Daily Archives: April 21, 2021

The Pike County Commission is planning the celebration of Pike Countys 200th birthday.

County Administrator McKenzie Wilson said the county will have a booth this weekend at TroyFest to let people know that a big celebration for the county is in the works. She said the county also will have plenty of information about the origins of Pike County, including maps and old photos for people to view during the annual spring arts and crafts festival.

Well have old pictures and maps for people to look at, Wilson said. Well also have a lot of history about Pike County. At one time, it was so big, it was called the State of Pike.

Right now, we have committees made up of people from around Pike County, our cities and our towns. Were planning for a celebration in December, when Pike County was formed. Leading up to the birthday celebration, well have different activities planned and then well have a couple of bigger activities for the public.

Wilson said there are no concrete plans just yet, the committees are just getting started planning. But, she said the commission wanted to let everyone know it was planning something for later this year.

According to Margaret Pace Farmers History of Pike County Alabama, Pike County was originally consisted of parts of Barbour, Bullock and Crenshaw counties and encompassed about 1,100 square miles. The county was created by a act of the Alabama Legislature on Dec. 7, 1821, and another act of Dec. 13, 1821, established the house of Andrew Townsend, near present day China Grove, as the temporary county seat.

TroyFest will be held in downtown Troy on April 24-25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free.

Excerpt from:

Peek into Pike's history at TroyFest - The Troy Messenger - Troy Messenger

ORLANDO, Fla. Reaction was swift Tuesday as former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty in the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died last summer with Chauvins knee pinned to his neck.

The jury deliberated for about 10 hours before they found Chauvin guilty of all three counts: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

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Chauvin, who was wearing a mask, did not appear to react when the verdict was read and his bail was revoked.

A sentencing hearing will be held in eight weeks.

Across Central Florida, law enforcements leaders said they are prepared for any protests or demonstrations like the ones the region saw last year in the wake of Floyds death, calling for racial justice.

The Seminole County Sheriffs Office and the Orange County Sheriffs Office said theyre both monitoring the situation locally.

I am committed to protecting the rights of all people to peacefully assemble or protest. That is a cornerstone of every Americans First Amendment right to free speech. But we cannot tolerate the destruction of property or violence against members of our community or law enforcement, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said Monday. We are not aware of any planned protests in Orange County Sheriffs Office jurisdiction at this time. We are adequately prepared and staffed to ensure that everyone is safe and their right to free speech is protected.

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In Minneapolis outside Cup Foods, the store where Floyd was killed, members of the community gathered before the verdict was read and in the days leading up to the jurys decision.

The courthouse where the trial took place is ringed with concrete barriers and razor wire, and thousands of National Guard troops and law enforcement officers were brought in ahead of the verdict. Some businesses were boarded up with plywood, the Associated Press reports.

Below are reactions and updates from across the country in the aftermath of the verdict.

10:00 p.m. Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon and Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma issue statement on Chauvin verdict

Todays guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin shows that he is being held accountable for his criminal actions. His actions were against the fundamental ethics, code of conduct, and the oath we take to both serve and protect. As a profession, it is important that we continue to advance and modernize how we police, and that we must continue to create real, meaningful relationships throughout our communities, Sheriff Lemma said.

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Of course, I think for some members of the profession it hurts that they saw an individual who was meant to represent this honorable profession in the way that he did that ultimately rose to a level of a trial, Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon said.

Chief Rolon said he believes in the countrys judicial process, and said he believes we should accept the outcomes of that process.

We can show them that their concerns are not something that they should be worried about, that we have great men and women at the Orlando Police Department and the law enforcement community here in Central Florida are committed to serving and protecting people and treating them with dignity and respect, he said.

8:56 p.m. - Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd reacts to Chauvin verdict

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd issued a statement on the Chauvin verdict.

As I said at the time the video and facts came to light, had Mr. Chauvin done in Polk County what he did in Minneapolis, he would have been fired and arrested that night. Chauvin has had his day in court and he has been found guilty. That is our justice system at work. Its not alright to violate the law. The jury has spoken. Chauvin is being held accountable, Sheriff Grady Judd said.

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7:50 p.m. - DOJ is limited in police probes

Calls have grown for federal investigations into police killings across the nation since President Joe Biden took office and said he believes racial disparities in policing must change.

