Hall of Fame pitcher
Ferguson Jenkins was in Montclair this past Saturday to support their youth baseball league's tribute to the Negro Leagues.
Yogi Berra Stadium was filled with players aged 12 and 13 fitted in
uniforms that not only sported the names of championship teams such as
the Chicago American Giants, Homestead Grays Kansas City Monarchs and
Newark Eagles, but also displayed the names of legends such as Cool Papa
Bell, Larry Doby, Josh Gibson, Ray Dandridge and Satchel Paige. This
event was the brainchild of Richard Berg and league president Garland
Thornton. Berg hopes that the uniforms provide a sense of pride for the
youngsters.
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| Ferguson Jenkins (standing) among all of the Montclair players honoring the Negro Leagues / N. Diunte |
"Each time these kids go to bat or make a play in the field,
they will be representing one of the greats of the Negro Leagues," Berg said.
Berg
should know a thing or two about the history of the Negro Leagues, as
he was the former president of the Negro League Baseball Players
Association. During the opening day festivities Berg presented Jenkins with a
proclamation from Montclair's Mayor Jerry Friend, who deemed April
10th Ferguson Jenkins Day for his support of Montclair baseball and
his philanthropic efforts nationwide. Jenkins took the time to explain
the current efforts of his foundation.
"I work with the
Fergie Jenkins Foundation
in St. Catharines, Ontario," Jenkins said. "We were just in spring training in Mesa. We
worked with the Cubs, Texas, Oakland and the Giants. We brought players
in, they gave their time, signing autographs and letting people know
that the foundation was raising money for all different types of
charities.
"Bob Feller, Vida Blue, Gaylord Perry, and Rollie Fingers have all
signed on with us. We raise money for the Boys and Girls Clubs, Big
Brothers / Big Sisters, Make a Wish Foundation, American Red Cross,
Institute for the Blind, and cancer research. We try
to let people know that we're raising money on a daily basis to help
these organizations. It gives people the opportunity to come and get an
autograph, and when you bring in other Hall of Famers, I think that
brings the public in and raises the awareness for the causes we support."
Jenkins who was also in town for a pitching clinic later that day,
participated in the opening day photo shoot with the league's players
and coaches. Even though Jenkins did not play in the Negro Leagues, he
recognized the importance of promoting the league's history.
"The
Fergie Jenkins Foundation has been in touch with the Kansas City Museum
with Buck O'Neil before he passed away," he said. "The museum in Kansas City is
struggling right now. Unfortunately, without donations, it might go
under. I'm not sure if its going to go under. Right now, they're looking
for pledges and donations across the country. Everyone is hoping that
they can get enough money to keep it open. It used to be open all day,
now it is open only on the weekends."
Knowing that the museum is
experiencing difficulties, Jenkins has hit the pavement to spread the
word directly to a growing diversity of fans. He aimed to increase awareness about how the game has grown due to integration and globalization.
"We try to enhance the
knowledge of youngsters and adults that the Negro Leagues were in
existence like the Major Leagues, and that a lot of players didn't get
the opportunity to play because of their skin color," he said. "Jackie [Robinson]
was the first, [Larry] Doby was second, and then it was a kind of a
snowball effect that brought players in. It enhanced the game even more;
it made teams better. Now what you see in baseball is an international
game. Kids from all different places like Canada, Australia, Germany,
Phillippines, Puerto Rico, and Cuba are playing."
Jenkins first learned about the history of Negro League baseball from
his father Ferguson Holmes Jenkins, who played in the Negro Leagues in
Canada. It is a legacy that he continues to pass on wherever he travels.
"My father played in the Negro Leagues in Ontario," he said. "His nickname
was Hershey; he played on two championship teams in 1938 and 1939. The
Chatham team was called the Chatham Black All-Stars, the next year they
were the Black Panthers. They toured through Detroit, also in Buffalo,
all across Ontario. They barnstormed a lot. My dad didn't tell me they
had a lot of problems. People went out to the park to see baseball. That
was fundamentally what they were trying to do, play the game of
baseball."
He viewed Saturday's clinic as an avenue to share his advanced
knowledge about the game to children who are at a younger age then
when he was able to receive it. He hopes that they will take that information and use it on the field.
"I hope that the kids grasp a little bit
from what I'm trying to get across to them," he said. "When I was younger, I
didn't learn how to pitch until I was 16 years old. These youngsters are
12 and 13. I played a lot of hockey growing up and on the advice from
one of my coaches, I stopped playing hockey at 17. I was able to get my
interests more in the game of baseball and pitching, and I was able to
sign after my senior year in high school. I just hope that the kids
understand that what I am trying to get across is something that was
taught to me at an older age. They're getting taught at an younger age,
and if they can grasp it they can use it when they play in their
leagues."
While not every player at the clinic is going to play baseball in high
school and beyond, Jenkins wanted to deliver the message that baseball
is to be enjoyed. It is a message that he feels is often lost in today's current hyper-competitive climate of youth sports.
"I tell kids to have fun," he said. "Learn to play as a team with
your teammates and understand that all of your coaches try to give the
best advice they can, because none of them are ex-MLB
players, so they're just trying to pass on the same knowledge that I am
getting across to them. The game is fun, have fun! What you try to
learn now at a young age, you try to build on so that by the time you
get into high school, the coaching aspect will be a lot more and you
will be much better ballplayers."
