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Black Diamonds

Author: SiriusXM

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SiriusXM and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum will present an exclusive new podcast series, Black Diamonds. Hosted by museum president and historian Bob Kendrick, the podcast will showcase the history of the Negro Leagues, highlighting the players, people and events that shaped them, as well as spotlighting the leagues’ achievements and innovations during a time of segregation and inequality. Listeners will hear the stories of baseball legends like Jackie Robinson, Oscar Charleston, Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige, and important figures like Rube Foster, Effa Manley, Buck O’Neil and many more.
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Bob Kendrick joins fans at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's "Black Aces" exhibit for an in-depth discussion with two acclaimed authors. Sridhar Pappu discusses his book, "The Year of the Pitcher", chronicling Bob Gibson's historic 1968 season, set "against the backdrop of assassinations, while boys boarded planes to Saigon and riots swept through American cities, forever changing the fabric of this country." Then Luke Epplin sits down for a conversation about his book, "Our Team", "the story of the integration of the Cleveland Indians and their quest for a World Series title through four key participants: Bill Veeck, an eccentric and visionary owner adept at exploding fireworks on and off the field; Larry Doby, a soft-spoken, hard-hitting pioneer whose major-league breakthrough shattered stereotypes that so much of white America held about Black ballplayers; Bob Feller, a pitching prodigy from the Iowa cornfields who set the template for the athlete as businessman; and Satchel Paige, a legendary pitcher from the Negro Leagues whose belated entry into the majors whipped baseball fans across the country into a frenzy." Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezRead Siridhar Pappu's "The Year of the Pitcher" - AmazonRead Luke Epplin's "Our Team" - AmazonTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.comSee and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
Join Bob Kendrick and comedian Greg Proops at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's 2023 "Hall of Game" ceremony, as they celebrate the induction of the The Black Aces - Five of the 15 Black pitchers in AL/NL history to win 20 games in a Major League season, and five men who carried the spirit and style of the Negro Leagues through their whole career. Hear Bob and Greg sit down with the legendary Al Downing (10:43) to talk about his 17-year career, from the 1961 Yankees and the chase for 61, to being a part of Henry Aaron's historic 715. Enjoy Dave Stewart's stories (24:02) of his friend and teammate, the great Mike Norris. Listen to story upon story about the late Vida Blue (42:52) from his son, Derrick. Laugh and learn with the always-hilarious, never-hittable Dontrelle Willis (59:40) as he remembers his career, and thanks his heroes. And experience the thrill of the career that was Dwight Gooden (1:11:05) with the Doc himself. Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezFollow Greg Proops on Twitter - @GregProopsTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.comSee and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
He was Ese Hombre. He was Sunny. He was Home Run Brown. He was Special Services for the US Army at the invasion of Normandy. And he was the Negro Leagues' greatest power hitter of the 1940's.Meet Willard Brown, through the stories of Bob Kendrick and the archived voice of Brown himself. Hear how the late Hall of Famer planned to be a Kansas City Monarch from an early age, and ended up rewriting their record books. Hear about his legendary tape-measure shots, and game-winning heroics, his larger-than-life persona in his career in Latin America, and the joy he brought to European troops hitting home runs for the Army in World War II. And don't miss the story of Willard Brown's historic, yet ill-fated, stint as the first Black player (alongside Hank Thompson) in St. Louis Browns history, and why it paled in comparison the competitive levels of the Negro Leagues. Interviews with Willard Brown recorded June 22, 1982, and appear courtesy of the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.comSee and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
The last Negro Leagues World Series was held in 1948, and one of the teams playing was the Birmingham Black Barons.  Why was that '48 squad so special, and how did a young white kid become so involved in preserving the legacy of Black baseball in Birmingham and beyond?  Find out as Bob chats with Cam Perron, author and Negro Leagues researcher, along with Al Holt, and former third baseman and outfielder for the Black Barons. Hear Cam discuss how his interest in the Negro Leagues began in his pre-teens, which has led to friendships with over 100 former players and helping dozens of them secure pensions from Major League Baseball, with the help of Dr. Layton Revel.  Cam also talks about the distinct honor of having Hank Aaron, Bob's childhood idol, write the foreword to his 2021 book, "Comeback Season: My Unlikely Story of Friendship with the Greatest Living Negro League Baseball Players."  Hear Al Holt explain why it was always his dream to play for the Black Barons and what it was like to see a 17-year-old rookie named Willie Mays join the team in 1948, in addition to his disappointment in the decline of the Negro Leagues and Industrial League teams contrasted with his joy over the Negro Leagues now being recognized as part of the Major Leagues since 2020.And Bob, Cam and Al look ahead to the Negro Leagues tribute set to take place at the historic Rickwood Field in June 2024! Read Cam Perron's book "Comeback Season: My Unlikely Story of Friendship with the Greatest Living Negro League Baseball Players" - BOOKSOUPFollow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.comSee and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
