Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Gets National Status

One of Kansas City's best treasures is the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. I have  always considered the Baseball Museum at Cooperstown to be one of my favorites. While not nearly as large, the Negro Leagues Museum is on the same par in quality. It is of great interest to baseball fans but it also gives a window into Jim Crow America and the fortitude African-Americans showed under such oppressive circumstances.

The big news is that Congress has now designated the museum as a national museum. This should increase the museum's stature and improve its ability to receive funding. The Negro Leagues were formed in Kansas City in 1920 and the Kansas City Monarchs were to the Negro Leagues what the New York Yankees have been to Major League Baseball. If you are ever in Kansas City and looking for something to do, I highly recommend it.

If you are ever in Kansas City looking for something to do, I would put the museum near the top of the list.

Comments

[Andy]

Monarchs? Bah. Everyone knows that the epicenter of the Negro Leagues was in Pittsburgh, home of the Homestead Grays and Josh Gibson, the "black Babe Ruth." (In hindsight, maybe Ruth was the "white Josh Gibson".)

Still, the museum sounds great. I'll have to check it out someday.

[Michael Kruse]

Isn't interesting that a guy from Kansas City and a guy from Pittsburgh should be finding a way to talk about baseball without mentioning either the Royals or the Pirates. *grin*

Gibson was about the best. But how about Cool Papa Bell, Jesse Williams, Buck O'Neil, Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Ernie Banks, Elston Howard, or Hank Thompson. *grin*

Should you ever make to the museum, I know you would love it. It really is impressive.

[Andy]

Defensiveness about the past is bred into Pittsburghers. In that sense we're a lot like the Irish - half of us have left home to look for work, but in our imaginations the city remains a paradise of blast furnaces and World Series trophies. God help the man who says something less than complimentary about her.

As for the Pirates, we don't have much choice, do we? I'm just going to sit here and wax nostalgic about Honus Wagner and Willie Stargell... ah. That's better.