Negro leagues

Essay by tjking10High School, 11th gradeA, May 2014

download word file, 6 pages 0.0

King 1

T.J. King


Karen Novacon


The Negro Baseball Leagues

Crack! David Ortiz hits one high, hits one deep, it is out of here! Today it would sound bizarre to not allow David Ortiz into the MLB because of skin color, but it was not always like this. Beginning in the early 1900s, blacks were not allowed to play in the MLB. Baseball ended up being one of the great contributions to segregation. Blacks were forced to create their own league because the white people of America refused to play with the colored people. The history of the Negro Baseball League's history shows some of the best players of all time. Breaking the color barrier was huge during the time segregation was still a part of life for the black people and the white people. The color barrier between black and white baseball players is a key contribution to the continuation of racism and segregation from the late 1800's to the mid 1900s.

Most people are unaware that before the blacks went on to form their own league separate from the whites, they played alongside them, but weren't able to be called up to the majors. In 1890, the colored people were officially kicked out of white baseball and it was not until 1897 when the Negro Baseball League was officially formed for the colored people in America. Although the league was eventually created, it took a total of seven years before it was able to begin. It was hard to cover the financials of the league because there was no money to be able to be put into the league. All of the board members were the players of the league.

King 2

There was not even a commissioner of the league when it...