You could call him the modern day Satchel Paige - A man who played three sports and pitched for 12 teams over 21 years, on his way to becoming one of just 16 men to ever pitch in over 1,000 games. And along the way, he enjoyed every minute of it.LaTroy Hawkins sits down with Bob Kendrick at Play Ball Park in Seattle to discuss his admiration for Negro Leagues baseball, and how Buck O'Neil deserves credit for every ounce of greatness of the last 70 years of baseball. Hear about the rocky start to LaTroy's career, the keys to his historic longevity, the lessons he learned along the way about how to treat people with dignity and respect, the work he's doing today to bring baseball to every young Black kid who wants it, where the game is headed, how to protect where it's been, a few words about his Godson - reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes II - and so much more. Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.comSee and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
4x All-Star and 1968 World Series Champion Willie Horton joins Bob Kendrick in front of a live audience at Play Ball Park in Seattle, to discuss his experience of visiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, having a breakout season while playing in Puerto Rico early in his career, and how his good friend Buck O’Neil tried to sign him to the Chicago Cubs when he was only thirteen years old as a Spanish player.Hear how Willie dealt with being one of the early black players with the Tigers, plus his memories of the 1968 World Championship team, why he thinks Bob Gibson could have done what Shohei Ohtani is doing now, and so much more.Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.comSee and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
Lenny Wilkens scored 17,772 points as an NBA player, and won 1,332 regular season games as an NBA coach. He has two gold medals, and he's in the Basketball Hall of Fame three times. And still, he reminds you... his first love was baseball. Hear the story of young Lenny Wilkens watching Jackie Robinson's rookie season from the Ebbets Field bleachers in 1947, and the firsthand accounts of how he changed America. Hear Lenny's accounts of playing stickball with Willie Mays, and what roles the first wave of Black stars in the Major Leagues had in the community. The Civil Rights movement, the Dream Team, the incredible stories of a 45-year Hall of Fame career and the man who lived it - all with Negro Leagues Baseball Museum President Bob Kendrick. Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.comSee and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
When they speak, we listen. Former Negro Leaguers Sam Allen and Pedro Sierra join Bob Kendrick at All-Star Week in Seattle to tell their stories of triumph over adversity, in front of a live audience. Hear stories of long bus rides and hot beef stew while Sam Allen traveled with the Memphis Red Sox. Hear Pedro Sierra's first reactions to prejudice in the United States, after leaving his native Cuba to play in the Negro Leagues. Hear about former Negro-Leaguer-turned-Country-Music icon Charley Pride, Dapper Dizzy Dismukes, Ted Rasberry, and a skinny Indianapolis Clown named Henry Aaron. And hear firsthand, how Jackie Robinson changed two lives forever in 1947. Do not miss this very special conversation, with two of the last remaining storytellers of an unforgettable generation. Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.comSee and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
"You need to know your past. You need to understand the trials and tribulations that, not only Jackie Robinson went through, but this is U.S. history. It's not just baseball history."   Hall of Famer Derek Jeter sits down with Bob Kendrick for an exclusive one-on-one session, discussing everything from his first steps on a baseball field to the importance of Negro Leagues history, and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Hear The Captain discuss his first meetings with Buck O'Neil, his first steps through the museum, his enshrinement in both the Hall of Fame and Monument Park, his reverence for Dave Winfield, and so much more throughout twenty years in the big leagues. Hear why Derek is so proud of his post-playing career as an executive with the Marlins, and why the game NEEDS more disruptors in front offices. Hear all about Derek's work with his foundation, his lessons from his father, and his struggles on a basketball court. Plus, don't miss an in-depth discussion on bringing Black participation back to baseball at all levels. And so much more.  Learn more about the Turn 2 Foundation - Turn 2Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.comSee and Support the Dream of the NEW Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Pitch for the Future
