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Home , Oscar Charleston, Willie Wells

About the Negro Leagues

African Americans played alongside whites in ROHRBACH LIBRARY the 1800s at the dawn of organized , but quickly found their fiercest opponent to be Voices and Choices Center Jim Crow. At the 1867 meeting of 15200 Kutztown Road the National Association of Baseball Players Kutztown, PA 19530 (NABP), blacks and the clubs they played for Phone: 610-683-4766 An Exhibition were barred from membership. Their exclu- E-mail: [email protected] sion lasted for the next 80 years. When the of NABP evolved into the first professional base- ball league and then into the National League, NEGRO LEAGUES unwritten rules kept blacks out of the majors. Art and Memorabilia So they fielded barnstorming squads and formed their own leagues that, in the first half of the 20th century, included some of the CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA greatest players the game has ever known. AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM Today’s National League is home to reigning 119 North 10th Street World Series champs the Philadelphia Phillies, Reading, PA 19601 led by African American infielders Jimmy Phone: 610-371-8713 Rollins and Ryan Howard: the league’s Most E-mail: [email protected] Valuable Players in 2006 and 2007, respec- tively.

Willie Foster, oil, 20 x 22” by Elise Dodeles

Special thanks to Diane King and Bill Haelig for their generous loans of at the ROHRBACH LIBRARY memorabilia for this exhibit. of Kutztown University

Background image: “Philadelphia, Pennsyl- through December 19, 2008 , oil, vania. Grandstand of a baseball park at Girard Avenue and Parkside Avenue. This field 16 x 20” is used principally by the Negro League.” at the CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA by Elise Dodeles Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [LC-USW3- 056198-E DLC] January 14 – February 28, 2009 The Negro Leagues

A selection of the “Smokey” Joe Williams was a dominant right ARTIST’S STATEMENT Negro Leagues Paintings handed pitcher known for Portraits have historically been created by Elise Dodeles on display in 2nd floor his many no-hitters. He was to commemorate great leaders and Periodicals area of Rohrbach Library (west side) elected to the Baseball Hall pivotal events. But just as often they of Fame in 1999. have portrayed ordinary people doing was the last player from the Negro everyday things. In either case, the Leagues to join the Major act of portraying someone in a paint- Leagues. He was elected ing is a way to honor that person. to the Baseball Hall of had a 25-year Sadly, most Negro League ballplay- career in the Negro Fame in 1982. ers were not honored when they Leagues. As a he played the game. This exhibition, cu- combined speed and power, leading the League rated by Bruce Jensen and supported played in home runs in 1926. He by Dr. Barbara Simpson-Darden of for the Baltimore Elite was elected to the Baseball Kutztown University's Rohrbach Li- Hall of Fame in 1997. Giants of the Negro brary and Frank & Mildred Gilyard’s

Leagues for almost 10 Central Pennsylvania African American years before joining the Dodgers. He was elected Events and Special Guests Museum, seeks to celebrate some of to the Baseball Hall of Dr. Lawrence Hogan and former Negro League star the accomplishments of Negro League Fame in 1969. Robert Scott baseball. It is also a way for me to December 4, 2008, 7:00pm personally honor the League's players Kutztown University McFarland Student Union 250 through the creation of paintings

Eminent black baseball author, filmmaker, and historian Hogan, based on their likenesses. I am thank- who created the MLB Baseball Hall of Fame’s Pride and Passion permanent exhibition, is joined by pitcher Bob Scott who played ful for that opportunity and glad that, Andrew “Rube” Foster all over the Negro Leagues circuit in his years with the New York by taking the time to view them and was a player, Black Yankees and a barnstorming squad called ’s the rest of the exhibit, you too have and owner in the Negro Traveling All Stars. After the talk, accompany the speakers to Rohrbach Lbrary next door to enjoy and discuss the paintings. chosen to recognize their accomplish- Leagues. He began the ments. Negro National League in “The Souls of Black Baseball: Barnstorming the Key‐ 1920. He was elected to —Elise Dodeles the Baseball Hall of Fame stone State” Dr. Bob Allen February 14, 2009, 2:00pm in 1981. http://www.geocities.com/edodeles/ Central PA African American Museum http://elisedod.pbwiki.com/Art See and hear the rich history of black baseball as played in Penn‐ sylvania, and get to know the stories and contributions of Octa‐ vius Catto, , Cum Posey, Gus Greenlee, and other black baseballers who thrilled fans throughout the Keystone State. (This presentation is a program of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, supported in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The Pennsylvania Humanities Council, a nonprofit organization, inspires individuals to enjoy and share a life of learning.)