Even with the suggestions of Vladdy potentially being the centerpiece of a four-way swap to the Mariners just in time for the MLB deadline in a couple of weeks, the son of the reputed Hall Of Famer is still just as excited about this year’s All Star Game as he was last night when his former teammate Teoscar Hernandez took home the Home Run Derby title.
At just 25 years old, Guerrero Jr. is well on his way to matching his father’s All Star fly, with already four All Star Game appearances, including his first in 2021 where he made history as the youngest to be voted as the All Star MVP. Ironically, the then 22-year-old also landed second in votes as the American League MVP as well. The former top Minor League prospect who earned $3.8 million to sign with Toronto at only 16 years oldis now half-way up the ladder to reaching his dad, Guerrero Sr’s nine-time All Star game appearances.
In an exclusive interview with TheSource.com, Guerrero Jr. sits down to delve into the impact that the Latin and Caribbean Leagues had on his dream to play baseball, who he’s looking forward to playing with and against on the diamond during the All Star Game and even his health regimen, which he gives substantial credit to his new sponsor, BodyArmor Sports Drink.
Even with the suggestions of Vladdy potentially being the centerpiece of a four-way swap to the Mariners just in time for the MLB deadline in a couple of weeks, the son of the reputed Hall Of Famer is still just as excited about this year’s All Star Game as he was last night when his former teammate Teoscar Hernandez took home the Home Run Derby title.
At just 25 years old, Guerrero Jr. is well on his way to matching his father’s All Star fly, with already four All Star Game appearances, including his first in 2021 where he made history as the youngest to be voted as the All Star MVP. Ironically, the then 22-year-old also landed second in votes as the American League MVP as well. The former top Minor League prospect who earned $3.8 million to sign with Toronto at only 16 years oldis now half-way up the ladder to reaching his dad, Guerrero Sr’s nine-time All Star game appearances.
In an exclusive interview with TheSource.com, Guerrero Jr. sits down to delve into the impact that the Latin and Caribbean Leagues had on his dream to play baseball, who he’s looking forward to playing with and against on the diamond during the All Star Game and even his health regimen, which he gives substantial credit to his new sponsor, Body Armour Sports Drink.
The best way non-baseball fans can understand is to describe him as the “Michael Jordan of Baseball” on the field, but off the diamond, his personality rivaled his performance. This is just a glimpse into why the commemoration of the Negro Leagues by Major League Baseball at the legendary Rickwood Field will be a three-day celebration of the life of baseball legend Willie Mays.
Not only is Rickwood Field one of the premiere stadiums of the Negro Leagues, where Mays began his professional baseball career as a member of the Birmingham Black Barons, but Birmingham, Alabama is also the birthplace of Mays, who’s commonly known among baseball enthusiasts as the “Say Hey Kid”. There will be an inaugural Juneteenth event that proceeds the big game between Mays’ MLB alma mater San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals. Wednesday’s “Birmingham Barnstorm” Fam Jam Celebrity Softball Game is a face-off between Derek Jeter’s “Hammers” honoring the late home run king Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds Jr.’s “Sey Heys”, who are playing in the name of Bonds’ godfather, who is none other than, you guessed it, Willie Mays. Bonds’ who is currently Major League’s asterisked all time home run leader, has always told intimate stores of his late godfather and because of their close relationship, this could be the reason that Bonds may not be able to serve as the Sey Heys’ team captain today.
The main attraction will, of course, be tomorrow’s game between the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals at the historic Birmingham field and to properly recognize the contributions of the Negro Leagues to what we know today as Major League Baseball, the two MLB teams will be wearing replicas of the Negro League uniforms. The Giants will be playing as the “SeaLions”, which was a West Coast Negro League team based in San Francisco in 1946. West Virginia-born Marcenia Lyle Stone aka Toni Stone, began playing for the Sea Lions in 1949, becoming the first female to ever play in the Negro Leagues.
The St. Louis Cards will be donning “St. Louis Stars” uniforms, repping for the Negro National League’s three-time champions, the St. Louis Stars. Playing from 1922-1931, the Stars’ roster included several Negro League Hall Of Famers including Willie Wells, James Thomas Bell aka “Cool Papa Bell”, Mule Nettles and others.
As described by MLB.com., “fans will witness another kind of history as stars of entertainment, sports and baseball descend on Birmingham” as the celebrity softball game, which will include notables such as Karen Civil, DC Young Fly, Terrell Owens, Omari Hardwick and a host of MLB legends including former Phillies star Jimmy Rollins, the Yankees’ CC Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez, “Big Papi” David Ortiz, Adam Jones and countless others. The game will conclude with a feature performance by ATL super producer Metro Boomin, who will definitely bring out the crowds who aren’t necessarily baseball fans.