How do you truly change the game? Through action. Action OFF the field, and action ON the field. Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson, directors of The Players Alliance, join Bob Kendrick in front of a live audience at Play Ball Park in Seattle, to discuss how they carry the spirit of the Negro Leagues into the next generation of baseball stars, and what The Players Alliance is doing to bring baseball to EVERYONE. Hear  their take on leadership in baseball, and the mentors that got them to All-Star heights, the lessons they learned from Buck O'Neil and the stars of the Negro Leagues, and how Major League Baseball's HBCU showcase at All-Star Week can light the way to what baseball needs to look like in the future. PLUS, one VERY special surprise (35:04) for Bob, courtesy of the Players Alliance. To learn more about the work of The Players Alliance, visit PlayersAlliance.OrgFollow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
He's a former All-Star, a three-time Gold Glover, the father of a big leaguer, one of only 22 men in history with 250 homers and 250 steals, and now... he's officially a Game Changer. Mike Cameron joins Bob Kendrick during All-Star Week in Seattle to talk about receiving 2023's prestigious "Game Changer" honors from The Players Alliance, the work of The Players Alliance in strengthening baseball in Black communities, winning the Pop Lloyd award from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, instilling the history of the Negro Leagues in his son, his lessons of mentorship, respect, and leadership, the lore of Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, and Buck O'Neil, the story of his four-home-run game, his career beside the one and only Ichiro, and so much more. To learn more about the work of The Players Alliance, visit PlayersAlliance.OrgFollow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
The award-winning podcast of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum returns JULY 13, following Major League Baseball's All-Star break. And if you're in Seattle for the All-Star Game, come see Bob and Black Diamonds LIVE at Play Ball Park, Sunday JULY 9. Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
Hall of Famer - and son of a Negro Leagues infielder - Reggie Jackson joins Bob Kendrick for a candid, in-depth conversation about race and baseball, and the question of whether we're truly any closer to diversity in the game than we were when Reggie retired.   Hear Reggie's commentary on the lack of Black managers and executives in the game today, and how we need more than just one Dana Brown running player personnel before we can start celebrating. Hear Reggie's reaction to Glen Kuiper's racial slur and subsequent apology, and why he's having a much harder time forgiving than Bob is. And hear Reggie's wealth of stories, from growing up amidst our nation's civil unrest, and his father passing on the wisdom of the Negro Leaguers, to meeting Jackie Robinson, his conversations with Jim Brown, and a home run that nearly left Kansas City entirely. Watch the new documentary "Reggie" on Prime VideoFollow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
How fast was Sam "The Jet" Jethroe? He was the fastest man in the Negro Leagues. He was the fastest man in the National League. And when you put him on the track with an Olympian? He was the fastest man on that track too. Bob Kendrick tells the story of the Jet's journey from a championship with the Cleveland Buckeyes, to becoming the first Black player to take the field for the Braves and capturing the NL Rookie of the Year in 1950.  Plus, Bob sits down with a man who followed in the Jet's footsteps and didn't even realize it - from Montreal, to the Braves, with two NL stolen base titles along the way - the great Marquis Grissom. The two discuss the importance of telling these stories of Black baseball to future generations, Sam Jethroe's role in paving the way for Marquis in the Braves' organization, his relationship with Henry Aaron, his rise from rags to riches, the art of the stolen base and learning from Otis Nixon and Tim Raines in Montreal, why the city of Montreal remains so important in Black baseball history, stories on top of stories on top of stories, and a nod to this summer's Hall of Fame inductee, Fred McGriff. Interviews with Sam Jethroe appear courtesy of the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
What if we told you the greatest baseball player the city of Detroit has ever known, NEVER played a game for the Tigers? Bob Kendrick tells the story of Hall of Famer Norman "Turkey" Stearnes, the five-tool legend of the Detroit Stars who could hit, slug, field, run, throw, and even sing, like no one baseball had ever seen. Hear how "The Gobbler" got his name, how Satchel Paige showed him as much respect as anyone who had ever stepped in the batter's box, how he had the power of Josh Gibson before Josh Gibson ever hit his first home run, and how he never became bitter, despite having to work winters in the auto factories owned by the same man who banned him from the Detroit Tigers due to the color of his skin. Plus,  hear from Norman Stearnes' own daughter, Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown, as she tells stories of the man who the fans called "Turkey", but she just called "Dad". Read Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown's "Fans Called Him "Turkey," I Called Him Dad" - McFarland BooksFollow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
