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Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
The Negro Leagues Baseball
Museum was began in 1990, in Kansas City, Missouri by a group of
former Negro League players, including Kansas City Monarchs
outfielder, Alfred Surratt. In 1994, it had to be moved because it
had been in a single office, and needed the 2000 square foot space
that it moved into. In 1997, the museum had to move again, but this
time to a specifically built building that is five times bigger than
the last. It now sits in the 18th and Vine District of the city,
which is the heart of the African-American culture that rose in the
city during the first half of the 20th century. In the same
building, the American Jazz Museum opened, that celebrates that
wonderful venue that blossomed during the same time. The museum
chronicles the progress of the Negro Leagues with placards and
interactive displays, as well as lined walls of owners, players and
officials of the league, from the Negro National League of 1920
through the Negro American League, which ended in 1960. As you move
through this marvelous display, you go forward through the history
of the black baseball teams; with one area set up with lockers, for
some of the legends, as well as game-worn uniforms, gloves, cleats
and other exciting relics from such well known baseball stars as
Josh Gibson, the black Babe Ruth, and others. The most spectacular
exhibit of the museum is the Field of Legends, that is separated
from the rest of the museum by chicken wire, and only able to be
accessed at the end of the tour. Here, you will walk onto a field
with life sized bronze statues of 12 of baseball's greatest, but of
the Negro League, with Gibson playing behind the plate, and
allegedly hitting more than 80 home runs in one season. Another is
Buck Leonard, a baseball Hall of Famer, like Gibson, who played with
the Homestead Grays. Ray Dandridge is on second, Pop Lloyd on short,
Judy Johnson at third; with Cool Papa Bell, Oscar Charleston and
Leon Day in the outfield. On the mound, perhaps the most famous of
them all, Satchel Paige, who went into the Major Leagues at age 42,
in 1948. And last, but not least, is Martin Dihigo, the only man
that ever was inducted into the Hall of Fame in three countries,
Mexico, Cuba and the United States. Other statues include Rube
Foster, founder of the league and Buck O'Neil, former Kansas City
Monarch and member of the board of the museum until his passing in
2006. The museum was a Founding Sports Partner of the Sports Museum
of America, which opened in 2008, and closed in 2009, located on
Broadway in New York City. In June of 2008, Geddy Lee, member of the
rock band Rush, a staunch fan himself, donated almost 200
autographed baseballs to the museum, with signatures like Hank
Aaron, Lionel Hampton and Cool Papa Bell; and at that time, the
biggest single donation to the museum. A rather sad note to
finish off with, Alfred "Slick" Surratt, one of the founders of the
museum, just passed on in the end of February, 2010. He was a
monument of a man, a great baseball player and friend, father and
diplomat to the generations that followed and learned about his
gift. In 1952, Slick stopped playing with the Monarchs, and no
reason is given. He was one of those amazing men that you only learn
a small bit of information, after he is gone. After his short career
in baseball, Alfred went to work at the Ford Motor Company's
Claycomo plant, and stayed there for 51 years before his retirement
party, which he attended in his typical welder's outfit, and after
the party, went back to work for another 15 years. His son, Alfred
Surratt Jr. still carries his memories and vivid stories on. Truly a
remarkable man, and one we hope to learn more about someday.
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