[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 25, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: January 25, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
   MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL FORGES NEW TIES WITH NEGRO LEAGUES HERITAGE

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                            HON. ALAN WHEAT

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 25, 1994

  Mr. WHEAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Major League 
Baseball on a new initiative to honor the Negro Leagues which, in a 
segregated America, provided young African-American athletes with a 
chance to realize their dreams of playing professional baseball.
  Major League Baseball has decided to add Negro Leagues merchandise to 
their catalog and donate the profits from sales of those items to the 
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, the Jackie Robinson 
Foundation and the 125 former Negro Leagues players who are still 
living. This altruistic gesture should be applauded, Mr. Speaker, for 
not only does it benefit today's philanthropy, it reminds the baseball 
fan of tomorrow of the remarkable sportsmanship of America's other 
professional baseball league.
  I would like to share with my colleagues an article that describes 
Major League Baseball's efforts to properly memorialize the Negro 
Leagues.

                    [From USA Today, Nov. 12, 1993]

              Merchandise to Benefit Negro League Players

                             (By Ben Brown)

       Major League Baseball will announce Friday that it plans to 
     expand its catalog of licensed merchandise with the addition 
     of a Negro Leagues line. Profits from the sale of the 
     apparel, gifts and novelties will go to the Negro Leagues 
     Baseball Museum, the Jackie Robinson Foundation and some 125 
     living veterans of the Negro Leagues.
       Richard E. White, president of Major League Baseball 
     Properties, estimates the total royalty payments to rise to 
     $1 million a year within five years.
       ``And this is absolutely 100% pro bono on the part of Major 
     League Baseball,'' says White. ``Each year we'll publicly 
     disclose all our collections and disbursements so there's no 
     doubt Major League Baseball is doing the right thing.''
       Buck O'Neil, a former Negro Leagues star and now chairman 
     of the Negro Leagues museum in Kansas City, Mo., says the 
     deal ``is one of the best things that could happen.''
       Says White: ``We can't reverse history (when the Negro 
     Leagues were the only home for pro black players). But next 
     year is the 125th anniversary of pro baseball, and we want 
     this new partnership to become a very inclusive part of that 
     celebration.''
       The first product in the line will be introduced in 
     January.

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