But the U.S. Justice Department is still bound by the same laws that present a high bar for bringing federal charges. And that may leave victims families disappointed.

Still, the department is shifting its priorities to focus more on civil rights issues, criminal justice overhauls and policing policies. Attorney General Merrick Garland has declared there isnt yet equal justice under the law.

7:40 p.m. - Attorney general says investigation is ongoing

The jury in the state trial of Derek Chauvin has fulfilled its civic duty and rendered a verdict convicting him on all counts. While the states prosecution was successful, I know that nothing can fill the void that the loved ones of George Floyd have felt since his death. The Justice Department has previously announced a federal civil rights investigation into the death of George Floyd. This investigation is ongoing, U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement.

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7:15 p.m. - President Biden addresses the nation

President Joe Biden said George Floyds death was a murder in the full light of day and it ripped the blinders off for all the world to see the problems with race and policing in the U.S.

Biden, speaking after former police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty Tuesday of murder in Floyds death last May, said the verdict can be a giant step forward for the country against systemic racism.

Biden is lauding the officers who testified in the trial instead of closing ranks and keeping quiet. He said the verdict sends a strong message, but reform cant stop with just the verdict.

He said it is so important to ensure Black and brown people dont fear interaction with law enforcement.

7:10 p.m. - Vice President Kamala Harris speaks

Vice President Kamala Harris said the nation still must work to reform the criminal justice system after a jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.

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A measure of justice isnt the same as equal justice, Harris said.

Harris spoke ahead of President Joe Biden. They both addressed the nation from the White House Tuesday hours after a jury returned the verdict against Chauvin for the killing of Floyd, whose death caught on camera touched off a reckoning on policing in America.

Before addressing the nation, Biden and Harris spoke by phone with members of the Floyd family. The president told the family that he and Harris were so relieved by the verdict, according to a video of the call posted on Twitter by Floyd family attorney Ben Crump.

6:55 p.m. - President Bidens call to Floyds family released

Before the verdict was announced in Minneapolis, President Joe Biden said he was praying the verdict is the right verdict in the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin.

Later he told the family of George Floyd in a phone call, Were all so relieved.

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Biden told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that he was only weighing in on the trial into the death of George Floyd because the jury in the case had been sequestered. He said he had called Floyds family on Monday.

Biden had repeatedly denounced Floyds death but had previously stopped short of weighing in on the trial itself.

6:53 p.m. - Explainer on the verdict

The 12 jurors who convicted Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd had three counts to consider and returned guilty verdicts on all three. Chauvin was charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyds May 25 death.

The case came down to two key questions: Did Chauvin cause Floyds death and were his actions reasonable? Each charge required a different element of proof as to Chauvins state of mind. The jury reached the verdict on Tuesday.

6:35 p.m. - Justice for George means freedom for all

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Philonise Floyd said hell continue fighting for others like his brother.

Today you have the cameras all around the world to see and show what happened to my brother. It was a motion picture, the world seen his life being extinguished and I could do nothing but watch especially in that courtroom over and over and over again as my brother was murdered, he said.

He brought up the case of Duante Wright, another Black man killed by an officer.

He should still be here. We have to always understand that we have to march, we will have to do this for life. We have to protest because it seems like this is a never ending cycle, Philonise Floyd said.

Justice for George means freedom for all, he concluded.

6:25 p.m. - FAMU looks forward to workable solutions

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At Florida A&M University we reaffirm our commitment to fairness, equity and justice. We are dedicated to educating and graduating students, like student leaders of the Tallahassee civil rights movement, Wilhelmina Jakes, Carrie Patterson and Patricia Stephens, who are willing to work tirelessly for a society in which African Americans and persons of color can espouse hope rather than harbor fear for their sons and daughters. The verdict today is not the end but could mark a new beginning as we endeavor to live in accordance with the ideals we have been taught and long prayed for but have not yet experienced.

For more than 133 years, FAMU has been a beacon of light for those who seek to improve themselves and their communities. We stand ready to work with any willing partners to provide practical and workable solutions so we can bring everyone into the light of the American dream and out of the shadows that stifle us all, FAMU president Dr. Larry Robinson said.

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6:05 p.m. - George Floyds family reacts to verdict

George Floyds family members, attorney Benjamin Crump and Rev. Al Sharpton expressed their relief at the verdict during a news conference.

