September 1, 2024, the West won with the final score, West 10 and the East 8 at Prince George’s Stadium, home of the Baysox.
Those who played in the symbolic game wore the traditional uniforms of the original Negro League players of the 1930s. The game was played as part of a celebration recognizing the unveiling of the new Hank Aaron 50th anniversary forever stamp; he broke Babe Ruth record of 714 with 715 home runs April 8, 1974 (See “A Slice of Baseball History, A Stamp Forever” in the Summer/Fall 2024 edition of Prince George’s Suite Magazine). There was a special salute to Negro League Legends Hall of Fame (NLLHOF, see www.nllhof.org) late board member Levi “Chappie” Drew who played for the Negro League Indianapolis Clowns in 1957. Hank played for the Indianapolis Clowns in 1952 for three months before signing to the MLB.
The NLLHOF East/West all-star game saluting the 1933 East/West all-star created by Gus Greenlee the first played in 1933, at Comisky Park Chicago, IL.
Our trophy is named after Bill Foster the brother of Andrew "Rube" Foster who played for the Chicago American Giants pitched a complete game and won the First Inaugural East West all- star .... on that day, the final score was West 11 and the East 7. There were 19,568 in attendance on September 10, 1933. Hank Aaron would have played for the West most likely if he was not signed to major league baseball.
The establishment and journey of the Negro National League began on February 13, 1920, in Kansas City, MO. Being that this was the era of Jim Crow laws, segregation prevented the Colored players from receiving adequate treatment and equal pay compared to their white counterparts. The mistreatment led Hall of Famer Andrew “Rube” Foster, to gather, meet with and lead eight independent Black Baseball team owners to form what we know as the Negro National League (NNL).
This year marks the inaugural 100-year anniversary of the Colored World Series of 1924, the first game played in Schorling’s Park, Chicago, IL. The fourth and fifth games were played Sunday, October 3, 1924 and Monday the fourth at Maryland Baseball Park, Baltimore, MD.
To commemorate the milestone, various celebrations and presentations will be held throughout the year beginning in February. Founder and CEO of the Negro League Legends Hall of Fame, Inc (NLLHOF) 21 years of hard work, dedication, and legacies.
Dwayne Renal Sims, has a vision and passion of sharing untold stories in American Baseball History of Colored Leagues and Negro Leagues. His efforts and collaborations with members inside and outside of the community as far south to Alabama, and west to Kentucky. For more information, visit www.nllhof.org