In celebration of the centennial anniversary of the Negro Leagues.
At a time when prejudice kept some of baseball’s all time greats out of the big leagues, they found their own platform to shine. In the words of Monte Irvin:
I played in three countries. I played in two World Series. But I never found anything to match the joy and the laughter those years with the (Negro Leagues’) Eagles brought me. The city and county loved us.
For me, there was nothing like my time with the Eagles - ever. We were young, and the world was new to us. It was the happiest time of our lives. They wouldn't let us play in their big leagues, but we had this game of ours... this marvelous, blessed game... and we just went out and played it.
Here are some hand-drawn baseball cards I designed of some of the Negro Leagues’ biggest legends:
COOL PAPA BELL
Cool Papa’s teammates and opponents couldn’t stop raving about his speed, which evolved into a thing of legend. Some big tales include circling the bases in 13 seconds and reaching second base fast enough to be hit by his own batted ball. (Is that an out?) Bell was also known for living a squeaky clean lifestyle. “An even better man off the field than on it,” described his teammate Ted Page.
TONI STONE
Toni Stone, along with Connie Morgan, and Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, was one of the first three women to play professional baseball. In 1953, she was signed to play second base for the Indianapolis Clowns, inheriting the position from none other than Hank Aaron. Her presence in the league was mostly received with hostility. In 2019, her story was adapted for the stage play Curve Ball.
SATCHEL PAIGE
While Paige’s pitching skills alone are worthy of merit, he is perhaps most known for his incredible longevity, playing professionally up until the age of 59, between both the Major Leagues and the Negro Leagues. Paige’s feat of durability gained so much attention that he regularly drew a large crowd. As one crowd-pleasing stunt, he would often have his infielders sit down, then record three strikeouts.
MONTE IRVIN
Outspoken and extremely athletic, Monte Irvin used his experience in both the Major Leagues and the Negro Leagues to call on others to consider the legacies of players like Oscar Charleston and Josh Gibson alongside baseball’s usually heralded names. While he went on to have a long career with the Giants, Irvin hailed his decade-plus with the Negro Leagues’ Newark Eagles as the most fun he ever had.
JOSH GIBSON
Almost certainly the best catcher of all-time, and the best power hitter of his era. While he’s been called “the Black Babe Ruth,” his home run totals eclipse the Yankee star’s. Negro League statistics are often ambiguous, but various publications estimate around 962 career homers, 200 over Barry Bonds’ all time MLB record. He played for teams in Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Pittsburgh, as well as with the Homestead Grays.
SMOKEY JOE WILLIAMS
Smokey Joe is simply one of the greatest and most feared pitchers to ever throw a baseball. Ty Cobb insisted that in the Major Leagues, he would have been a sure 30-game winner. Williams’ signature strength gave him the ability to throw a baseball incredibly hard. His fastball kept him playing professionally for over two decades.
OSCAR CHARLESTON
Historians often consider Charleston to be the best player that casual fans haven’t heard of. Buck O’Neil once described him as possibly the greatest all-around Negro League ballplayer. Charleston served in the US Army, playing on his regiment’s baseball team. He excelled as a two-way player, pitching and slugging through the Manila League.
BUCK O’NEIL
It’s hard to think of someone who has shown more love for the game of baseball than Buck O’Neil. As a player, then manager, then public figure, he worked tirelessly to preserve the legacy of the Negro Leagues, establishing the Negro League Museum in Kansas City. He has been awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
JACKIE ROBINSON
While Jackie Robinson is the name most associated with integrating baseball, he spent just five months in the Negro Leagues. Still, it was an eventful year for the Kansas City Monarchs in 1945. Robinson held the team’s best batting average, taking the field in between tryouts for the Red Sox and talks with the Dodgers.