September 19, 2004–January 7, 2005 - (FORT WAYNE, IN)
Jackie Robinson broke the color line in baseball -- the unwritten rule made in the 1890s barring African Americans from playing in the major leagues -- when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. That and other less well-known facts can be discovered in The National Pastime in Black and White: The Negro Baseball Leagues, 1867-1955, a new exhibit now open at the Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, Ind. The exhibit tells the story of the Negro Leagues during segregation. The exhibit will run through Jan. 7, 2005. Museum admission is $3.99; $2.99 for seniors and children ages 5-12. The museum is at 200 E. Barry. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Call (260) 455-3864 or visit thelincolnmuseum.org

January 21 - 23, 2005 (DETROIT, MI) - At the Detroit Public Library Main Library, 5201 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, Phone: (313) 833-1000. 1) Buck O’ Neil Negro League Baseball Exhibit Cass Lobby First Floor Friday- Sunday 2) Soul of the Game – Video on Negro League Baseball Saturday, Jan, 22, 11 am –1 pm Explorers Room 3) The Legend of Turkey Stearns – Lecture on Negro League Baseball Standout Saturday, Jan. 22, 1 - 2 pm, Friends Conference Room, Second Floor

January 29, 2005 (JACKSONVILLE, FL) - United Community Coalition, Inc., a local non-profit business league, will sponsor an official sanctioned Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee Event. “Super Celebration of Athletes” will be held January 29, 2005 at the James P. Small Park on 8th and Myrle Avenue beginning at 11:00 a.m. Five players from the Negro Baseball Leagues live in Jacksonville and played with the Jacksonville Red Caps, Indianapolis Clowns and the Kansas City Monarchs.  Located in the heart of the Durkeeville Neighborhood in Jacksonville, James P. Small Park was the home of the Jacksonville Red Caps, a Negro League Team, and to African American schools before integration. Contact Person: Debra Edwards, United Community Coalition, 904-626-9921, Fax: 904-764-0097, website: http://www.unitedcoalition.net

February 8, 2005 (HARRISBURG, PA) -The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), the Department of State (DOS) and the Public Utility Commission (PUC) will present a program commemorating Black History Month on Tuesday, Feb. 8, beginning at noon in the State Museum Auditorium, North and Third Streets, Harrisburg. The program is free and is open to the public. This years theme, Giants Come Home, pays tribute to the efforts of the Harrisburg Giants, a Negro Baseball League team founded in 1890 that became one of the first integrated teams in a segregated league. Members of the team will be present for questions. DATE: Tuesday, Feb. 8, TIME: Noon, LOCATION: State Museum Auditorium North and Third Streets Harrisburg PA.  CONTACT: Allison Hrestak, Pennsylvania Department of State, +1-717-783-1621. 

February 9, 2005 (CHESTER, PA) - Widener University, Widener SBA’s Third Annual Diversity Week. Negro League Baseball Players Association: Wed., February 9th, 5 pm in Ruby Vale bldg.  SELA presents Charles Winner, Esq., attorney for the Negro League Baseball Players Association. An original player (Stanley Glenn) will be joining Mr. Winner and a light reception, hosted by SELA and BLSA, will follow.

February 10, 2005 (BALTIMORE, MD) - PRESS RELEASE, Baltimore City Public School System - Contact: Vanessa C. Pyatt - 410-396-8599.  In celebration of Black History Month, the Medfield Heights school community will welcome Negro Baseball League’s Joe Durham and Hubert Simmons during school wide assemblies at 9:00 and 9:35 AM on Thursday, February 10, 2005.  Open to students, parents and faculty. Click here to see photos of this event.

February 12, 2005 (SEGUIN, TX) - The sixth annual "Smokey" Joe Williams Scholarship Banquet will be held on Saturday evening February 12, 2005 at the Seguin-Guadalupe County Coliseum. Seguin, Texas is the hometown of "Smokey" Joe Williams, and six years ago a scholarship fund was established in his honor. Special guests include Hall of Fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins and Bill Greason of the Birmingham Black Barons.  For more information, contact Mark Gretchen with the City of Seguin at 830-401-2427.

