In the early 1900s, professional baseball was mostly segregated. The Negro Leagues provided an alternative for African American players. Discover the history of African American baseball and the people who worked to end the sport's decades of segregation

Introduces several of the greatest Negro Leagues baseball players who played before the integration of baseball in 1947.

"From the late 1800s to 1947, Major League Baseball prevented Black athletes from competing. Many played in the Negro Leagues. Learn about the history of the Negro Leagues and some of baseball's greatest players"--

Buck Leonard was a famous first baseman who played for one of the top teams in Negro league history, the Homestead Grays, for sixteen seasons, beginning in 1934. Leonard's skill led him to be known as the "black Lou Gehrig," but he was not offered a Major League Baseball contract until 1952. He declined because he felt he was too old and might damage the image of black players in general if he were injured. Leonard's story illuminates the unique challenges...

Describes the major events and legendary players that led the way for the integration of Major League baseball.

"James Thomas 'Cool Papa' Bell (1903-1991) was a National Negro League all-star who was best known for his legendary speed. A center fielder, Bell's batting average was regularly over .4, and in one season he was said to have stolen 175 bases in just 200 games. Because of segregation, Bell was never able to play for a major league team, but he was considered by many to have been the fastest man in baseball's history. His story illuminates the financial...

Satchel Paige was an enormously popular pitcher whose career spanned nearly thirty seasons across numerous teams. When he joined the Cleveland Indians in 1948, he became the oldest major league rookie on a major league team, and he was the first Negro league player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Paige is often considered one of the most talented and entertaining pitchers of any race to have ever played baseball. This engaging narrative...

"In 1934, Chicago was the setting for one of the most fascinating ballgames in history: the second annual East-West Games. Come step back in time to see the best of the best Negro League players take each other on in this All-Star Game. This exhilarating play-by-play is a tour de force: a complete imagining of the radio broadcast of that thrilling game. You'll meet the legendary players, step into the stands with the fans, and even hear the radio...

Presents a history of the Negro leagues, in the form of a school report written by a young girl after a visit to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.