MLB to include Negro League records

[Robert Gilbert]

All true fans of baseball know, to some extent, the history of the Negro League. We have all heard the stories of Satchel Paige striking out six MLB All-Stars in a row during an exhibition game or Josh Gibson’s mammoth home runs. MLB will begin to include that league’s stats into MLB’s record book. One article is listed below. 

 

I am personally thrilled to see this but Baseball is as stat driven, probably more, than any other sport. My only concerns are 1) potential sloppy record keeping for Negro League games 2) quality of some of the fields they played on. First, I think most of us agree that MLB stats have well kept (on a game by game basis) since at least 1900. Sport’s writers, fans, and the teams keep daily records. Could some Josh Gibson or Satchel Paige’s stats been the product of someone’s memory or bragging. Secondly, I remember reading (decades ago) about some of those being played in open fields without a fence which could allow for a gapper between CF and LF to roll and roll allowing what should be a double to turn into a HR. 

 

As I said I am thrilled to see these players get their long overdue recognition. I am curious of that the board thinks. 

 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5525148/2024/05/28/mlb-negro-leagues-records-josh-gibson-ty-cobb/?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebookhq&source=fbhq&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2eOMce1oA-wjsLRVQKzl046HmU-AmfezthyXT9pWoCGM_QKJ8nA8IEUJE_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw

Edited May 29 by Robert Gilbert

[Robert Gilbert]

Sorry about the color of the text. I wrote it and then copied and pasted it. Sorry. 

[Shane]

Thanks for the article! It’s past time they do this 

[Jordan91]

Glad they are doing it. Some of the best to ever play did play against teams from negro leagues. I think there may be some embellishment on MLB as well. What’s fascinating to me is how to know the age of the players. Satchell was rumored to be in his late fifties when he finally go to MLB. 

[John Moore]

Long past due. The HoF is the story of the sport and this chapter belongs in it. I understand we love to try to make comparisons but there have been so many changes in baseball since its inception until today that getting wrapped around the axle about this is silly. 

[Philip Barber]

Really, now Cobb is not the all time batting average leader?  He was at plate over 11,000 times compared to Gibson’s 2,500. Cobb faced better pitching and competition.  In 100 years, are we going to include the XFL and Arena Football records in the NFL list?  The Historical Black Colleges produced some great NFL talent but no one would dare say that they could beat the Division One teams.  The competition was just different in so many ways.  I am not saying it wasn’t an injustice what happened but this action is just another feeble feel good moment.  It means nothing in the end.  

[Neil Leininger]

We going to add the Japanese stats next year, just a ridiculous idea.

[jkates]

It's stupid to combine the stats of wildly different leagues but whatever. It's woke and it's happening.

 

[Bobbers]

It's just more of the endless virtue signaling this society is forced to endure.

This does nothing but obscure history and paint a fake picture of the past.  The separation of whites and blacks was real, and that history should be amplified so it never occurs again.