Many great African American players before the color barrier was broken in the MLB have unfortunately been forgotten in the eyes of the casual baseball fan, largely because their stats in the Negro Leagues had not yet been integrated into the MLB record books. But on Tuesday, an announcement came that this is set to change.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale first broke the news on Tuesday, coming from an MLB spokesperson that Negro League statistics will be implemented into the MLB record books on Wednesday.
This represents some very significant changes to some longstanding records in baseball history. Negro Leagues legend Josh Gibson is now set to hold a number of records, including the all-time records for batting average (.373), slugging percentage, (.718), and OPS (1.177).
It has been a long time coming that some of the legends of the Negro Leagues like Gibson and many others who never got the opportunity in the MLB are recognized for their accomplishments. And naturally, fans had plenty to say about these incoming changes.
Dear people: the level of competition in the negro leagues was famously higher than in MLB at the time. It’s not their fault they didn’t get to play. A guy like Gibson would’ve had even higher stats against white competition.
— A Very Special Boy (@achoomf1) May 28, 2024
Love to see it! It’s about time.
Negro leagues were every bit as good and in some cases better than the MLB.
If the old racists had done the right thing and integrated baseball we wouldn’t be in this situation. https://t.co/WaKnbJwi7W
— George Wrighster III (@georgewrighster) May 29, 2024
Considering how dominant the stars from the Negro Leagues were in barnstorming and when some were able to cross to the majors, including one that was 42 years old, it's not unreasonable to believe that this is how it would've played out regardless in a world without segregation. https://t.co/4E6HzbY2Hm
— Luke Epplin (@LukeEpplin) May 29, 2024
Players like Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Ernie Banks all played in the Negro Leagues and came to the MLB and destroyed their competition. Their league was absolutely on par with the MLB at the time. Frankly, it might’ve been harder.
— Jacob (@mosportsfanjake) May 28, 2024
I don’t know that there’s a single baseball fan who has taken the time to actually research the Negro Leagues that walks away thinking this isn’t the right decision.
So glad that baseball continues to try and restore the legacy NLB built. https://t.co/7hxjQLR6un
— Jason (@bronco7732) May 28, 2024
Naturally, this development presents some very obvious debates that should have been happening all along.
Babe Ruth has been widely regarded as one of if not the greatest baseball players of all time for decades now. But does Josh Gibson have a case to be in that discussion alongside Ruth?
His stats, which are now just as valuable as Ruth’s in the eyes of MLB, certainly make it at least a conversation.
It’s obviously impossible to determine whether the Negro Leagues of the MLB was a higher level of competition during Gibson’s playing days. So there will surely still be debates about that among baseball fans.
But regardless, Negro League players are finally getting the representation that they deserve in the MLB record books, which on paper is an overwhelmingly positive thing.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.