Negro Leagues Recognized as Part of MLB!!

[KCLJ520]

To say that I am beyond thrilled is a gross understatement! For these legends to finally receive their due appreciation is just awesome!

"'Long overdue': Negro Leagues now part of Major League Baseball, stats counted in MLB records" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1251429

 

[katester44]

Completely agree with your statement -- in my eyes however, they have always been major leaguers.

I believe I have mentioned this before here, but I had the opportunity to be seated next to about a dozen negro leaguers and widows at the All Star Game in Cleveland. Wish I had taken pictures, etc., but had some amazing conversations.

 

[jflan702]

This is fantastic and I agree, long overdue. I can't wait to see the updated stats for the greats. Let's see where that puts them in the top 10 of the statistics for hitting and pitching.

 

[Jack]

Agre LONG,LONG overdue
Jack

 

[KCLJ520]

Completely agree with your statement -- in my eyes however, they have always been major leaguers.

I believe I have mentioned this before here, but I had the opportunity to be seated next to about a dozen negro leaguers and widows at the All Star Game in Cleveland. Wish I had taken pictures, etc., but had some amazing conversations.

I always felt that same way, Katester, I thought these gentlemen were the legends of the game at a time that the competition was pretty stiff in MLB....I would have just loved to see the MLB barnstormers vs. the Negro League barnstormers, when Babe and Lou in the 30s and Feller and Dizzy Dean in the 40s would play Satchel, Cool Papa, Buck Leonard, Judy Johnson, Ray Dandridge....and by all accounts, the Negro League teams usually came out the victors!

Also, I would love to hear some of your experiences with the players and widows, that is just AWESOME!

Blessings,

Kevin

 

[KCLJ520]

This is fantastic and I agree, long overdue. I can't wait to see the updated stats for the greats. Let's see where that puts them in the top 10 of the statistics for hitting and pitching.

I agree, that was one of the first things my wife and I talked about when she showed me the article last night. I was excited to see how that would expand Willie Mays' totals, as well as Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby, and others. Monte Irvin said he spent the best years of his career in the Negro Leagues, so a whole generation of players is about to get some richly deserved recognition.

This is a new addition to the MLB website, a collaboration with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City:
The Negro Leagues | MLB.com

On Josh Gibson's HOF plaque, it notes that he hit "almost 800 home runs" which was a quote from Satchel Paige when he was elected (that would not surprise me at all if that were entirely true). If that can be accurately verified, and he has more than 762, then he is the new home run leader!