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The OHIO DAILY EXPRESSPvUbkid 9wmrj mninf •z««pt Sunday by Paige H. Strickland at 1007 Germantown street, Dayton 7, Ohio.. Phone HEmlock 1076PAIGE H. STRICKLAND_______ Editor and PublisherRUBY L TAYLOR______ Business ManagerRAYMOND SWANN Advertising ManagerNATIONAL ADVERTISING, Interstate United Newspapers, Inc. 541 Tilth Avenue, New York, 17, New YorkNegro Baseball at CrossroadsBy Luix Virgil OverbeaCHICAGO, July 18. (ANP)— Judging by the size of the crowds that attend the games of the Chicago American Giants, for 63 years a local institution, Negro baseball is presently at the crossroads where it must either do or die.This year the Giants have what during the past month was the best team in Negro baseball, yet they are having fan trouble. One Sunday last month Negro baseball fans by the thousands stood up on hot “el” trains, street cars, and buses to ride 10 to 15 miles across the town to see Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella with the Brooklyn Dodgers play the Chicago Cubs in a NaNtional league game.On that same date the Chicago American Giants were playing a double header with the Houston Eagles at Comiskey park in the center of the Negro neighborhood. The crowd there was sparse, to say the least.Various critics including Mrs. Effa Manley, perennial critic of Negro newspapers and fans, and R. S. Simmons, business manager of the Giants, have told the Negro and the white press what the fans and newspaper should do. Criticisms as well as complaints and statements by Negro sports writers, attendance at Negro league games add up to the fact that something needs to be done. The following program is a suggested plar. of action for Negro American league executives.1. Every team publish roster with information about players on squad.2. League seek affiliatio l with organized baseball—plan comp’ete schedule at beginning of year, publicize schedule among fans, newspapers.3. Keep official score cards and box scores of all games.Let fans understand what’s happening in league—how league champions determined, names of league officials, club owners, average salaries, etc.5. Each team form combined publicity, public relations department to help newspapers, to form knothole clubs, to keep team in public spotlightThese five points do not cover all the action that could be taken to cure some of the evils now plaguing Negro baseball. They probably cannot be installed in a day, nor will they bring an immediate revitalization of the game, but they are likely to help the situation.One point, several Negro writers have complained that they have tried to get information about players from various teams, but with little luck. Major league teams list their rosters and past records of the men each year, but no one knows who’s who on a colored team.The schedule is probably Negro baseball’s toughest hurdle is achieving the standards required for entry into organized baseball. Negro teams usually play in the baseball parks of white teams, and must wait until their schedules are made.Since the NAL season starts after the other seasons, it can arrange a complete schedule including games for small towns during the week. This will mean work, but it should pay off well in the end.About the most difficult thing anyone can get on a Negro ball game is a bona-fide box score. A good baseball fan loves his box scores and statistics.Another question is how are the league champions determined? According to early releases, winners of the Eastern division are to play the winners of the Western division for the league title.Today it seems to be that winners of each division in the first half will play the division’s second half titlists. The playoff winners in turn will play each other for the league championship.This and other points about the league itself should be cleared up.Finally, some kind of publicity public relations department is badly needed by the league and each team. The Brooklyn Dodgers and the Cleveland Indians send out more publicity about their Negro players than all Negro teams combined.More youngsters should be invited to attend the games at cut-rate prices or free. What the teams need are loyal fan followings.Today, Negro baseball is at the crossroads. This year and 1950 will probably determine its fate. Newspapers alone cannot save the game, neighter can good players alone, nor smart club owners alone. Fan support keep it going.But it takes the news qournals, players and magnates to put the game over to the fans and gain their interestLocal Chicago dailies and Negro weeklies have publicized the Giant’s games, printing both advance publicity and results. Yet only the July 3 and 4 holiday double headers with the Kansasti
Newspaper Details
Dayton Ohio Daily Express
Dayton, Ohio, US
Mon, Jul 18, 1949
Page 2
Full Page
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USA 01 Oct 2021
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