Negro Leagues Baseball Museum experiencing financial problems

For years Buck O'Neil held court for the legions of fans and enthusiasts that passed through the doors of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, MO. A walking billboard for the history of the Negro Leagues, Buck was part retired player, part ambassador and part humanitarian. Starting in 1990, he helped to build the museum from a small office in Kansas City to the 10,000-square foot cathedral that exists today.

When he passed in 2006, baseball and the museum lost it's biggest advocate for the greatness of the Negro Leagues. Without O'Neil, the voice became quieter and the message didn't resonate the same way with fans across the country. O'Neil tirelessly traveled the United States to spread the word not only about the likes of Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson, but those such as Hilton Smith, Willard Brown, "Wild" Bill Wright, Henry Kimbro and other Negro League stars who came along prematurely. For many, he was the living and breathing image of the passion that the Negro Leagues encompassed.

Now that there are only a handful of Negro Leaguers still alive, most of them over the age of 80, they are no longer able to travel the country the same way O'Neil did to connect with the public about the lore of the Negro Leagues. The lack of attention is having a profound effect on the attendance at the museum in Kansas City. As Doug Tucker of the Canadian Press reports, the NLBM is facing a $200,00 deficit, and may be on the verge of moving or closing if they cannot raise more funding.

This announcement is on the heels of the 10th Annual Legacy Awards, which honors Major League players in Kansas City with awards bearing the names of the Negro League greats of the past.

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30th annual Thurman Munson Awards Dinner to benefit AHRC-NYC Foundation

Champions past and present will be honored at the 30th Anniversary Thurman Munson Awards Dinner, remembering the late, great New York Yankees catcher and captain on Tuesday night, February 2, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. New York Yankees 2009 World Champion pitcher Joba Chamberlain; Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, Thurman’s teammate on the Bronx Bombers' 1977 and ’78 World Series title teams; 1986 New York Mets World Champion and Yankees 1996, ’98 and ‘99 champion outfielder Darryl Strawberry; Knicks starting point guard Chris Duhon, a member of Duke’s 2001 NCAA championship squad; and Yonkers Raceway’s two-time champion driver Jason Bartlett will be the recipients of Munson Awards from the AHRC-New York City Foundation.

Piniella, a previous Munson Award recipient, will receive the “Legend Award” for his long and meritorious service to baseball. Lynn Pike, the president of Capital One Bank, will receive the “Corporate Hero Award.”

Diana Munson, Thurman’s widow, has been involved in the benefit since its inception, raising nearly $9 million to assist children and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Len Berman of NBC Sports will once again serve as the master of ceremonies. For tickets and information on the Munson Awards Dinner contact 212-249-6188. The honorees will be cited for their accomplishments on the field of play and philanthropic efforts.

The AHRC New York City Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that supports programs enabling children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead richer, more productive lives, including programs of AHRC New York City. AHRC New York City is one of the largest organizations of its kind, serving 11,000 children and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries and other disabilities.

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Andre Dawson tells how he almost signed with the New York Mets in 1987

Andre Dawson announced Tuesday that he would be going into the Hall of Fame as a member of the Montreal Expos. Dawson was in New York this week for the 21st annual Baseball Assistance Team dinner, which works to support former baseball players who are experiencing financial and medical hardships. His support for the organization goes back to his playing days, when in 1992 he was cited in a Sports Illustrated article as one of only a handful of Major League players that contributed to the BAT to support the legends of the Negro Leagues.

Andre Dawson / N. Diunte

Former New York Mets manager Davey Johnson told how the team courted the newly minted Hall of Famer during the 1986 off-season.

"First of all, I pleaded with Frank Cashen to sign Andre Dawson," Johnson said. "I said, 'It's not going to be expensive, I think he'll play for $500,000, we could really use him.' It wasn't in our policy to sign free agents. We never signed a free agent; Cashen wouldn't do it, as long as I was there anyway. I really tried to get him, I thought he was a heck of a player and I would have found playing time for him."

Dawson said that he found playing in New York to be a riveting experience.

"Early on in my career facing, Tom Seaver, Doc Gooden, playing against Darryl Strawberry, it was exciting," Dawson said. "[New Yorkers] were a different type of fan; very competitive. They had teams that for some reason would always find a way in the late innings [to win]. They would call it that Mets magic, I didn't believe it, but they would make it happen in the late innings. They had some stellar athletes that made the game enjoyable."

Imagine the Hawk in the same outfield as Darryl Strawberry, both MVP candidates in their prime. Would Dawson have been the piece that made the Mets repeat or three time champions? Unfortunately for Mets fans, it didn't happen. Dawson signed with the Cubs for $700,000 prior to the 1987 season, and won the MVP that season for the cellar dwellers.

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Mets acquire Gary Matthews Jr. - Will the second time around be a charm?

MLB.com reports that the New York Mets have acquired outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. from the Los Angeles Angels for relief pitcher Brian Stokes. In addition to paying off a $500,000 obligation for trading Matthews, the Angels will pick up $21.5 million of the $23.5 million remaining on his contract. Matthews signed an albatross of a contract after having a breakout season in 2006 with the Texas Rangers, batting .313 and earning a spot on the American League All-Star team. He has hit .252, .242. and .250 in the three seasons he played with the Angels after signing the $23.5 million dollar contract in the 2006 off-season.

This is Matthews' second tour of duty with the Mets, as he was signed in December of 2001 from the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played in two games for the Mets in 2002, going hitless in 1 at-bat before being traded to the Orioles for pitcher John Bale. Matthews was acquired to fill the centerfield void left by Carlos Beltran who will be out until May following knee surgery. He will be in competition with Angel Pagan for the starting centerfield spot throughout spring training.

Matthews initially spurned most trade requests this year because he couldn't be guaranteed playing time. Mets GM Omar Minaya said Friday during a conference call that Beltran's injury provided an opening for Matthews, "There's an opportunity for him to come into New York and hopefully be able to get more playing time," Minaya said. "I think the key for him is going to be playing time."

The Mets have taken a low risk option in acquiring Matthews, as the Angels have picked up most of his salary. They say things are better the second time around, but with Matthews' recent performance and his age (35), signs point to Matthews offering the Mets very little in terms of power and average.

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Bobby Bragan, 92, Former Brooklyn Dodger, 1917-2010

Former player and manager, Bobby Bragan has passed away at the age of 92 on Thursday in Fort Worth, TX.. Dubbed "Mr. Baseball" for his long time association with the game, Bragan became a manager for the Pirates and Braves after he retired as an active player with the Phillies and Dodgers. He later went on to start the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation, which provided scholarships to youngsters from the Dallas / Fort Worth area.

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