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Sacramento State, Morris Brothers
up to bat again for Negro Leagues

Sacramento State and the Morris Brothers Baseball League will honor a lost era when they host the second Negro League tribute game at 3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21, at McAuliffe Field, 3001 State University Drive.

Players will wear 1930’s-era uniforms and the guest honoree will be Elmer Carter, the oldest living former Negro League player. Carter broke into the Negro Leagues as a 19-year old in 1930 with the Kansas City Monarchs.

“There’s a lot of history that goes with the Negro Leagues, but much of it is unknown,” said Dominic Morris, co-organizer of the event. “That’s why we put on the game. It’s very important to honor the great legacy of the Negro players. They were some of the very best ball players, but because of racism they never had a chance to really show it to the world.”

For years the Negro leagues were the only professional baseball league African Americans could participate in. AfricanAmericans, barred from participating in Major League Baseball, formed their own teams before the turn of the 20th Century. A number of Negro Leagues began to form after World War I and became the height of sporting entertainment in African-American communities across the country.

The end of the Negro Leagueera began in 1947, when Jackie Robinson was signed to a Major League contract by the Brooklyn Dodgers. Over the next few years a flood of Negro League players received Major League contracts. Gradually, the Negro Leagues folded as fans flocked to see African-American players on Major League teams.       

The Morris Brothers are Sacramento State students. They formed their league in 2007 for University students who wanted to play organized baseball.

Admission is free and open to the public.