The Negro League Brotherhood

The men who played Negro League baseball were teammates on and off the field, and this camaraderie was not reserved to just those wearing the same uniform. The players truly believed that, because they were playing Negro League baseball, that they were part of the same team. It didn't matter if a player played for a season or for 20, once a Negro League uniform was put on, a player was part of the brotherhood of Negro League players for life.

Many of the players began their baseball careers when they were very young. Some were just out of high school when selected by their respective team. Others may have played in college before their Negro League careers began. For many, playing in the Negro Leagues meant the first time they travelled out of their hometowns or were on the road for an extended period of time. This meant that they had to look out for one another. The hardships that the players endured on the road were often, especially in Southern states, hostile.

When travelling, players had to look out for one another. They knew that simply due to the color of their skin, there would be a certain perception of their character. Jim Crow laws were alive and well in many parts of the country and this caused players stress. They worried about where they would be able to get their next meal, where they would lay their heads at night and about the possibility of not just verbal, but physical attacks.

But when the players stepped onto the field, the stress of the outside world melted away. They were just a group of men playing a game and playing it at a high caliber. It was after the game that the worries of the real world would seep back into their consciousness. It was not unusual for players to play a game quickly or end one early to meet a town's curfew that prohibited African-Americans on the streets after a certain time. The players would run to the bus and get out of town without showering, or, in many instances, changing out of their uniforms. Players would later share stories of how they had to find gas stations that would serve African-Americans in order to refuel their bus. They would recall that if their bus broke down, that had to rely on each other to fix the problem because receiving aid from a local mechanic was unlikely.

The shared experience of playing under these conditions caused players to bond beyond the field. Players travelled hundreds of miles and often slept, ate and basically lived on the bus. The close quarters caused them to become more than friends, they became family. Seasoned players would take younger players under their wings and introduce them to the Negro League way of life. Traits like friendship, trust and respect for one another were paramount and allowed players to build upon the feeling that they were part of a family.

And the sense of family extended to each player's loved ones. Players learned the names of the wives and children of their teammates and this led to friendships off the field and beyond baseball season.

During the offseason, a number of Negro League players would play fall and winter ball on the West Coast or in Florida while others would travel to South American countries to continue to earn a paycheck playing baseball. Still others were forced to find employment during the fall and winter months, a task that could prove difficult especially during the years leading up to and post depression. But it was during these times when the players of the Negro Leagues would really take care of each other. Those that had employment would recommend fellow teammates for positions and this courtesy extended to players after their playing days were done. Players truly loved one another and the bonds they forged lasted a lifetime that was left intact as their families continued to nurture the bond.

This is not to say that there were not scars left as a result of playing baseball during segregation. Players learned many lessons from the struggles they faced for simply wanting to play baseball at a professional level. But they, for the most part, did not allow the hardships to negatively seep into family life. They would share stories of their time on the road with their spouses, children and grandchildren. The stories were ones of hope and perseverance and their families in turn were able to feel the strength exhibited by those sharing the stories.

The tone of the stories didn't change based upon the audience. Years later, when reflecting on their time in the Negro Leagues, the players would recall how they were not allowed to stay in a hotel, shower at a ballpark or eat at a restaurant. Anger was nowhere to be found in their recollections. What came through in their stories was their love of the game, their true appreciation for the talent of their teammates and opponents and the privilege they felt for the opportunity to play baseball at a professional level. And as Major League Baseball began to formally celebrate the contributions of Negro League players to the game, the players were humbled, appreciative and positive. In fact, in recent years the only somewhat negative comment was about the current state of African-Americans playing professional baseball. Even then it was not about blame, it was about the desire for the current generation to understand the sacrifices of the men who came before them and the hardships endured to play baseball. The Negro League players commended Major League Baseball for the efforts, through programs like the R.B.I. Leagues and the recent Urban Youth Academy movement, to help regrow the game of baseball within the African-American community but the players also challenged the current generation to get involved and play.