Dark Ages: History of the Negro Leagues in America
The sport of baseball is often referred to as the "national pastime." For years it has played an important role in many people's lives, providing heroes and idols for millions of children and providing numerous memories of "spring eternal" for many others. Baseball's popularity can be traced to many things: the dramatic one-on-one confrontations between the pitcher and batter, unlike any duel in any other sport; the last minute heroics by a rookie with a single swing of the bat in the bottom of the ninth inning; the strong feelings of romance and grandeur that one feels upon entering the stadium and seeing the playing field; and the strong, rich tradition of the game itself that has stood the test of time.
Another reason for our love affair with baseball is for the dreams that it has always provided. Many of us have imagined ourselves being the one to hit the game-winning homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game Seven of the World Series or throwing a rare masterpiece -- a perfect game. One of the reasons for this is because baseball is the one sport which requires no specific or special physical attributes in order to play. Unlike basketball, hockey, or football, baseball does not require its players to be of a specific height, weight, or body-build in order to participate. Whether fat or skinny, short or tall, we have all dreamt of playing baseball. Nothing could prevent us from playing baseball if only we possessed the skills. Nothing, that is, except for the color of one's skin. From 1898 until 1946, African-Americans were not allowed to play professional major-league baseball. In order for them to fulfill their dreams and desires of playing baseball they formed their own leagues -- the Negro Leagues.
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Webmaster of www.socialstudiesmadesimple.com with a BA in Social Studies, teacher certification in Social Studies and History, and MSBA in Operations Management and Quality Improvement