MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A traveling Negro League exhibit will open Sunday on the WVU campus at the Erickson Alumni Center.
WVU Professor Robert Waterson in the College of Education and Human Services says “Negro Leagues Beisbol: African American Baseball and Hispanic Culture 1860-1960,” features Manny Minoso, an exciting player who eventually played for the Chicago White Sox.
“I think Manny Minoso’s story is one that’s rarely discussed,” Waterson said. “He was the bridge after Jackie Robinson to get Hispanic players into the Major Leagues. Particularly black players, it’s unfortunate to talk that way even today, but that was the truth of the matter.”
Waterson said that even after Robinson broke the color barrier, black and Hispanic players still faced discrimination, but eventually the Negro League’s talent led to its downfall.
“Economics took over, and the Major Leagues simply robbed these players out of the Ne
gro Leagues, and the Negro Leagues could not survive financially,” he said. “It reinvented itself about three times in the late 40’s, 50’s and 60’s, and then was completely out of business by the mid-60’s.”
The exhibit features some rare artifacts, also including memorabilia from players such as Roberto Clemente and Sachel Paige, and some impressive artwork.
“I have an artist who I met, and he creates what he calls glove art,” Waterson explained. “He actually gets the glove of that era and then paints the statistics and facial features of particular players. He donated many of Minoso’s art gloves for the exhibit and that will be available as well.”
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the exhibit will be open from 8:15 to 4:45 p.m. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the exhibit will be open from 1:30-7pm. It will be on display until Oct. 28.