February 16 and 17, 2005 (BALTIMORE, MD)
Unsung Heroes & Lost Legends:  The Village Learning Place and The Leon Day Foundation, Inc. hosts a celebration of the 85th Anniversary of the Negro Leagues. Wednesday, February 16th and Thursday, February 17th, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at The Village Learning Place, 2521 St. Paul Street. Experience an evening in history with some of baseballs forgotten heroes. Hear their stories and understand why although they played and never got paid, they did it for the love of the game. There will be a presentation, an exhibit, films, and computer interaction, games and crafts. There will also be memorabilia for sale. Admission is free. Come meet the players and get autographs signed by:  Geraldine Day – Widow of HOF ’95 Leon Day; Jimmy Bland – Indianapolis Clowns; Al Burrows – New York Black Yankees; Sonny Randall – Homestead Grays; Bert Simmons – Baltimore Elite Giants.

The Village Learning Place is a non-profit organization that offers free library services to at-risk families, after-school educational programs, computer classes for all ages, financial literacy classes for low-income adults, and cultural programs to the community at large.

The Leon Day Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and preservation of the legacies for Leon Day, and the Negro Baseball League, giving recognition and exposure to a group of talented baseball players that were forgotten and never acknowledged. Our mission is to enliven and enrich the lives of at risk youth and communities. Contact: Tonya Thomas 410.235.2210 ext. 204 or 410.624.6055 tonya@villagelearningplace.org / skillitz@hotmail.com

March 26, 2005 (BALTIMORE, MD)
Negro League Players and The Leon Day Foundation:
Saturday, March 26^th from 12 noon - 5 pm at Security Square Mall, Baltimore MD. Meet and greet some of the great Negro League Players. The players will sign autographs, and sell memorabilia. There will be a Negro League history exhibit sponsored by The Leon Day Foundation. The event will be located behind Customer Service near the main entrance of the mall. For more information call Security Square at 410-265-6000 or Tonya Thomas at 410-624-6055.

May 13, 2005 (UPPER MARLBORO, MD) - First Annual “Negro League Legends” Spring Golf Tournament, Friday, May 13th, 2005.  Marlborough Golf Club, 4750 John Rogers Blvd., Upper Marlboro, MD 20721. Join Negro League golfers and our guest Lou Holder FOX5 Sports for a day.  For more info, visit www.negroleaguelegendshalloffame.org or click here to download registration form (in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format).

May 28, 2005 (RICHMOND, VA) - The Richmond Braves will pay tribute to the players of the Negro Leagues Saturday when the Braves host the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons at 4 p.m. Former Negro League players Samuel Allen, (Kansas City Monarchs, Memphis Red Sox), Gordon Hopkins (Indianapolis Clowns), Larry LeGrande (Detroit Stars, Monarchs, Red Sox), Henry Mason (Monarchs), and Edward Hudson (Stars, Monarchs) will be on hand. There will also be an exhibit showcasing Negro League baseball. The Braves and Red Barons will wear throwback Negro League uniforms.  For more information please call the Braves office at 359-4444 or visit www.rbraves.com.

June 16-19, 2005 (CHICAGO, IL) - The 8th Annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference, June 16-19, 2005 - Chicago, Illinois. Hosted by the Negro League Committee of the Society for American Baseball Research. Contact Eddie Bedord for more details at ebedford@emich.edu Conference Brochure Conference Registration Press Release

June 18, 2005 (FT. LAUDERDALE, FL) - at Floyd Hull Stadium 7:00 P.M. - original players there in attendance along with a Negro League exhibit. www.superstarsbaseball.com

June 26, 2005 (JOLIET, IL) - Sunday the Joliet JackHammers and Western Union will pay tribute to the Negro Leagues. Several former Negro League players, including Johnny Washington, Charles Johnson, Hank Presswood and Ernie Westfield will be on hand to sign autographs before and during the game. In honor of these players, both the Lincoln Saltdogs and the JackHammers will be wearing replica Negro League uniforms.

July 4 - 10, 2005 (HOUSTON, TX) - The Astros welcome the exhibit “Negro Leagues: The Legacy” to Minute Maid Park from July 4-10. The exhibit will feature Negro League items from the Baseball Hall of Fame including authentic uniforms, equipment, a historical timeline of the legacy of this league, and rare pictures and artifacts of legends of the game such as Buck O’Neill, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Jackie Robinson and others. “Negro Leagues: The Legacy” will be on display in the Atrium inside Minute Maid Park behind the Crawford Boxes on the Main Concourse.

July 8, 2005 (CAMDEN, N.J.) - Camden Riversharks Tribute to Negro League Baseball sponsored by the Pop Lloyd Committee. Special Philadelphia Stars Jersey Auction. www.riversharks.com/

July 8, 2005 (OKLAHOMA CITY, OK) - The Oklahoma RedHawks (PCL) and Royals will wear uniforms honoring the Negro Leagues during tonight's game. The RedHawks will wear Homestead Grays jerseys. The Grays won nine straight league pennants from 1937-1945 and were led by players such as "Cool" Papa Bell , Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard.

