Blackball - Remembering Negro League Baseball

Whenever I watch a baseball game the last thing I pay attention to what race or color of the players. While most of us, especially the younger generation, has the integration of the sport for granted, the only difference we have probably seen the color team uniforms. We forget, or May not be aware, that at one point in our nation's history of baseball was segregated sport.

During the late 1800s, African Americans were forced to form their own teams because they were not accepted into the major and minor baseball lige.Prvi black professional baseball team was founded in 1885 and was named Babel Black Panthers.Tim was later renamed the Cuban giants by a white businessman who hoped to attract more white fans to the games. Tim has become popular, and because of its success, many similar name teams such as the Cuban X-Giants, appeared wanting to be accepted by white patrons. These "Cuban" teams were composed of African-Americans, not Cubans. At that time the United States and Cuba have allies and friendly towards each other, so the explanation that would sound more appealing.

After the American Civil War in 1865, black baseball, which consists largely of former soldiers and officers of black, sprouted mainly in the east and mid-Atlantic. Philadelphia has become its main hub. Despite segregation, black teams progressed. They not only play each other, but the majority of their revenue is earned by playing against a white independent semi-pro clubs.

During the First World War, African-American migrations from south to north due to rapid labor required of the defense industry. With the growth of urban populations of black came affluent fan base with extra money to spend on baseball games. During this time, a former pitcher for the Cubans called Andrew "Rube" Foster worked to establish the all-black league, which is more stable and organized. He pointed out that black teams should be owned exclusively by black people. At the time many of these teams are owned and promoted by white businessmen. By 1920, thanks to the efforts of Foster, the Negro National League was founded in Kansas City, Missouri. Andrew Foster became its president and controlled every aspect of the league and its players. Despite this achievement, the Negro National League folded after the 1931 season because of hard economic times.

During the Second World War, as well as millions of African Americans worked in war industries, they also filled the stands to watch the matches in each city. They are making good money and wanted to reap the benefits of economic boom, while also demanding social justice. As black players came to be considered as potential and started signing with major League Baseball teams, racial barriers began to come down and the death of Negro leagues began to fade into oblivion.

the first black player to break the color barrier, Jackie Robinson. Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey signed Robinson in 1946 to integrate the Major League Baseball. Prior to his signing with the Dodgers, Robinson played professionally in the Negro Leagues. Although black players are getting noticed, they are also being tested to see how well it can withstand the racist heckling jeers from the crowd and comments from new teammates on what to play with African-Americans on their team. Harassment and threats to the price of black players had to pay for the right to integrate the major leagues.

Among those who had their start in the Negro Leagues, and is considered a pioneer in breaking the color barrier in baseball as Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe. As a teammate of Jackie Robinson, they also played for the Dodgers.

Early Negro leagues, not only used to nurture the talent of young African-American baseball player but also plays a leading masses of black baseball fans who enjoy the sport. Before his death, Negro leagues were among the most prosperous black-owned business ventures of his time.

Cheating To Win

Every time you turn on the TV, pick up a newspaper, or read the sports news on ESPN, you hear about someone cheating athletes use steroids or other drugs. These days you can not tell good guys from bad guys anymore.

How and why did sports gotten this way and why are the players to? I think the answer is money when you talk about the pros athletes. Think about this: you're better as a pro more of your agreement will biti.Duže professionals can play in more big money učiniti.Igrači'll do it because they do not think they will get caught, but how many times have we all seen that most of these players do not actually get caught. This December the athletes who feel they must cheat can not hide their wrongdoings, the truth always comes out. For me, it hurts the overall sport and sets a real bad example for kids who look up to these athletes in December.

There is always some kind of sports on television all the time and the kids have their favorite players. It's bad when the pro athlete gets caught cheating, especially if one of my favorite players. You feel bad and sad in a way, because you're looking for inspiration for this player from a kind and sad, because it hurts when that player will not let you down.

Cheating tells kids that if you're not that good enough to just cheat to get better and one day may do so at profesionalce.Mladi kids will say, "The pros do it, why not me?"
What happened to hard work to be the best and develop their talents and skills to make it to the highest level you can? Now he fell down at the high school level. There are high school athletes who use steroids. Their reason is, of course, is that the bigger, faster and better for the land that all important scholarship to major universities and make it pro, where can I get paid and use more drugs. I hate when I hear stories of drugs of all time and now in middle school children to work and it's crazy! These are high school athletes who are 16 and 17 years of age who are made to feel that taking steroids, in some way to convert them to top athletes!

Why is so much pressure on high school kids anyway? The reason is the pressure at the high school kids, because winning games is about scholarships, money and fame, the attention of bloggers and in billboards, the radio, newspapers, TV-Think about it, nobody talks about the players who sit on the bench.

There are things that go on every day in the lives of young people that we will never understand. Pressure, in the minds of some high school athletes must be at times overwhelming. You hear stories about high school coaches of all time, breaking the rules of this class changed or fixed in hiring players with their schools. My question is why? Why do some high school coaches feel the need to cheat? They are not supposed to be a leader out there? Now do not get me wrong, I'm not saying that all high school coaches to cheat, but those that do not make it look bad for all the other coaches who are not right. Winning is the reason for cheating in the small minds of high school coaches who do not cheat.

Yes, everyone loves a winner. Your name is in the work of all time, you talked about how they increased in people's minds, and everyone wants to be a winner. Winning can bring higher wages and better coaching jobs. However, the weak minds of some of those coaches who feel the need to break the rules often do not see the big picture, and, like most swindlers, they assume that they will never be caught.

coaches and student athletes who do not play by the rules to this because in the end, cheaters will get caught, and the winners, who do not cheat the big things will always find them.

fake downside is that the penalty can be very difficult. Just look at someone like Pete Rose a great baseball player who bet on baseball games. His cheating is why he is in baseball and will never get back in. Pete Rose has paid a high price for all their wrongdoings, and no matter what he says or he will never return to baseball.

Barry Bonds and Mark McGuire are great baseball players who hit the big home runs, but used steroids only hit those home runs. They are deceived and fans who are after them like they hate each other now. And a great baseball player looked good breaking all these records, but look at the shame they brought upon themselves. Every day the media talk about Barry Bonds and steroids - is it worth it to use drugs, to get more in baseball, cheating? Once a homerun record means nothing. This is just a number now that there is no value. Most people could not care less about baseball record now as they used to, when Hank Aaron broke back in 1974.

There is talk about Reggie Bush football player who plays for the New Orleans Saints and cheating and taking the big money and houses and cars, while at USC. If you found out to be true, then USC will have to lose their state championship and Reggie Bush will have to pay back his Heisman Trophy. Is it worth all this Reggie?

List of frauds goes on and on for great athletes, but when caught, punishment was harsh, and their names were dragged through the mud like a dead horse.

At the secondary level of steroids use, the price is known to be deadly. There are stories out there of young people die because of these things. What about professional athletes who used steroids for a long time? What will happen to them when they are in their late 40s and their 50 -? I'm sure you will develop some health problems. When you think about it, this is a drug that they are putting into their bodies.

In the end, cheaters never win, but winners always do.

© 2007 Al Woods