America's Mayors Tip Their Caps in Celebration of Negro Leagues Baseball's Founding

USCM Partners with MLB and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum to Commemorate the 100th Anniversary

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Aug 16, 2020, 11:01 ET

WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- This year marks 100 years since the founding of the Negro Leagues, and the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) is joining with Major League Baseball (MLB) and fans everywhere to honor the legacy of those who played in and contributed to the Negro Leagues. Mayors are also supporting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum by participating in the Tipping Your Cap initiative, which salutes the great men and women who paved the way for Black players but were denied the chance to play in the majors.

Throughout Major League Baseball today, teams will be recognizing the Negro Leagues in special ways during games and with commemorative patches on their uniforms. As part of the centennial celebration, mayors are sharing videos of their cities' historic connections to Negro League players and teams. Additionally, photos of America's mayors, in collaboration with the African American Mayors Association, tipping their caps will be featured on a special mayors section on The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the USCM PLAY BALL site. The "Play Ball" partnership between the USCM and MLB was launched to promote and sustain youth participation in baseball in American cities. The program's youth engagement activities continue to be enriched by the great legacy of the Negro Leagues and its athletes.

A video of mayors celebrating the men and women of the Negro Leagues can be found here.

Marking the anniversary, USCM President and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer made the following statement.

"The men and women of the Negro Leagues helped shape this great game as well as our cities and I'm so pleased to honor their contribution today. Some of the best ballplayers of their day were denied the chance to play in the big leagues simply because they were Black. Their legacy should continue to inspire us to fight for equal opportunity for everyone in this country. To all those who paved the way, mayors tip our caps."

About the United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors