Black History Month and Baseball

[HumnHilghtFreel]

I figured since today was the first day of Black History Month, I'd post some links just to browse over and get a little appreciation in.

http://www.blackbaseball.com/introd.htm

http://www.nlbm.com/

[pedro]

We talked about "black history month" when I lived in Ann Arbor in 1st grade (1975) and then it was never mentioned again the entire time I was in school in Cincinnati, California, or in New Jersey.

[thatcoolguy_22]

"black history month" is a joke. where is western european, latin, or women's history. I was raised in the south and every feb we were constantly lectured in class about george washington carver and his damn peanut butter and harriet Tubman with her underground railroad.

All "black history month" leads to is the further distinction of race and color among americans. This whole concept is horrible at best. It was a great idea at the time to raise awareness about everything black people have done throughout our history but, if people really want to be treated as equals there shouldn't be something in neon lights in everyones face screaming, "Hey! we are not the same color as you but, We did some cool stuff too!!!"

IMO

[thatcoolguy_22]

also the negro leagues had some of the best athletes of their time. Cool papa bell supposively was so fast he hit a grounder to 2nd base and was hit by it while sliding into 2nd base... fairly cool imo

[westofyou]

"black history month" is a joke.

Actually I found you assertion that it's a joke even more laughable and rooted in a here and now mentality one that is obviously cloaked in your own concept of reality.

JMO

[thatcoolguy_22]

its just my opinion. I grew up in savannah ga and most of my friends would cringe at the thought of black history month. I am a black male age 23 and I do not appreciate it in the slighest. but west do you...

[westofyou]

its just my opinion. I grew up in savannah ga and most of my friends would cringe at the thought of black history month. I am a black male age 23 and I do not appreciate it in the slighest. but west do you...

Still, it is representative of your reality, meanwhile there are many a white kid out here in Portland that need that sort of introduction to history... and take my word for it, they haven't been getting it regularly out here the past 100 years.

But then again my wife is pretty good friends with a guy whose grandfather was Arthur Ashe's coach and he'd give a convincing argument that it's needed.

[AlbertPike]

"black history month" is a joke.

I totally agree with you on this.

I thought me and brothers might be the only ones who thought so, we have been having meetings about for a long time now

[HumnHilghtFreel]

Another interesting article from milb.com HERE

[thatcoolguy_22]

Still, it is representative of your reality, meanwhile there are many a white kid out here in Portland that need that sort of introduction to history... and take my word for it, they haven't been getting it regularly out here the past 100 years.

But then again my wife is pretty good friends with a guy whose grandfather was Arthur Ashe's coach and he'd give a convincing argument that it's needed.

I agree with you entirely when you say it is my personal reality. In fact my friends and I often felt isolated and pointed out whenever feb would come around. I have had countless discussions and debates throughout both highschool and college over the merits of black history month.

Also I appreciate you for pointing that out. People often are quick to jump down my throat any time I speak out against BHM. It does make sense what you were saying about people in Portland and other places with a predominantly white community to learn the history through the eyes of someone other than the majority in society.

Basic black contributions that I am extremely proud of that often do not receive their proprer recognition:

1)Dr. Carter G. Woodson- parents were both former slaves. Did not begin highschool in Kentucky until the zge of 20. Went on to receive his PhD from Harvard. It's safe to say that he is the man who is responsible for there being as much information out today about the history of black america.

2)Hiram Revels- The first black U.S. senator in Mississppi. I want to say late 1860's early 1870's not positive though. I'll edit later.

3)Benny Andrews- Benny Andrews (November 13, 1930 - November 10, 2006) was an American painter, print-maker, creator of collages and educator. He was born November 13, 1930 in Plainview, Georgia and died November 10, 2006 in Brooklyn, New York.

Andrews was an African American who was one of 10 children of sharecroppers and was raised in the Southern United States while it was still segregated. He was the first in his family to graduate from high-school and then Andrews went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force. Afterwards, the G.I. Bill of Rights afforded him training at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His first New York solo show was in 1962. From 1968 to 1997 Andrews taught at Queens College, City University of New York and created a prison arts program that became a model for the nation. He was the director of visual arts for the National Endowment for the Arts, 1982 to 1984. In 1983 he was instrumental in helping form The National Arts Program which today is the largest coordinated visual arts program in the nation's history.

Benny Andrews was a figural painter in the expressionist style who painted a diverse range of themes of suffering and injustice, including The Holocaust, Native American forced migrations, and most recently, Hurricane Katrina. Other influences on his work include Anti-Modernist American Scene painting, Surrealism, and Southern folk art. His work hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago, the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York City, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, Louisiana.


link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Andrews


easier to let everyone read everything than for me to summarize


4)William h Johnson- Artist. The smithsonian has a guide and offer lessons just on his work alone. Amazing artist


Almost everyone knows of the importance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jackie Robinson, Harriet Tubman, and George Washington Carver but, These individuals deserve much more notoriety than what they have achieved.

[Chip R]

Just remember this is a baseball board. If you want to debate Black History Month specifically, you can do it here

http://lastperson.suncircle.org/index.php

[JaxRed]

Here's a thought.... why don't we keep this thread on topic?


edit : Chip beat me to it

[thatcoolguy_22]

sorry for the rant. this is a baseball forum so lets get back to business...

Another interesting article from milb.com HERE

Satchel Paige could possibly have been a top 5 pitcher of all time had he been allowed into the leagues at a younger age. There all sorts of rumors and heresay but here are some basic facts:

1927 pitching for the birmingham black barons he 93IP 80 K and 19BB
1929 set the negro league K record in a season with 184. I haven't found his innings pitched. Also that includes 17 in a single game.
1932 joined the homestead grays with a team that included Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston and Ted Radcliffe.
1932 Grays sign Cool Papa Bell, John Henry Russell, Leroy Matlock, Jake Stephens, ”Boojum” Wilson, Jimmie Crutchfield, Ted Page, Judy Johnson and Rap Dixon. Arguably one of the greatest teams ever assembled. 5 future hall of famers...

1936 On February 7, 1936, Joe DiMaggio was making his last stop as a minor leaguer before joining the New York Yankees, and he was going to have to face baseball’s best pitcher, Satchel Paige. DiMaggio ended up going 1-4 with the game winning RBI in the bottom of the tenth. A Yankee scout watching the game wired the big club that day a report which read, “DIMAGGIO EVERYTHING WE’D HOPED HE’D BE: HIT SATCH ONE FOR FOUR.”

Over the next few years he bounced around multiple leaguesincluding mexico and the dominican republic before Jakie broke the color barrier.

On his last game that he ever pitched in as a major leaguer at the young age of 59 he threw 3 innings allowing ZERO runs to a Boston Red Sox team that included a guy by the name if Carl Yastrzemski... in 1966



Satchel was ridiculously great!

[savafan]

You have to appreciate what Jackie Robinson did, when he did it. The civil rights movement hadn't even really started yet, and here he was, breaking the color barrier in MLB. And, he did it alone. It wasn't like there was a group of other black baseball players that came in with him that he could lean on, it was all Jackie.

[AlbertPike]

You have to appreciate what Jackie Robinson did, when he did it.

No you dont