Were going to try to leave here today knowing that America is a better country, Crump said. America, lets pause for a moment to proclaim this historical moment, not just for the legacy of George Floyd but for the legacy of America.

6:05 p.m. - Volusia sheriff says justice and accountability prevailed

6 p.m. - History has been made today and I am glad to see it

J. Henry of J. Henrys Barbershop in Orlando said there are many great police officers out there, including his wife of 19 years, but what Chauvin did was unacceptable.

He got everything he deserved. That was not policing. It was his behavior that got him those three counts. Guilty, guilty, guilty. It was his behavior. It wasnt policing, it was his behavior and I think that that should send a message throughout the world: If you are going to protect and serve your community, do your job and not violate peoples rights because their color and you think you can, Henry said.

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He said he hopes the verdict will spark change.

History has been made today and I am glad to see it, he said.

5:35 - One down, many, many more to go

Van Jones, a CNN host, started trending on Twitter for the comments he gave after the verdict was read.

Jones told Anderson Cooper, One down, many, many more to go but I think about that young girl who brought out her cellphone and stood there in horror, not knowing what to do but just holding her phone steady. She did the right thing. All those community members who came and begged and pleaded and talked, they did the right thing. That EMT person did the right thing. When people called the police on the police, they did the right thing. When the police chief fired this man, he did the right thing. When people marched, they did the right thing. And part of what the message has to be is we have to get more involved. It started with that young girl, she got involved and then you had a community stand up and you had a governor step in and take the case and give it to Keith Ellison and make sure it was done the right way. This is the beginning of something, this is not the end of anything, this is the beginning of something.

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5:28 p.m. - Orlando Magic says work still needs to be done

5:26 p.m. - Minneapolis mayor says Floyd bettered city

5:22 p.m. - Rep. Stephanie Murphy says George Floyd should still be alive

5:17 p.m. - Orange County sheriff calls for calm

5:15 p.m. - Orange County mayor reacts

We have all waited with great anticipation for the verdict in the trial involving the murder of George Floyd.

As a 40-year veteran of law enforcement, I am pleased with the jury findings and now look to the sentencing phase to determine if justice prevails.

We should remember that the majority of the men and women who protect and serve are good public servants who care about the welfare of their communities.

But when officers cross the line and commit criminal acts, they must be prosecuted no differently than the people they serve, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said.

5:10 p.m. - Floyds family cheers

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Video from CNN shows the moment George Floyds family heard the verdict.

5:10 p.m. - Cheering for guilty verdict

Crowds outside the courthouse cheered, chanted and hugged as Chauvin was found guilty on all three counts Tuesday afternoon. There were tears as they yelled, Justice and George Floyd.

5:09 p.m. - Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon asks that verdict be respected

5 p.m. - Former President Obama supports verdict

Former President Barack Obama says the conviction of ex-police officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd was correct but only one step in the fight for justice.

He said in a statement that true justice requires Americans to understand that Black Americans are being treated differently every day and that millions live in fear that their next encounter with law enforcement could be their last.

Obama said the country needs to follow up on the verdict by taking concrete steps to reduce racial bias in the criminal justice system and to redouble efforts to expand economic opportunity in marginalized communities.

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4:45 p.m. - Crowds gather outside George Floyds memorial

Aerial footage shows hundreds of demonstrators anxiously awaiting the verdict near Floyds memorial outside Cup Foods in Minneapolis.

Theres a lot of mixed feelings. Its very emotional just being here knowing what took place. Youre right, theres a lot anxiety as to how things will play out. I just hope theres justice, Wisconsin resident Tracy Hibbard told the Associated Press on Tuesday.

That was a common theme as demonstrators chanted, No justice, no peace.

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'History has been made today:' Nation reacts to guilty verdict in George Floyd's death - WKMG News 6 & ClickOrlando

Frank Mazzaglia| Guest Columnist

Our national capitolis well guarded these days with armed soldiers and barbed wire all over the place. They are on guard against domestic terrorists.The narrative we are all supposed to believe is that domestic terrorism comes from the right.

Really?Perhaps its even true that people who cant read or suffer from severe memory loss might even believe that. On the other hand, people with a grasp of their right minds differ.Domestic violence in the nations recent history can be traced toHarlems race riots back in the '60s when, in a terrible incident, a 15-year-old black child namedJames Powell was shot by a police lieutenant. That was followed by a string of blowups in Watts, Newark and Detroit until some semblance of peace was finally restored.

