Major League Baseball (MLB) will fully incorporate the statistical history of the Negro League into their official records on Wednesday, according to a report from USA Today.
The long-awaited move follows MLB’s recognition of the Negro League as a professional “Major League” organization in 2020. From that point on, it was only a matter of time before the leagues became one in the record books.
The Homestead Grays Negro League baseball club posed for a team shot in their home park, Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, in 1942. Hall of Fame members on the club include Josh Gibson, standing, third from left, and Buck Leonard, standing, far right (Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics, Getty Images)
“We are proud that the official historical record now includes the players of the Negro Leagues,” Commissioner Rob Manfred told Yahoo Sports. “This initiative is focused on ensuring that future generations of fans have access to the statistics and milestones of all those who made the Negro Leagues possible. Their accomplishments on the field will be a gateway to broader learning about this triumph in American history and the path that led to Jackie Robinson’s 1947 Dodger debut.”
Some notable changes to MLB’s official record book will occur after the incorporation of only one player from the Negro Leagues. Josh Gibson, the greatest player in Negro League history, will now replace Ty Cobb as the all-time leader in career batting average at .372. Gibson’s .718 slugging percentage will also displace Babe Ruth and his .690 slugging percentage. In addition, Gibson’s 1.177 OPS will top Ruth’s 1.164 lifetime OPS.
“When you hear Josh Gibson’s name now, it’s not just that he was the greatest player in the Negro Leagues, but one of the greatest of all time. These aren’t just Negro League stats. They’re major-league baseball stats,” said Sean Gibson, the Negro League legend’s great-grandson. “This means so much for not only the Josh Gibson family but representing the 2,300 men in the Negro Leagues who didn’t get the opportunity to play (in MLB).”
Oscar Charleston, Josh Gibson, Ted Paige, and Judy Johnson posing for a group photo during a Negro League baseball game, San Francisco, California, 1940. (Clarence Gatson/Gado/Getty Images)
Gibson played in the Negro Leagues from 1930-1946. Over that time, he posted an unbelievable slash line of .372/.458/.718. He was made an All-Star 12 times and hit 166 home runs in only 602 games.
Gibson passed away in 1947, the same year Jackie Robinson made his MLB debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown in 1972. Gibson’s induction in 1972 came one year after fellow Negro League star Satchel Paige’s induction in 1971.
In all, there are 37 players enshrined in Cooperstown who played the majority or totality of their careers in the Negro Leagues.
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