Negro Baseball Leagues

From the turn of the century to the mid-1950s, baseball grew from a game played among local teams with disparate rules into leagues with governing bodies, eventually becoming America's “national pastime.” The Negro Leagues, in particular, were formed in response to discrimination that prevented African Americans from playing in Major League Baseball (MLB), operating under the “separate but equal” doctrine. Despite the turbulence of leagues emerging and folding, as well as raiding each other for players, black baseball became a source of pride for the African American community. The integration of MLB, however, led to the demise of the Negro Leagues as black newspapers and fans devoted themselves to following Jackie Robinson in what was deemed the “noble experiment.”

The history of African American men participating in competitive baseball dates back to 1860. By 1865, black baseball teams had proliferated in northeastern states such as New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In fact, by 1880, some black players, including Moses Fleetwood Walker, played on predominantly white teams. Integrated teams were relatively short-lived, as legislation, the Compromise of 1887, and Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896 ended the Reconstruction Era in the United States, subsequently reintroducing segregation and Jim Crow laws.

Furthermore, a “gentlemen's agreement,” established in 1887 among white owners fueled by Chicago White Stockings player/manager Cap Anson, pushed black players out of the major leagues into the minor leagues, then finally out of MLB altogether until Jackie Robinson's debut in 1947. During this time, there was an attempt to create one of the first Negro Leagues, the National Colored League, in 1887. Despite the league's folding after a few months, the seed was planted regarding the establishment of a formal league where black players had an opportunity to compete.

Black baseball played a crucial role in bringing people of varying social status together. African Americans as team owners were often prominent members of their communities. For example, Effa Manley, who owned the Newark Eagles, served as treasurer of the New Jersey chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The relationship between teams and businesses was often reciprocal, as businesses supported teams through advertisements and ball clubs gave back to their communities by participating in games that benefited local charities. Sensing the importance of baseball, local politicians utilized games to increase their visibility and relevance in the community. Baseball games served as important social events, with community members, celebrities, and politicians coming out in droves for Sunday games.

During the formative years of Negro League baseball a continual debate existed about the role that whites should play in the management of the leagues and teams. Some people in the African American community resented that white booking agents and team owners profited off African American players. With the exception of the Philadelphia-based Hilldale Daisies, few black team owners also owned the ballparks in which the teams played. This resulted in African American teams leasing or renting ballparks from white owners through white booking agents, as blacks were excluded from those positions. At first glance, the major league facilities seemed to be an upgrade; however, African American players were rarely allowed to use the locker rooms, and stadium [Page 1605]seating often remained segregated. These facilities rarely employed blacks, which further undermined the financial viability of African American communities. The facilities owned by Negro League teams such as Hilldale Park were often subpar in terms of playing surfaces, amenities such as working bathrooms, and location, often being far from the African American populace. In sum, leasing facilities from white owners cut directly into the economic development of the African American communities that supported Negro League teams.

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