MWL1 West Michigan Whitecaps

Whitecaps to Honor Negro Leagues

Published on July 8, 2011 under Midwest League (MWL1)
West Michigan Whitecaps News Release


COMSTOCK PARK, MI - The West Michigan Whitecaps will pay tribute to the Negro Leagues on Wednesday, July 20. Several stars of the Negro Leagues will be on hand to throw out first pitches, sign autographs and meet fans. They include:

Willie "Honey" Honicutt, 79, second baseman and outfielder for the Detroit Stars and the Kansas City Monarchs.

Ray "Boo Boy" Knox, 77, catcher for the Chicago American Giants in 1952 who also played in the old Chicago Industrial Leagues.

Hank "Baby" Presswood, 89, infielder who played in 1950-1952 for legendary John "Buck" O'Neil with the Kansas City Monarchs (O'Neil went on to become the first African-American coach in the Major Leagues, with the Chicago Cubs in 1962). Presswood also played for the Cleveland Buckeyes in 1948 and 1949.

Johnny "Lefty" Washington, 81, pitcher for Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe and the Chicago American Giants in 1949 and for the Houston / New Orleans Eagles in 1950. Washington served his country in Korea (Marines) where he earned two Purple Hearts.

Nathan "Sonny" Weston, 80, outfielder who played for Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe while with the Chicago American Giants. He was also the "last cut" on both the 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox.

Ray Richardson, 79, played for both the Detroit Stars and the KC Monarchs as a catcher between 1954-1960.

In 1996, the Whitecaps paid tribute to the history of baseball in Grand Rapids with six "Turn Back the Clock" games featuring teams from the city's past; one of those games was a tribute to the Grand Rapids Black Sox of the Negro Leagues (1946-1954). The Whitecaps have also honored local hero Ted Rasberry (1913-2001), a former owner of the Black Sox as well as the Detroit Stars and the Kansas City Monarchs, two of the better-known professional teams in the Negro Leagues. Rasberry fought to keep black baseball alive until 1960, when the league, which at one point consisted of 16 teams, shrunk to only four (two of them being Rasberry's Stars and Monarchs) due to the falling of the racial barrier.

Also on hand will be several members of Rasberry's family, including his niece Minnie Forbes the original owner of the Detroit Stars. She played one inning for the Kansas City Monarchs.

Tickets for all remaining games can be purchased by visiting whitecapsbaseball.com, by calling the Whitecaps front office at 616-784-4131, or in person at the Whitecaps box office (open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays as well as during games). Ticket prices are $13.00 for premium box seats, $11.00 for box seats, $9.50 for reserved seats including the Gentex Family Section, and $6.00 for McCain Foods Lawn seating. Children 2 and under are free.

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Midwest League Stories from July 8, 2011


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