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By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | May 19, 2025
On May 2, 1920, thousands gathered at Washington Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. They came to witness a moment that would change baseball forever. That day, the Negro National League (NNL) played its first official game. The Indianapolis ABCs beat the Chicago American Giants 4 to 2. Between 6,000 and 8,000 fans filled the stands, making history together.
The man behind it all was Andrew “Rube” Foster. A former star pitcher and manager, Foster dreamed of a league for Black players. At the time, Black athletes were banned from white baseball leagues due to segregation. Foster wanted to give them a stage of their own. His goal was simple but powerful: create a profession for Black players that paid well and made the race proud.
Earlier that year, Foster met with team owners at a YMCA in Kansas City. Together, they formed the Negro National League. Foster boldly declared, “We are the ship, all else the sea.” He became the league’s first president.
The NNL began with eight teams: the Chicago American Giants, Chicago Giants, Indianapolis ABCs, Cuban Stars, Detroit Stars, Dayton Marcos, St. Louis Giants, and the Kansas City Monarchs. While other Negro Leagues had been attempted in the past, none had lasted. Foster made sure this league was different. He worked 15-hour days and even loaned his own money to keep teams going. He shifted players between teams to keep games exciting and fair. He believed in excellence and often reminded players always to be ready, because integration would come one day.
The energy at that first game was electric. Though the American Giants lost, they would later become league champions. And the game itself lit a fire in Black communities across the country. Baseball was the favorite sport of the day. Just like football and basketball are now, Black baseball was the heart of the community. People gathered on weekends to cheer for their local teams in small towns and big cities. The game was easy to play and cheap to set up. All you needed was a bat, a ball, and some open land.
Negro League games were full of energy, speed, and flair. Stars like Satchel Paige wowed crowds with their talent and showmanship. Paige, a tall and confident pitcher, sometimes made his outfield sit down while he struck out batters. “Cool Papa” Bell, one of the fastest men in the sport, could steal two bases on one pitch. Josh Gibson, known as the “Black Babe Ruth,” hit home runs over 575 feet. Oscar Charleston, called the “Black Ty Cobb,” thrilled fans with speed and power.
But life in the Negro Leagues wasn’t easy. Players faced racism daily. They couldn’t eat in most restaurants or stay in white-owned hotels. Some slept on the bus for days. Ted Radcliffe once said, “We didn’t get a chance sometimes to take a bath for 3 or 4 days because they wouldn’t let us.”
Still, the league brought people together. By the 1940s, Black-owned ballparks were places of pride and celebration. Owners gave back to the community, raising money for civil rights causes and Black colleges.
Then came 1947. Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers and broke the color barrier. Within five years, more than 150 players from the Negro Leagues had joined Major League Baseball. Without its stars and with fewer fans, the Negro Leagues faded away.
But what they built was lasting. The first game on May 2, 1920, wasn’t just a win for the ABCs. It was a win for Black history, sports, and the fight for equality. Rube Foster’s dream came true and paved the way for future generations.
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Great article!
Greatness always–the struggle continues.