Racial violence erupted across the United States again following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King in Memphis on April 4, 1968.

The 1968 Democratic Convention that nominated Hubert Humphrey was one of the most contentious in history marked by huge riotous street protests by the left. Then came the student occupation of Columbia University, which followed the attack on the Pentagon just theyear before.

Does anyone remember the massive anti-war protests in 1970 at Kent State followed by riots and student unrest at college campuses all across the country?Come to think of it, that was the same year that terrorists blew themselves up by accident. The 2,000-pound bomb they were building was meant to kill soldiers and their wives at a dance at Fort Dix, New Jersey.

During the turbulent Vietnam years of Nixons presidency, more than 40,000bombings, attempted bombings, and bomb threats were recorded in the United States.

In 1992, when a jury acquitted the four police officers involved in the beating of Rodney King, violence also followed in cities all across the United States.

The fact is that you dont have to go back that far to track violence from the left. In May of 2020, following the death of George Floyd, we saw massive protests in Minneapolis turned into riots that featured arson and looting and spread to Portland, Seattle and 140 other cities.

According to Patrick Buchanan, writing in the American Conservative, those riots resulted in the deaths of six people, scores of injured police and between $1 billion and $2 billion in damaged or destroyed property.Those were described as peaceful protests.

Heather Mac Donald , writing in the Wall Street Journal tells us, The year 2020 likely saw the largest percentage increase in homicides in American history. Murder rates were up 37 percent in a sample of 5 large and medium-sized cities. Based on preliminary estimates, at least 2,000 more Americans, most of them black, were killed in 2020 than in 2019."

Dozens of children, overwhelmingly black, were killed in drive-by shootings. They were slain in their beds, living rooms, and strollers. They were struck down at barber shops, in their yards, in malls, in their parents cars, and at birthday parties. Fifty-five children were killed in Chicago in 2020, 17 in St. Louis, and 11 in Philadelphia.

True enough, the Capitol riot by a mob of pro-Trump protestors went out of control and a good cop and four others lost their lives. It was terrible to watch. Yet, it pales when compared to the anarchy from the left and the right that continues into 2021. Shootings in Los Angeles are already up 742 percent. In Oakland, homicide were up 500 percent Closer to home, murders in New York were up 42 percent.

Overwhelming historical evidence shows that domestic violence is much more prevalent on the left.

FrankMazzagliacan be reached atfrankwrote@aol.com.

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Threats at home: The left has its own history of domestic terrorism - Milford Daily News

Corbin Burnes continued to do things no other pitcher has done Tuesday night.

The Milwaukee Brewers sizzling starter extended his historicstart to the season by blanking the San Diego Padres on four hits over six innings with no walks and 10 strikeouts to lead the way to a 6-0 victory at Petco Park.

Burnes became the first starting pitcher in modern history (since 1893) to record as many as 40 strikeouts without issuing a walk to begin a season. The previous record of 35 was set by St. Louis Adam Wainwright in 2013.

Brewers starting pitcher Corbin Burnes has struck out 40 batters without a walk in his four starts. He struck out 10 hitters in six innings Tuesday night at Petco Park.(Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)

In lowering his earned run average to 0.37 (one earned run in 24 1/3 innings), Burnes also became the first pitcherwith no walks and 40 strikeouts overa four-game stretch at any point. Since allowing his lone run of the season on a home run by Minnesotas Byron Buxton in his first start, Burnes has pitched 18 scoreless innings.

"He's pitching really well," manager Craig Counsell said. "He's earning those numbers because of how well he's pitching. Tonight he had to make some pitches in the fifth to get through that inning. He got an unbelievable defensive play to get him through the fourth.

"It was a little bit of a tougher outing. He had to make some pitches but he did and that's what good pitchers do."

BOX SCORE:Brewers 6, Padres 0

RELATED:Brewers closer Josh Hader once again is off to terrific start to season

The combination of Burnes' dominance and a five-run rally in the third inning allowed the Brewers to take their second in a row over the much-improved Padres, who have scored just one run in facing Milwaukee's two best starters -- Brandon Woodruff and Burnes.

"The Padres are a good team," Counsell said. "They've got good pitching and a tough lineup. You come in here and you take a couple of games. It's a good series. A chance to sweep the series tomorrow is as much as you can ask for.

