NYPL Brooklyn Cyclones

Cyclones celebrate Black History Month with players from Negro League

Published on February 23, 2004 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Brooklyn Cyclones News Release


Brooklyn, NY, February 23, 2004 - In honor of Black History Month, the Brooklyn Cyclones are hosting an event celebrating players of the Negro League. Long Island University professor, Joseph Dorinson, will be lecturing on the history of the Negro Baseball League and the connection between sports and society. The Brooklyn Cyclones want to honor the glory of forgotten players who were once cast adrift by a segregated society. Former Negro League players, Jim Robinson and Armando Vazquez will be on hand to answer questions about their experiences.

In the early 1900's, because blacks were excluded from Major League Baseball, they formed their own league. In 1920 the Negro National League was officially born and two years later the Eastern Black League was formed. The players of these Negro Leagues left their mark on baseball and on American society. They popularized bunting, stealing, and aggressive play. The first batting helmets were Negro League innovations (after Willy Mayes was hit in the head) as was the introduction of night baseball because the Negro Leagues were itinerant and had rain delays. And through the sport, the Negro Leagues helped to break down racial barriers across the country.

Jim Robinson, Armando Vazquez and many other black baseball heroes went unnoticed by white America until 1947 when the Brooklyn Dodgers signed Jackie Robinson. He broke the color barrier and opened Major League Baseball to all men. Jackie Robinson was the first Negro League player to make the transition and he was followed that same year by Larry Doby and Monte Irvin when they joined the Cleveland Indians and the New York Giants, respectively. In 1952, Hall of Fame player Hank Aaron was signed by the Boston Braves. The demise of the Negro Leagues was inevitable as the color barrier was broken and young black players were signed by white major league franchises. It is hard to imagine what baseball would be like today if Robinson had not paved the way and broken barriers.

Professor Dorinson will lecture at the Brooklyn Baseball Gallery at KeySpan Park on Saturday, February 28th at 2:00 PM. Former Negro Players Jim Robinson and Armando Vazquez will be there to answer questions. The event is open to the public and admission is free.

About the Players

Armando Vazquez played first and second base for the Indianapolis Clowns in the 1940s and early 1950s. In 1952, he tutored short stop and current team member Hank Aaron. Jim Robinson played second base and shortstop for the Negro League All-Star Team throughout the 1950s. He played for the Philadelphia Stars, the Indianapolis Clowns, and the Kansas City Monarchs.

About the Speaker

Joseph Dorinson is a Professor of History at Long Island University at the Brooklyn Campus. One of his specialties is sports history, in particular the Brooklyn Dodgers and African American sports heroes. Professor Dorinson has co-edited two books, Paul Robeson: Essays on his Life and Legacy and Jackie Robinson: Race, Sports and the American Dream. His television appearances have included Fox News on Joe DiMaggio and the WLIW-TV program, *Brooklyn: The Way It Was.*

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