Arguably the best all around player in baseball, the Birmingham-born “King of the Diamond” will definitely be honored in regal baseball fashion at Rickwood. The Negro League Baseball Museum will notably recognize Mr. Mays in all of the ceremonies, as the President of the NLBM Bob Kendrick gave this statement about the passing of Mays.
“All of us at the Negro League Baseball Museum are devastated by the news of the passing of the great Willie Mays. Willie so beautifully represented the heart and soul of everything that made the Negro Leagues special on the road to becoming a Hall of Famer and in the hearts and minds of many, the greatest Major Leaguer of all time. While our hearts are heavy, we’ll remember and celebrate him for the unbridled joy he brought to the game! We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Mays family and his legion of fans worldwide.’”
The Birmingham Barnstorm celebrity softball game wil begin tonight at 7PM EST while the Negro League Tribute will be held tomorrow(June 20) AT 6:15PM EST and can be seen on FOX Sports.
MLB is extending the Rickwood Game “Beyond the Ballpark” to the Birmingham community at four local bars and restaurants on Thursday, June 20. The official “Beyond the Ballpark” watch parties start at 5 p.m. CT at the following locations:
Continental Drift 2201 7th Ave S Birmingham, AL 35233 RSVP HERE
Denim on 7th 2808 7th Ave S #105 Birmingham, AL 35233 RSVP HERE
Uptown Jazz Lounge 2250-B 9th Ave N Birmingham, AL 35203 RSVP HERE
SLEEK Sports Bar 1005 20th St S Birmingham, AL 35205 RSVP HERE
The history of baseball has changed forever after today(May 29), when the the decision was made by Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred that statistics from the Negro Leagues will now be integrated into the MLB database, changing the record holders of several major categories, with Negro Leaguer Josh Gibson becoming the new all-time MLB leader in three major categories.
The records of more than 2,300 Negro League baseball players were incorporated into Major League Baseball’s database, creating major shifts in longstanding records of professional baseball. One of the most obvious, yet controversial changes caused by the database update is Josh Gibson becoming the new career and season batting average leader over Ty Cobb, with Cobb ending his career at a stellar .367, but Gibson all-time batting average edged Cobb with .372. Gibson also became the career leader in slugging percentage (.718) and OPS (1.177), moving ahead of Babe Ruth (.690 and 1.164).
“This initiative is focused on ensuring that future generations of fans have access to the statistics and milestones of all those who made the Negro Leagues possible,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Their accomplishments on the field will be a gateway to broader learning about this triumph in American history and the path that led to Jackie Robinson’s 1947 Dodger debut.”
A baseball records “special committee” made a decision in 1969 to recognize six major leagues dating back to 1876: the National (which launched in 1876), the American (1901), the American Association (1882-1891), Union Association (1884), Players’ League (1890), and Federal League (1914-1915). It excluded the National Association (1871-75), citing an “erratic schedule and procedures.”
Major League Baseball announced during the pandemic (December 2020) that the organization would be “correcting a longtime oversight” and include the records of the Negro Leagues, dating back to its inception in 1920 by the “Father of Black baseball” Andrew “Rube” Foster.
John Thorn, MLB’s official historian, hold position as chairman to a 17-person committee that includes Negro Leagues experts and statisticians. Thorn estimated that 72% of Negro Leagues records from 1920-1948 are included, with additional research that might lead to future stat changes. Thorn said a four-homer game by Gibson in 1938 and a home run by Mays in August 1948 could not be included because complete game accounts have not been found.
An updated version of MLB’s database will become public before the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants play a tribute game to the Negro Leagues on June 20 at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Gibson jumped to leader in season slugging percentage as well, dropping Barry Bonds .863 record in 2001 to fifth, trailing Mules Suttles .877 in 1926, Gibson’s .871 in 1943 and Chralie “Chino” Smith’s .870 in 1929. Bonds’ prior OPS record of 1.421 in 2004 dropped to third behind Gibson’s 1.474 in 1937 and 1.435 in 1943.
Willie Mays gained 10 hits from the 1948 Birmingham Black Barons, increasing his total to 3,293. Minnie Minoso surpassed 2,000 hits, credited with 150 for the New York Cubans from 1946-1948 that boosted his total to 2,113. Jackie Robinson, who broke MLB’s color barrier with the 1947 Dodgers, was credited with 49 hits with the 1945 Kansas City Monarchs that increased his total to 1,567.
For those on the mound, the great Leroy “Satchel” Paige gained 28 wins that raised his total to 125. For those in the baseball know, Paige pitched his last professional game in 1966, just two weeks shy of his 60th birthday.
Bob Kendrick, the President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which is in Kansas City, made a statement about the statistics update, saying, “Thanks to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred for his embracing of the importance of the Negro Leagues and an incredible team of historians and researchers who have dedicated themselves to pull this groundbreaking data together. This is a major milestone in baseball history.”