"You have series on your schedule that you know are kind of going to be tough ones. I think this was one of them going in. We've played two nice ones led by our two big guys on the mound."

Padres starter Chris Paddack retired the first six batters but Billy McKinney snapped that stringin rude fashion by blasting a changeup out to center for his second home run in two nights. McKinney has gotten starts in left field with Christian Yelich on the injured list with an ailing back and has made the most of them.

"Players want opportunities," Counsell said. "Players like Billy sometimes, it feels like they don't get a ton of opportunities and you don't know when they're coming. Being able to deliver on those opportunities is easier said than done but that's what Billy's doing.

"He's been an impactful player;he's played really good defense;he's been a spark. He's a reason why we're thriving in a stretch when we're missing some really important players. That's what a team does. That's what good teams need to do. They need to get people to step up when guys go down. They need unexpected people to step up and Billy's played that role really well."

With one down, Burnes hit a bouncer to the right side that got past second baseman Jurickson Profar for what was ruled an error. That proved critical because the inning wasnt over when Jackie Bradley Jr. grounded out to Paddack, and the Brewers would go on to score four more runs.

After Daniel Vogelbach singled to left to put runners on the corners, Avisal Garca took four straight balls after the count was 0-2 to draw a walk that loaded the bases. Travis Shaw lined the first pitch he saw into the right-field corner for a two-run double, and Omar Narvez (three hits) followed with an opposite-field single to left to knock in two more for a 5-0 lead.

When Burnes struck out all three batters he faced in the bottom of the inning, he made baseball history. That trifecta gave him 36 strikeouts and no walks to open the season, surpassing Wainwright to become the first starting pitcher to produce those totalsin modern baseball.

After the game, Burnes was asked how he avoids thinking about the crazy-good numbers he is posting and remains focused on his work.

"I think I'll take the rest of the night to kind of reflect on it," he said. "You know, I've heard it from everyone in the clubhouse, so it's kind of hard to escape it right now. So, tonight we'll kind of reflect on it and enjoy it, and kind of celebrate a little bit tonight, but then we're back at it tomorrow."

McKinney went from home-run hero to spinner of web gems in the bottom of the fourth. Burnes string of retiring the first 10 hitters ended when Profar lined a 3-2 cutter to right for a base hit. After Jake Cronenworth took a called third strike, Eric Hosmer legged out an infield hit with a head-first slide into the bag that allowed Profar to scoot to third.

Wil Myers followed with a drive into the left-field corner that looked like a sure two-run, extra-base hit but McKinney raced over and laid out to make a diving grab in the corner just before smacking hard to the ground. Instead of pulling within three runs, the Padres still trailed, 5-0.

Billy McKinney makes a diving catch on a ball hit by Wil Myers during the fourth inning that saves two runs.(Photo: Denis Poroy, Getty Images)

"It just felt good keeping the game at zero right there," McKinney said. "(Burnes)deserved to put up a zero after his performance tonight so I was glad to haul that one in.

"(Coach) Quintin Berry had me kind of set up in a good position. He got me over a little bit more (to) pull and that kind of helped me get to that ball a little bit better. Just trying to get the best read that I could and knowing in that situation, Myers might be a little bit aggressive, so trying to be on my toes and be ready to make a play."

Tommy Pham opened the Padres fifth with an opposite-field single through the right side, and Ha-Seong Kim got lucky when Burnes brushed his jersey with a 0-2 fastball for an HBP. Luis Campusano took a called third strike but pinch-hitter Jorge Mateo blooped a single into center that eluded a diving Bradley Jr.

Burnes rose to the occasion, getting Trent Grisham to chase a curveball in the dirt for a strikeout and retiring Profar on a routine grounder to second. He then pitched a 1-2-3 sixth before departing, making Myers his 10th strikeout victim.

"We definitely had to grind out the fourth and fifth (innings)," Burnes said. "We kind of lost the feel of the breaking stuff, which is going to make it tough to put some guys away. We had to kind of mix and match with the cutter and sinker there a little bit.

"But, yeah, great play by Billy to get us out of that inning and then great job by Omar back there to keep some dirt balls in front and keeping guys out there (on the bases). So, good job all around there."

Jace Peterson, who entered the game in the seventh inning, extended the Brewers' lead to six runs with a one-out home run to center in the ninth.

