Nearly 80 years after the integration of Major League Baseball (MLB), the league has made a monumental decision to officially include statistics from the Negro Leagues in its record books, a recognition of the leagues that operated from 1920 to 1948. This historic move adds the records of over 2,300 players who showcased their talents during a time of segregation and whose achievements were long overlooked.
The inclusion dramatically alters the MLB historical records. Josh Gibson, a towering figure in the Negro Leagues with the Homestead Grays, now leads the all-time stats in several key categories. With a career batting average of .372, Gibson surpasses Ty Cobb, who previously held the top spot with .367. Gibson also takes the lead in slugging percentage and on-base plus slugging (OPS), categories formerly dominated by Babe Ruth.
This shift not only highlights the exceptional talents of Negro Leagues players but also updates the records of players like Willie Mays, who competed in both the Negro Leagues and MLB. Their statistics now reflect their complete careers across both leagues.
The journey to this recognition was long overdue. It wasn’t until 2020 that MLB acknowledged the Negro Leagues as its equal. Historians and researchers have since scoured local newspaper archives to reconstruct game statistics, although they estimate that only about 75% of the Negro League games have box scores available.
In a tribute to this significant chapter of baseball history, MLB will soon honor the Negro Leagues in a special game between the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals at the historic home of the Birmingham Black Barons. This inclusion marks a profound step in honoring the full legacy of baseball’s past.
Source: Major League Baseball