A Juneteenth salute to the legacy of a Negro League player in Sacramento | Opinion
Before 1947, the best Black athletes in America were barred from playing Major League Baseball by segregationist policies that spawned the Negro Leagues, a collection of all Black teams that competed in early to mid 20th Century America.
As we celebrate Juneteenth, the commemoration of the last slaves to be freed in America in 1865, it’s important to remember that the oppression of Black people continued in baseball and everywhere else. In the MLB, anti-Black racism shielded baseball immortals like New York Yankees slugger Babe Ruth from meeting their match in Black athletes who were little known and poorly compensated in white America.
Last week, I got to meet one of those men in Sacramento.
Don Porter started out in the Negro Leagues at age 16, in 1957. By then, the Negro Leagues were winding down as the best Black players had shifted to MLB after Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers opened the door for them in 1947. Porter played two seasons for the Indianapolis Clowns and New York Black Yankees. Baseball runs in his blood.
“I had two uncles who played in the Negro Leagues, so I’m a second-generation Negro League player,” Porter said. “My uncle Andrew played in the Negro Leagues for over 20 years; (he played in Venezuela, Canada, and Mexico.) My uncle Merle was the first baseman for the Kansas City Monarchs. (Both) paved the way for me when I played in the league.”
Beyond Porter and others now calling Sacramento home, Baseball Hall of Famer Ray Dandridge, an icon of the Negro Leagues, played for the Sacramento Solons in the Pacific Coast League.
The history and prestige of the Negro Leagues are undeniable. At the close of Monday’s book event to promote MLB legend Dusty Baker’s memoir, two former Negro League players stood up to let Baker know they were there. He immediately recognized them and brought them up to take a picture.
After the event, I asked Baker how important it is for Sacramento’s bid to include the legacy of the Negro Leagues in its bid to bring MLB to Sacramento.
“Got to. There are more and more people who are aware of where they came from, where they are now, and the Negro Leagues Hall of Fame has really helped put that on the map,” Baker said. “So, yeah, big time. I think they should use that.”
After his first two seasons, Porter left for the military. Throughout his life, he holds the time he spent playing in the Negro Leagues with great pride.
“When I got in the Negro League at 16, I was amazed, but that was my goal, to be a professional baseball player because of my uncles,” Porter said.
Beyond Porter and others now calling Sacramento home, the city holds additional connections to the league. Baseball Hall of Famer Ray Dandridge, an icon of the Negro Leagues, also played for the Sacramento Solons in the Pacific Coast League during his career.
MLB has finally gotten it right by including the contributions of the Negro Leagues. Other cities, like Nashville, are also embracing this rich history by naming their proposed team the Stars, after two Negro League teams that bore the name.
Porter’s story, and others like it, underscores not only the intergenerational impact of the Negro Leagues but also the importance of remembering and honoring these athletes here in Sacramento. By celebrating their stories, Sacramento helps preserve a vital chapter of baseball — and American — history, ensuring it is passed down to future generations.
As Sacramento looks to its future in baseball, let’s remember the huge opportunity we have not only to make history for the city but also to respect those who paved the way for this beloved game.