Relievers Eric Yardley, Brad Boxberger and Drew Rasmussen each turned in a scoreless frame to complete the six-hit shutout with a total of 14 strikeouts.

Afterward, McKinney was asked what his approach would be if he had to face Burnes, the way he is throwing the ball right now.

"Hope he throws me four balls," McKinney said with a grin. "Heck, I don't know. He's been so nasty. That's a tough one right there. I'm glad I'm on his side and I don't have to really think about that. I'm not really sure what I'd do."

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Brewers 6, Padres 0: Corbin Burnes makes history with no walks and 40 strikeouts to begin season - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

FANWOOD, NJ -- Former professional baseball playerReggie Hammonds, a graduate of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, will host an event covering the history of the Negro Baseball League on Wednesday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. Hammonds has recently reissued his book "Lil Diamonds: Baseball Gems in the Making" about a program designed to help youngsters be successful at the sport while also having fun.b

The event will feature selections from a documentary about the Negro Leagues, with players speaking about their playing days. Called Before You Can Say Jackie Robinson, it shares the history of black baseball and features many players from the days before Robinsonbroke the color barrierin the sport. To register, email campell@verizon.net. You will then receive a Zoom link to attend the presentation.

A special poem will be read by Kevin Kane whose Negro League version of "Casey at the Bat," called Breaking the Line with the Mudville Nine, was written for and first performed at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Kane, a poet, musician and playwright, teaches music and performance arts at the Paul Laurence Dunbar public school in the Bronx.

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Lawrence Hoganof Fanwood is a professor of history at Union County College with a Ph.D in American and Afro-American history from Indiana University. Over the years, he acquired what is believed to be the most extensive private collection of black baseball memorabilia in the U.S. outside the Negro League Museum in Kansas City. Most of hislarge photo collection of Negro League players is now housedat the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Hogan says that these players and many more represented the quality of baseball in Negro Leagues, which featured great players including Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Monty Irvin, and Larry Doby.Except for Gibson, those players made it to the Majors.He credits black newspapers and their writers, including Sam Lacey and Wendel Smith, withpushing for inclusion.Starting with his dissertation on Black Press and their role in covering the Negro Leagues, Hogan became interested in the history of black baseball and later turned his dissertation into a book titled A Black National News Service: The Associated Negro Press.

Hogan later began running programs and exhibits to share the history of the Negro Leagues and theirplayers. He then started meeting players to put them in these programs, and later featured them in a documentary. Along the way, he becamepersonal friends with many of them.

Once you got to know the players, the were great gentlemen. You realized that they are more than great players, but also great friends, says Hogan.

Hogan was a key member of theNegro Leagues Researchers and Authors Group. In 2000, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum received a grant from MLB to fund an external study on the full history of African-American baseball. Under Hogan's leadership, the group of researchers, historians and writersproduced several comprehensive documents.

The first was a lengthy manuscript and bibliography covering the African-American baseball story from the Civil War into the 1960s.The second was an exhaustive database of game statistics covering the period of 1920 to 1948. Although Negro Leagues Baseball continued league play throughout the 1950s, the final data year, 1948, was chosen because it was the last year of the Negro World Series.More than 25 researchers read through hundreds of newspapers to identify box scores for Negro Leagues Baseball games. This data was then cataloged so that game-by-game and year-by-year data could be reviewed and analyzed. The effort resulted in more than9,500 pagesof hitting and pitching statistics for more than 6,000 players!

Unfortunately, there are no official stats for Negro Leagues Baseball. Much of the game-by-game detail was lost or seldom reported. During the past few decades there have been several attempts to collect and rebuild these statistics, mainly using data supplied by box scores and game accounts published in the African-American newspapers that existed at the time.

The Baseball Hall of Fame's Negro League Researchers and Authors Group established a set of criteria for inclusion on this data set. Data is only included for league sanctioned games from 1920 to 1948 for which a published box score or credible scorebook existed. Statistics gleaned from game accounts alone without a supporting box score were not included.The year 1948 was determined to be the last year for the study because it was the last year of a sanctioned, official World Series.This data led to a special Hall of Fame election class in 2006.

VisitBaseball-Reference.orgto learn more about Negro Leagues statistics.

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Fanwood Library Presents Virtual History of the Negro Baseball League on Weds, April 21 - TAPinto.net