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News & Photos
Living History From Negro Leaguers
Visitors, who ranged in age from 64 to 88, included Al Burrows, New York Black Yankees and Indianapolis Clowns; Carl Long, Birmingham Black Barons; William “Sonny” Randall, Homestead Grays; Hank Mason, Kansas City Monarchs; Cliff Layton, Indianapolis Clowns; Bert Simmons, Baltimore Elite Giants; and Jimmy Bland, Indianapolis Clowns. Judge David Harty, a McDonogh parent, coordinated their visit with Dean of Middle School Bobby Walker Jr.
Judge Harty proclaimed the players' visit historic. It is unprecedented that all seven would make a school visit together, he said. "This is a celebration of life," added the judge, "of how you survive."
Students like Chelsea Y. '08 understood that. "It's overwhelming," she said. "I'm really, really happy that I got the opportunity to talk to them."
Students and players visited informally during lunch and in classrooms. Then, the group spoke in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre before the entire Middle School.
"We would have played for nothing," Jimmy Bland told the crowd. "We had our own bus and we traveled all over the country.
"There were certain places on the road where we couldn't eat. We understood that," he explained. "The crowd was separated (in the stadium, by race) in some cities. It didn't bother us that much because all we wanted to do was play ball."
Others had more to say about racism. Bert Simmons recalled the insult of having to sit in the back of the bus on his way to fight in World War II. He had to take the same subordinate place on his way home.
Simmons played for Baltimore's Negro League team, the Elite Giants. He urged students to learn more about the team, whose home field was Westport Stadium. The local legend said he is the last of the Giants left in town since teammate Ernest Burke's death in January 2004.
Hank Mason was a college freshman on a four-year scholarship when the Kansas City Monarchs offered him $350 to play for them. "I found out later it wasn't worth it," he said. While Philadelphia Phillies bought his contract and Mason became the first black player to play for the Phillies' Schenectady, N.Y. farm team, his baseball career ended and he had no college degree. Mason worked two jobs to put himself through school while supporting his family. "I don't care of they offer you a million dollars a day (to play professional sports)," Mason said, the right decision is to get a college education.
A contemporary of Mason's, Carl Long played against Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson, and Hank Aaron as a member of the Birmingham (AL) Black Barons. Based in the Deep South, he saw some of the worst racist acts a man could see. "I saw people lynched. I saw cross burnings. Nobody had to tell me. I saw this," he said.
Long's baseball career ended with a stint in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He later became the first black Trailways bus driver in North Carolina. Working as a sheriff when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Long was among those searching for King's assailant, James Earl Ray.
After they told their rich life stories, the group took questions. On the popular subject of A-Rod's $252 million Yankees contract, Jimmy Bland said, "Players today should make as much money as they can." The Indianapolis Clowns paid Bland $150 a month, less $2 a day for meals, but he wasn't complaining.
From the school dean’s perspective, there was no better, more personal way to introduce students to the concept of living history. And this was the second time in as many months that Negro League players had connected with McDonogh students. Judge Harty helped teachers and upper schoolers in the Black Awareness Club bring three players to Symone's Soul Food Cafe in Randallstown on January 30 for a big-brother, big-sister mentoring activity.
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Visitors, who ranged in age from 64 to 88, included Al Burrows, New York Black Yankees and Indianapolis Clowns; Carl Long, Birmingham Black Barons; William “Sonny” Randall, Homestead Grays; Hank Mason, Kansas City Monarchs; Cliff Layton, Indianapolis Clowns; Bert Simmons, Baltimore Elite Giants; and Jimmy Bland, Indianapolis Clowns. Judge David Harty, a McDonogh parent, coordinated their visit with Dean of Middle School Bobby Walker Jr.
Judge Harty proclaimed the players' visit historic. It is unprecedented that all seven would make a school visit together, he said. "This is a celebration of life," added the judge, "of how you survive."
Students like Chelsea Y. '08 understood that. "It's overwhelming," she said. "I'm really, really happy that I got the opportunity to talk to them."
Students and players visited informally during lunch and in classrooms. Then, the group spoke in the Ceres M. Horn Theatre before the entire Middle School.
"We would have played for nothing," Jimmy Bland told the crowd. "We had our own bus and we traveled all over the country.
"There were certain places on the road where we couldn't eat. We understood that," he explained. "The crowd was separated (in the stadium, by race) in some cities. It didn't bother us that much because all we wanted to do was play ball."
Others had more to say about racism. Bert Simmons recalled the insult of having to sit in the back of the bus on his way to fight in World War II. He had to take the same subordinate place on his way home.
Simmons played for Baltimore's Negro League team, the Elite Giants. He urged students to learn more about the team, whose home field was Westport Stadium. The local legend said he is the last of the Giants left in town since teammate Ernest Burke's death in January 2004.
Hank Mason was a college freshman on a four-year scholarship when the Kansas City Monarchs offered him $350 to play for them. "I found out later it wasn't worth it," he said. While Philadelphia Phillies bought his contract and Mason became the first black player to play for the Phillies' Schenectady, N.Y. farm team, his baseball career ended and he had no college degree. Mason worked two jobs to put himself through school while supporting his family. "I don't care of they offer you a million dollars a day (to play professional sports)," Mason said, the right decision is to get a college education.
A contemporary of Mason's, Carl Long played against Willie Mays, Jackie Robinson, and Hank Aaron as a member of the Birmingham (AL) Black Barons. Based in the Deep South, he saw some of the worst racist acts a man could see. "I saw people lynched. I saw cross burnings. Nobody had to tell me. I saw this," he said.
Long's baseball career ended with a stint in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He later became the first black Trailways bus driver in North Carolina. Working as a sheriff when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Long was among those searching for King's assailant, James Earl Ray.
After they told their rich life stories, the group took questions. On the popular subject of A-Rod's $252 million Yankees contract, Jimmy Bland said, "Players today should make as much money as they can." The Indianapolis Clowns paid Bland $150 a month, less $2 a day for meals, but he wasn't complaining.
From the school dean’s perspective, there was no better, more personal way to introduce students to the concept of living history. And this was the second time in as many months that Negro League players had connected with McDonogh students. Judge Harty helped teachers and upper schoolers in the Black Awareness Club bring three players to Symone's Soul Food Cafe in Randallstown on January 30 for a big-brother, big-sister mentoring activity.