Was the Negro Baseball Leagues A “Racket” or Legitmate?
Branch Rickey, a white man well-known in the history books for baseball called The Negro Leagues “a racket.” He said that they were more interested in entertaining than in playing baseball. But the talented baseball players of the Negro Leagues had a flamboyant style of play. At times they had issues of instability and exhbited reckless showmanship. However, the Negro Leagues played an important role in the life of the Black community from 1920 until the end of their existence in the 1950’s.
One of the least known facts about the Negro Leagues is that in the 1940’s were the largest black owned commercial enterprise in America. While some of the black owners of teams in the Negro Leagues earned their money through questionable activities, there was a sense of social responsibility among most of the owners. Contrary to the image that is portrayed, most of the teams were owned by individuals with a sense of community that was reflected in their generous contributions to the black community.
The ball park during games in the Negro League was a place of community gathering. The Negro League sponsored contests, raised funds for charity, and did promotions for black entertainers and celebrities. The first national black beauty contests were held at the ballparks of Negro League teams. Jesse Owens first raced a racehorse as a promotion at a league game. Black celebrities like Joe Louis, Ethel Walters, and Lena Horne often engaged in promotions directed at and for the black community. Baseball was at the heart of a community that was in constant economic depression, and suffering the ills of segregation.
Disrespect for the institutions and the traditions of the black community, combined with traditions of racism and segregation touched baseball like everything else in the black community. The owners of Negro League teams felt the effects and did things to support their community. Money was raised to support black causes with several thousands of dollars contributed to causes like anti-lynching campaigns, and black organizations like the Elks, United Negro College Fund, and NAACP. Abe Morley, the owner of the Newark Eagles, was particularly known for his support of Black causes. Morley raised over $100,000 for the NAACP at one event.
The Negro Leagues survived segregation, economic depression, war, economic discrimination. During World War II many of its finest players saw active duty in the military and many died in battle. However, immediately after the War some of the greatest level of baseball was played in the Negro Leagues. In exhibition games teams from the Negro Leagues more than held their own against teams comprised of Major League Players. In 1946 the signing of Jackie Robinson signaled a change in times, but not the end of the Negro Leagues. It should be remembered that Robinson was not even a starter on the team he played for! Stars of the Negro League such as Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige had already demonstrated their superiority as ballplayers in direct competition with Major Leaguers. Then why did the Leagues collapse in less than ten years?
It was the sanctioning of disrespect of the Negro League teams by all parts of white society that spelled the end of the Negro Leagues. Contracts of Negro Leagues teams were ignored and teams were given no compensations for the raids on its players by Major League teams. The cavalier attitude taken by owners and general managers of Major League teams was supported by the assumption of the “racket” nature of Black baseball teams and leagues. This assumption allowed the stripping of young stars from the Negro Leagues thereby effectively ending their future.
When the last Negro League game was played in 1955, it not only signaled the end of an era, but the end of an American cultural and community institution.
