The Negro National League was established in 1920 during a time of segregation in the United States. The league gained popularity throughout the 1930s and ’40s. In 1944, Jackie Robinson, a player in the Negro League, made history by becoming the first player in the modern era to join MLB, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Many other stars from the Negro League followed suit and were invited to join MLB teams.
While many stadiums used in the Negro League no longer exist today, there are a few that have been preserved and are still in use. One such field is Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. This historic field was home to the Birmingham Black Barons, the team that legends like Willie Mays played for before moving on to the New York Giants. Rickwood Field is recognized as the oldest professional ballpark in the United States.
Other stadiums around the country that were once home to Negro League teams include Downs Field in Austin, Texas. This field is now used by the Huston-Tillotson Rams College baseball team and has murals honoring prominent players like Satchel Paige and Willie Wells. Hamtramck Stadium in Michigan has undergone a $3 million rehabilitation and is once again fully functional after being mistaken for a different stadium for years.
J.P. Small Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, has a rich history and has been renovated multiple times over the years. The stadium now hosts baseball games for Stanton College Prep and Edward Waters University. Bush Stadium in Indianapolis, which was once the home field of the Indianapolis ABC’s and Clowns, has been converted into Stadium Lofts, where residents can live and enjoy views of the historic field.
League Park in Cleveland, the backdrop of the Cleveland Buckeyes’ 1945 Negro World Series win, is still in use today for local baseball games and events. The stadium also houses the Heritage Baseball Museum. Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey, has undergone recent renovations and is now the home field of the New Jersey Jackals, a team in the Frontier League, an MLB Partner League.
These stadiums hold a special place in baseball history, commemorating the achievements of players from the Negro League who paved the way for future generations of athletes. Visiting these historic sites offers a unique opportunity to connect with the roots of the sport and honor the legacy of those who played the game with passion and determination.