First published by MLB.com on August 15, 2020, by Richard Justice
Astros manager Dusty Baker ticks off the names with reverence: Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Monte Irvin, Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell and Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe.
Through the years, Baker heard them tell stories of life in the Negro Leagues and came to appreciate not just their legacy in baseball, but their talent and their passion.
Perhaps no one in the sport can appreciate Major League Baseball’s commitment to celebrating the Negro Leagues and shining a light on its greatest players more than Baker.
For Sunday’s official commemoration of the 100th anniversary — the Astros and Mariners wore patches on their uniforms — Baker wore custom wristbands with the likeness of Josh Gibson, one of the Negro League’s greatest and most mythical figures.
