A Historical Look at the Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Impact of Black Baseball on American Society

The history and impact of Black Baseball in Pittsburgh is by no means something to be forgotten. The accomplishments in the game of its "Forgotten Heroes" alone, deserves to be recognized. Known as one of the greatest baseball clubs in the Negro leagues, the Pittsburgh Crawfords , began as a team made up of youth from the Hill District but later acquired names like Harold "Hooks" Tinker, and Hall of Famers, Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, "Cool" Papa Bell, Judy Johnson, and Oscar Charleston. These men, through their efforts on the sandlots of Pittsburgh, paved the way for your Jackie Robinsons and Larry Dobys, who were able to break to color barriers of baseball in America. Not only did the integration of major league baseball bring about the downfall of Black baseball, but it ignited a flame for social reform in America that dominoed into the Civil Rights Movement. For years, historians have debated over the origins of integration in our society. Now, with scholarly works like Rob Ruck's Sandlot Seasons; Sport in Black Pittsburgh, Jules Tygiel's Baseball's Great Experiment; Jackie Robinson and His Legacy, and the documentary, Kings on the Hill: Baseball's Forgotten Heroes, there exist new hypotheses to engage. Finally, these gifts create a window in which we can look back and remember the rich history of Black baseball, its players, and its impact on American society.