March 6, 2006 Kirby Puckett, hall of fame baseball player, died. Puckett was born March 14, 1960 in Chicago, Illinois and won All-American honors for baseball while in high school. He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1982 and made his Major League debut in 1984. Over his 12 season Major League career, Puckett […]
Tag Archives | baseball
February 13th in African American History – The Negro National League
February 13, 1920 The Negro National League was established by a coalition of baseball team owners at a Kansas City YMCA. Led by Rube Foster, the NNL was the first African American baseball league to achieve stability and last more than one season. At first the league operated mainly in the Midwest with teams in […]
February 5th in African American History – Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron
February 5, 1934 Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron, hall of fame baseball player, was born in Mobile, Alabama. Aaron started his professional baseball career in 1951 with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League. In 1952, he signed a contract with the Boston (later to be the Atlanta) Braves and made his Major League Baseball […]
January 31st in African American History – Ernest Banks
January 31, 1931 Ernest Banks, hall of fame baseball player, was born in Dallas, Texas. Banks made his professional baseball debut in 1950 with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Baseball League and broke into the Major Leagues in 1953 with the Chicago Cubs, their first black player.
November 16th in African American History – Dwight Eugene Gooden
November 16, 1964 Dwight Eugene Gooden, former Major League baseball player, was born in Tampa, Florida. Gooden made his major league debut in April, 1984 with the New York Mets and that year was selected the National League Rookie of the Year. In 1985, he had one of the most dominating single seasons in base […]
November 9th in African American History – Pack Robert Bob Gibson
November 9, 1935 Pack Robert “Bob” Gibson, baseball Hall of Fame pitcher, was born in Omaha, Nebraska. Despite a childhood filled with medical problems, Gibson was active in sports and won a basketball scholarship to Creighton University.
October 31st in African American History – Frederick Stanley McGriff
October 31, 1963 Frederick Stanley McGriff, former Major League baseball player, was born in Tampa, Florida. McGriff was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1981 amateur draft and reached the majors full time in 1987.