3+Information+on+the+Negro+Leagues

__Negro Leagues__ Negro Leagues Memorabilia When I watch a professional baseball game, I always saw people of all races playing together. This wasn't always true in the late 1800s. African American players were not accepted in major league baseball teams. They had their own team called the Negro Baseball Leagues.

In August Wilsons play, “Fences”, Troy is a former Negro League Baseball player who missed the opportunity to play in the Major Leagues. When troy was young, Major League Baseball was segregated. The first African American baseball players were not recruited to the majors until Troy was already too old to be a possible team member. Troy experience leaves him bitter and it influences his relationship with his son, who has hopes of playing college football.

For almost a century, African Americans were forbidden to play in the major leagues because of the color of their skin. The National Association of Base Ball Players was the first organization governing American Baseball. They voted not to accept a team of black players. Black players were entirely shut out of white professional baseball until the end of World War II. Jackie Robinson broke the color line becoming the first African American to play in the major leagues.

Black players played on black teams that represented black communities. The teams were organized into black leagues and competed for championships. This experience was not an uncommon one for the African American ball players who played in the Negro Leagues.

The Negro leagues soon came to an end in the 1950’s. The best players from the top Negro League teams were signed by Major League organizations. Other Negro League teams ended because of financial problems.

//A Look At Life in the Negro Leagues//. //N.p.//, n.d. Web. []. //Negro League Baseball//. //N.p.//, n.d. Web. [].