What does it mean to forgive, but never forget? Bob Kendrick addresses the racial slur used, and apology given, by A's broadcaster Glen Kuiper, and why he himself has chosen the path of forgiveness, while using the moment to remember the triumph over adversity of Negro Leagues baseball. Bob also takes a moment to remember his dear friend and a member of the Black Aces, the late Vida Blue, before writer, documentarian, and comedian W. Kamau Bell joins Bob for a nuanced discussion of how Blackness has been defined through the history of baseball, on the heels of Bell's HBOMax documentary "1000% Me", examining mixed race identity. Where was the line drawn for light-skinned stars like Charlie Grant or John Donaldson? And why? Did the first ever Black Major Leaguer KNOW that he was Black? And how did Blackness evolve in baseball past a skin tone, and into an entire style of play? Laugh and learn with Bob and W. Kamau Bell, as they walk through American history. Stream W. Kamau Bell's "1000% Me" - HBOMaxFollow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
Meet the man responsible for both the skills of Roy Campanella, and the rise of baseball in Japan. Oh, and he also happened to have his own Hall of Fame resume ON the field. Bob Kendrick, Rich Westcott, and Ray Mackey discuss the life, career, and lasting legacy of Ray's Great Uncle, the legendary Raleigh "Biz" Mackey.   Hear about Raleigh's humble beginnings in Texas and his rise to become a traveling superstar, his multiple Negro Leagues championships two decades apart, his unparalleled ability behind the plate, his invaluable mentorship off the field, and the feats he accomplished on the other side of the world that have STILL not been replicated to this day. But first, join Bob for a VERY special announcement from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, right off the top. Support the Biz Mackey Family Foundation - bizmackey.orgRead Rich Westcott's "Biz Mackey, A Giant Behind the Plate" - AmazonFollow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
Babe Ruth considered him the greatest player who had ever lived. Derek Jeter called him 'me, but with more power'.   Bob Kendrick and Dr. Wes Singletary tell the story of John Henry "Pop" Lloyd, a Hall of Fame shortstop and the favorite son of Palatka, Florida. Hear about Pop's humble beginnings and meteoric rise through the Negro Leagues, his playing career that extended into his mid-40's, and his legacy that lasts far beyond. And most importantly, learn about the gentlemanly reputation, both in the game and elsewhere, that truly earned the man the nickname "Pop". Read  Dr. Wes Singletary's "The Right Time: John Henry 'Pop' Lloyd and Black Baseball" - AmazonFollow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com 
Why was there a 45-year gap between the first Black man to play in a World Series, and the first Black man to manage in a World Series?   Former Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston sits down with Bob Kendrick for a wide-ranging discussion about being that first man, breaking barriers as the first Black manager to win a World Series (and doing it twice), the importance of his matchup against Frank Robinson in 1989 as the first two Black managers to go face-to-face, his friendship with Dave Roberts and Dusty Baker and the emotions of seeing them each raise a trophy, the current state of the game for Black leadership, the lessons he learned as Henry Aaron's roommate, his idolization of the greats of the Negro Leagues, and one of the greatest joys of any baseball conversation - Rickey Henderson stories. Follow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
In the Summer of 1949, the United States government called on Jackie Robinson to testify in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee against famed actor and activist Paul Robeson, for his ties to the Communist Party. In defending his country, Jackie would be forced to attack a fellow prominent Black voice, fighting the same fight he was - the ultimate no-win situation. But with this platform, he made his voice louder than ever. Authors Jonathan Eig and Michael G. Long join Bob Kendrick to tell the complex story of Jackie Robinson and his activism beyond the baseball field -  the one the history books largely ignore - with the voices of Buck O'Neil and Jackie Robinson. Read Jonathan Eig's "Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season" - AmazonRed Michael G. Long's "Call Him Jack: The Story of Jackie Robinson, Black Freedom Fighter" - AmazonFollow Bob Kendrick on Twitter - @nlbmprezTo support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and preserve the legacy of Buck O'Neil, please visit ThanksAMillionBuck.comVisit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City - NLBM.com
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Comments (1)

Stats1203

Excellent podcast. Great stories on this wonderful game and the black greats who have played it.

Mar 27th
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