July 8 - 9, 2005 (PITTSBURGH, PA) -The annual African American Heritage Weekend at PNC Park, which will be held this coming Friday and Saturday, will feature an array of events, including a luncheon to benefit the Jackie Robinson Foundation, an on-field ceremony recognizing local minority civic and communities, and a street fair. However, the highlight of the weekend for many of the Pirates will come during the game Saturday night against the Mets. In recognition of Pittsburgh's vital role in the history of Negro League baseball, the Pirates will wear replica Pittsburgh Crawfords uniforms and the Mets will don throwback New York Cubans uniforms.

July 8 -12, 2005 (DETROIT, MI) -The John Hancock All-Star FanFest will take place July 8 to 12 at the Cobo Conference Center in Detroit and provide fans with a ton of entertainment.The National Baseball Hall of Fame will set up shop and you'll also see exhibits chronicling the history of the Detroit Tigers and the Negro Leagues.

July 10, 2005 (KANSAS CITY, MO) - The Kansas City Royals Salute to the Negro Leagues Day on Sunday, July 10, will include 1948 Monarchs caps to the first 20,000 fans. The Royals and the Twins will wear replicas of Negro League uniforms.  1-800-6ROYALS

July 15, 2005 (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) - The California League  Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and Southwest Airlines have put together a luncheon. The cost of this luncheon is $25 and you may make a reservation by calling (909) 481-5000. As sponsors, season ticket holders, and fans you will have the opportunity to meet former Negro League players and hear the stories. The guests for this event include Carl Long, John Miles, Mamie Johnson, Charlie Davis, Neal Henderson, Jesse Mitchell and Cliff Laydon.

July 16, 2005 (MEMPHIS, TN) - The Memphis Redbirds (AAA Affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals) will host a Negro League Salute.

August 19, 2005 (KANSAS CITY, KS) - The Kansas City T-Bones are proud to announce their 2005 Salute to the Negro Leagues, to take place this Friday, August 19. The evening's events will include autograph sessions prior to and during the game. A charity auction to raise money for the Negro League Baseball Museum, and the donning of Negro League-replica jerseys by T-Bone players.

August 20, 2005 (WILMINGTON, DE) - The 10th Annual Judy Johnson Night will be held Saturday, August 20th at the home of the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Delaware). Players in Negro League uniforms. Commemorative Negro League Baseball card will be given out to all who attend. Many former Negro League players in attendance. Large silent auction with much Negro League memorabilia, USPS postal cancellation. For more information contact Gregg Truitt at gregg.truitt@astrazeneca.com

August 20, 2005 (BOWIE, MD) - Negro League Legends Hall of Fame event at Over Due Recognition Art Gallery, Hill Top Plaza, Bowie, MD. from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM. For directions and more info, visit www.overduerecognition.com -Negro League player autograph signing and memorabilia at this event.

September 1, 2005 (ST. LOUIS, MO) - The National Pastime in Black and White: The Negro Baseball Leagues, 1867 – 1955.  The show will open at The Sheldon Art Galleries in Grand Center with a reception from 5 – 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 1, 2005. The show will feature over 60 photographs, a number of rare historical artifacts and informative texts on great players like Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Rube Foster and our own James “Cool Papa” Bell.
The Sheldon Art Galleries, 3648 Washington Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108, Tel: 314.533.9900 www.sheldonconcerthall.org

September 2, 2005 (ATLANTA, GA) - Friday, September 2nd - Atlanta Braves vs. Cincinnati Reds, 7:35 p.m. ATLANTA BRAVES NEGRO LEAGUES CELEBRATION DAY Sponsored by Kelloggs - The Atlanta Braves will recognize and pay tribute to the Atlanta Black Crackers and other National League Negro Leagues teams on Negro Leagues Celebration Day. Several alumni from the Negro Leagues, including the legendary Negro Leagues player, Buck O'Neil, will take part in the celebration, signing autographs in Fan Plaza and taking part in pre-game ceremonies.

September 2-4, 2005 (HELENA ISLAND, S.C.) - Al Burrows, Cliff Layton (Indianapolis Clowns), and All Jeffcoate of the New York Black Yankees and Carl Long and Robert Williams of the Birmingham Barons will open the Gullah/Geechee Nation International African Music & Movement Festival which will be held on the St. Helena Park on Ball Park Road on St. Helena Island in South Carolina. The festival will be held September 2-4, 2005 from Noon to 8 pm each day.

