MLB elevates Negro Leagues to 'Major League' status

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Rob Manfred, MLB announce elevation of Negro Leagues to 'Major League' status

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 12/16/20

The Negro Leagues that ran from 1920-48 have officially been elevated to "major league" status by Major League Baseball.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the news on Wednesday via the league's communications department. Manfred described the move as "correcting a longtime oversight in the game's history."

Commissioner Manfred announced today that @MLB is officially elevating the Negro Leagues to “Major League” status. Culminating the centennial celebration of the founding of the Negro Leagues, MLB is proud to highlight the contributions of the pioneers who played from 1920-1948. pic.twitter.com/hkStF1UC0H
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) December 16, 2020

You can read the announcement below.

The Negro Leagues were a major league from inception to end. This is indisputable. For MLB to recognize that and for the record books to acknowledge it, however, serves to right a wrong. pic.twitter.com/e4mmwFFspE
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 16, 2020

The elevation means MLB will recognize statistics and records of the roughly 3,400 players who participated in the seven leagues. The following leagues are those being elevated:

Negro National League (I) (1920–1931)
Eastern Colored League (1923–1928)
American Negro League (1929)
East-West League (1932)
Negro Southern League (1932)
Negro National League (II) (1933–1948)
Negro American League (1937–1948)

Some of the greatest baseball players to ever walk the earth will now have their Negro League stats recognized by MLB, including Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, Turkey Stearnes, Oscar Charleston, Jackie Robinson, Walter "Buck" Leonard and James "Cool Papa" Bell.

MLB celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues during the 2020 season, with all teams participating in the celebration on Aug. 16. Of course, the leagues only existed because of MLB's racist practices that prohibited Black players from competing in the league for more than 50 years.

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