Dodgers Blue Heaven: Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Exhibit in Gardena

Sunday, February 09, 2014

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Exhibit in Gardena

Thanks to a blog post by Roberto Baly of Vin Scully is My Homeboy, I visited the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Exhibit in Gardena, and it was well worth the time. I had known that the museum sponsored a travelling exhibit, so when I found out they were nearby, I had to check it out. Unfortunately, it's not a particularly large exhibit (just a single room), but there were some notable items to see. One of these days, I will make a trip to Kansas City to see the actual museum.

For those interested in this exhibit, it is at the Nakaoka Community Center at 1670 West 162nd Street in Gardena. It runs only until Thursday, February 13th, so if you want to check it out you need to get there right away. Exhibit hours are: 9am - 9pm Monday -Friday, and 9am to 6pm on Sunday.

Now, on to some of my photos. Click any pic to embiggen.

There were several large graphic displays featuring Negro League Baseball history. Did you know that the Kansas City Monarchs were one of the first teams to have night-time Baseball?

Check out this incredible panoramic photograph from Opening Day, 1942. It featured the Kansas City Monarchs, and includes a couple of notable players. On the photo on the left, you can see the great Satchel Paige (second on the left) and fellow Hall of Famer Hilton Smith (shortest person on the far right). On the photo on the right is should-be Hall of Famer Buck O'Neil (at center).

Below is another panoramic team photograph. It is from Opening Day, 1924. It includes such greats as Rube Foster, Louis Santop and Biz Mackey.

This next photo is of the famed Pittsburgh area Negro League team, Homestead Grays. The year the photo was taken wasn't provided. Also, details about who the players are was also not provided, but I think I recognized a couple of players. The fellow in the top row, third on the left, looks a lot like Josh Gibson. In fact, I'm certain that's him. I also believe that the person on Gibson's right is Cuban great Martin Dihigo.