September 13, 2005 (BALTIMORE, MD) - Tuesday, September 13, 6 p.m. at the Enoch Pratt Free Library Walbrook Branch Forgotten Players: The Story of Negro League Baseball, Meet former players; exhibit and video; storytelling, arts and crafts.

September 20, 2005 (BALTIMORE, MD) - Tuesday, September 20, 6 p.m. at the Enoch Pratt Free Library Cherry Hill Branch Forgotten Players: The Story of Negro League Baseball, Meet former players; exhibit and video; storytelling, arts and crafts.

September 22, 2005 (BALTIMORE, MD) - Thursday, September 22, 6 p.m. at the Enoch Pratt Free Library Pennsylvania Avenue Branch Forgotten Players: The Story of Negro League Baseball, Meet former players; exhibit and video; storytelling, arts and crafts.

September 24-30, 2005 (HARVEY, ILL.) By Ziff A. Sistrunk, e-mail: ziffsistrunk@yahoo.com - Colored baseball players from across the World will be decked out and dressed in 1940's & 50's tailored zoot suits, the colored players will recapture the moment loss forever by playing local athletics in an historic Negro League style baseball game, using the colorful Negro League uniforms of each city to highlight the event. For more info: www.eteamz.com/dickallen

October 7, 2005 (OAKLAND, CA) - A Tribute to the Negro Leagues.  Listen to some of the fascinating stories of the Negro Leagues with Raymond Doswell, curator at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, in conversation with baseball greats Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, Neale "Bobo" Henderson, and Ross “Satch” Davis. Arif Khatib, founder of the African American Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame, will review Oakland’s history in the Negro Leagues (and you can buy an Oakland Larks cap at the store!). The Savage Jazz Dance Company will premiere “Barnstormin’,” commissioned for the event. The evening includes screenings of the films Only the Ball Was White, narrated by Paul Winfield, There Was Always Sun Shining Someplace, and the video of an interview with Buck O’Neil. Negro League memorabilia for sale. In collaboration with the African American Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame and the African American Museum and Library Coalition. Timed tickets for the exhibition Baseball As America are available at the museum (no surcharge) or online at www.museumca.org/tickets. 7–10 p.m. Included with museum admission.

October 15, 2005 (HOBOKEN, N.J.) - On Oct. 15, the Hoboken Historical Museum will host an event honoring players from the baseball's Negro League. The event will be held at the Hoboken Historical Museum at 1301 Hudson St. from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the museum walkway. The event will honor players from the baseball's Negro League. There will also be an "African American Firsts" exhibit. For more information, call (201) 656-2240.

October 28, 2005 (BALTIMORE, MD) - The Leon Day Foundation, a non-profit community organization will have it’s 2^nd Annual Unsung Heroes Gala on Friday, October 28, 2005 from 7:00-11:00 pm at The Eubie Blake Jazz Institute & Cultural Center. The Leon Day Foundation offers athletic, enrichment and educational programs for inner city youth and families. This event is to help fulfill our mission and raise funds towards our continuing efforts to build and establish new programs, while continuing to provide support with our existing programs through organized sports, education and mentoring. We are working to improve and renovate Leon Day Park to make it state of the art. This event will also help to provide funds toward our $1,000.00 scholarship that is awarded to a Baltimore City high school student who excelled in baseball, academics and citizenship. "Hosted by WJZ-TV’s Kai Jackson, Unsung Heroes" will showcase local jazz band Lovecraft, and Debbie Poole the 2005 winner of the Mayor’s Billie Holiday Vocal Competition. There will be exotic food stations provide by Skillitz Caterers.  The event will feature a silent auction of items including: sports memorabilia, jewelry, travel packages, gift certificates to area restaurants and more. This year celebrates the 10th Anniversary of Leon Day’s induction into the Hall of Fame and the 85th Anniversary of the Negro Leagues. Ticket prices for the benefit are $85. To purchase tickets in advance, please call 410-624-6055. Tickets will be sold at the door.  For additional information contact Tonya Thomas at 410-624-6055 or e-mail skillitz@hotmail.com.

November 7, 2005 (BALTIMORE, MD) - Monday, 6:30 p.m. at the Enoch Pratt Free Library Light Street Branch Forgotten Players: The Story of Negro League Baseball, Meet former players; exhibit and video; storytelling, arts and crafts.

If you have a related upcoming event that you’d like to have listed, please drop us a line.

 Click here for an archived list of past events (2004).
 Click here for an archived list of past events (2003).
 Click here for an archived list of past events (2002).