tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post7770379999236165820..comments2023-10-20T04:28:04.547-04:00Comments on Nats320 -- A Washington Nationals Blog: My Conversation With Bob Kendrick--The Negro Leagues Baseball MuseumScreech's Best Friendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01094199653375184305noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-69007521748356119062009-09-02T16:39:15.792-04:002009-09-02T16:39:15.792-04:00Jay: The documentary is still in final edit. Sean ...Jay: The documentary is still in final edit. Sean says he will keep Sohna and I informed of when the premiere dates will be. And we will pass them on to anyone interested.Screech's Best Friendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01094199653375184305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-61990588085057811382009-09-02T15:59:02.207-04:002009-09-02T15:59:02.207-04:00Great job Nats320!
Do you have an update on the s...Great job Nats320!<br /><br />Do you have an update on the screening of the Josh Gibson documentary?<br /><br />Thanks.Jayhttp://jay.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-62953302154532425352009-09-02T10:57:45.657-04:002009-09-02T10:57:45.657-04:00Sounds so exciting!!!Thanks for taking us along. P...Sounds so exciting!!!Thanks for taking us along. PPAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28676208.post-60986256357782447002009-09-02T10:37:19.164-04:002009-09-02T10:37:19.164-04:00If there were a Roberto Clemente award for basebal...If there were a Roberto Clemente award for baseball blogs which are attempting to help educate, preserve history, and promote understanding and community, I nominate Nats320 for it. This is just another outstanding expose of a wonderful place which gets little national publicity. <br /><br />Growing up, as a young baseball addict, I read what little there was on the subject of the Negro Leagues My impression is that is was widely acknowledged by whites as a big league enterprise, and of course, Major Leaguers often tested their skills with exhibition games with Negro Leaguers and the like. Jackie Robinson's bio "Baseball Did It" traces a bit of this, for example. <br /><br />My lament, expressed herein previously and misunderstood by one commenter is that we have arrived at a bizarre point of de facto segregation since so many talented AAs prefer to concentrate on pro football and basketball careers due to the lack of baseball infrastucture coming up I believe. And, thus, we lose some of the interface discussed between black music artists, actors, and the like, who are more disposed to follow the other sports. The really cool part of the curator's discussion is how prominent black artists and businessmen were tied into the Negro Leagues. Now, we all know about Spike Lee's rabid attachment to the Knicks for example - but not as much for the Yankees. This isn't unique to AA artists - generally, Hollywood, etc., seems to prefer Basketball and Football as more relevant.<br /><br />I don't know how the legacy of segregation may only now be having at least a subconscious chilling effect on African American interest and participation in MLB - there are generations of longstanding Washingtonians who root for the Cowboys in part as a protest v. their home team remaining segregated until the Supreme Court acted to integrate it (about the same time the Cowboys came into existance). <br /><br />And, let us not forget that Calvin Griffith moved the Senators out at the precisely the same juncture (circa 1960-61) to Minnesota, with some claiming that he foresaw similar pressures coming to bear on his preference to cater to white fans...<br /><br />And, without placing any finger of blame on any one individual associated with the current Nats brass, the way Frank Robinson was shown to the door at the end of 2006, and the fact that no statue or other symbol was contemplated in Centerfield Plaza to symbolize the Nationals with his likeness has not helped cultivate a broader base of fans for the Nats in today's environment.<br /><br />Race is always the touchiest of subjects - and, as a middle aged white guy I may not have the proper understanding of what I opine here as possible cause and effect; but I do know that de facto segregation (with only 8% of MLB players now black) cannot make for a better game and a better experience in the stands. You do not want a situation whereby AA's represented in the Hall of Fame are indeed a "museum-like" feature, since their are precious modern counterparts playing now to become eligible for future induction.<br /><br />This isn't a stereotypical (patronizing) statement about one race being better athletes than another - it is a statement about how generations ago, driven by segregation, the black community devised a competing enterprise which was comparable to MLB and was an integral reason why baseball was considered America's Pastime. Now, we have the worst of both possible worlds evolving - de facto segregation but no alternative vista either...And, as a result, this may in part be why MLB is not characterized as America's Pastime by younger generations.<br /><br />Trust in Buck. And the Almighty Dollar to level all things. All together, now.SenatorNathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10049860385485455410noreply@blogger.com