CHICAGO — It’s commonplace for Chicagoans to claim our importance in American history. And yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing now as it pertains to Black baseball.
When the story of organized professional Black baseball is told, people typically start in Kansas City, Mo. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is there and it is where Andrew “Rube” Foster famously assembled owners of six Black baseball teams from Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City and St. Louis and Dayton, Ohio, at the Paseo YMCA to form what became known as the Negro National League in February 1920.
And while Kansas City’s role is important, Chicago’s role cannot be overlooked.
Foster, considered to be the “father of Black baseball,” was born in Texas and began his playing career there. Though he was known for being a dynamic pitcher, Foster was a two-way player who could contribute from just about any position.
After playing in a few different cities — including a stint in Chicago — baseball brought him back here in 1907 as a player-manager for the Leland Giants. In fact, Foster’s famous “Pitfalls of Base Ball,” letters on the state of Black baseball, which proposed team owners come together and organize, was published by the Chicago Defender, the paper of record for Black Americans in the Midwest. When he attended the meeting in Kansas City that changed baseball forever, Foster had articles of incorporation ready and baseball history was made.
During the height of the Negro Leagues, Chicago was also home to an annual Black baseball celebration, the East-West All-Star Game. Held at Comiskey Park, the first East-West game was on Sept. 10, 1933, — two months after Major League Baseball’s inaugural All-Star Game. The East-West game was played at Comiskey 28 times, more than any other venue, and was a premier event of the summer until 1960. It brought out more than 50,000 fans annually and some of the most talented Black baseball players, like Josh Gibson and Cool Papa Bell, to the city to showcase their talent. I’ve been told by baseball historians it was the equivalent of a red carpet event, with attendees coming dressed in their best to be seen in Chicago.
The Double Duty Classic (DDC), held annually by the White Sox since 2007, recreates the same vibe as the East-West games. Named after Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe, who played for the Chicago American Giants, the game features elite inner-city high school baseball players from across the country. Radcliffe earned his nickname because he would regularly pitch the first game of a doubleheader and catch the second game. He was one of the most dynamic players in baseball during his career, which spanned from 1928 to 1946.
Players in the annual showcase dress in uniforms that honor the Negro Leagues and time is spent educating the younger generations on its rich and complicated history with guest speakers including former players and historians. DDC’s Most Valuable Player Award, renamed the Minnie Miñoso Award after his passing, honors the Black Latino trailblazer and Hall of Famer who played in the Negro Leagues and MLB.
Forty-four DDC players have been selected in the MLB draft since its inception including Blake Hickman (White Sox 2015 pick in the seventh round), Corey Ray (Milwaukee Brewers 2016 pick in the first round) and Ed Howard (Cubs 2020 pick in the first round).
Trey Butler (Simeon), Savion Flowers (Kenwood), Justyn Hart (Marian Catholic) and Sammy Castillo (Ogden International) are some of the local baseball stars expected to play in this year’s Double Duty Classic at 6 p.m. on July 18 at Guaranteed Rate Field.
As a lover of the game and its history, I’m excited to see this unfold in person for the first time next week. There has been frequent discussion about the declining number of Black Americans playing baseball, but the DDC shows that in and around Chicago, the kids are still playing and they’re elite. This is an opportunity to show their communities as well as any coaches and scouts on hand just how talented they are and why they should be considered for their organizations.
The DDC connects our rich baseball history with its growing future in a celebration across from where Old Comiskey once stood and where Negro Leagues all-stars made a lasting impact.
