42 For 21 PLANNING COMMITTEE

 PRESS RELEASE

  • Contacts:         Gary Gillette    (313) 306-2233

  •                         Ted Knorr (papabell@aol.com)

  •                         Sean Gibson    (412) 589-1906

  • 42for21@gmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

15 April 2022. On the 75th anniversary of Jack Roosevelt Robinson's historic re-integration of Major League Baseball, the 42 For 21 Committee is very pleased to announce the formation of its new Planning Committee. The new committee consists of six distinguished Negro Leagues & Black Baseball historians who are joining 42 For 21 co-founders Sean Gibson, Gary Gillette, and Ted Knorr.

The new 42 For 21 Planning Committee members are (alphabetically):

·         Dr. Lisa Doris Alexander: professor of African American Studies, Wayne State University.

·         Dr. James E. Brunson: art historian and professor emeritus, Northern Illinois University.

·         Jorge Colón-Delgado: leading historian on baseball and the Negro Leagues in Puerto Rico.

·         Phil Dixon: co-founder, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; member, NLBM Advisory Board.

·         Kevin Johnson: co-creator of the Seamheads Negro Leagues Database; and

·         Dr. Rob Ruck: professor of History, University of Pittsburgh.

Biographical information about all nine 42 For 21 Planning Committee members can be found here.

The 42 For 21 Committee was founded to advocate for "Justice for Negro Leaguers"--especially more robust consideration of many meritorious but overlooked Black Baseball candidates for the Hall of Fame.

When my great grandfather Josh Gibson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972 along with Buck Leonard, they joined Satchel Paige as the first players honored for their contributions to the Negro Leagues. Now, there are just under 40 in the Hall, far short of the number worthy of induction given accomplishments that were commensurate with those who played in the so-called Major Leagues that Black ballplayers were denied access to. We will never know what might have been if there had been no segregation. But we do know that the likes of Rap Dixon, Cannonball Dick Redding, Vic Harris, Gus Greenlee, and many more are Hall of Famers and deserve their due. The Hall of Fame must reconsider its approach to reviewing the credentials of the Negro League greats and not finish until fairness is achieved. –Sean Gibson.

In 2021, The Committee polled more than 100 Negro Leagues experts, asking them to nominate Negro Leagues figures who should receive strong consideration for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. More than 72 percent responded to the poll, nominating 43 candidates.

-30-

More information at www.42for21.org.