A collection of photos, artifacts and memorabilia showcasing Pittsburgh’s rich Negro League baseball history will be displayed throughout February as part of Black History Month.
The exhibit will be in the lobby of the City-County Building and will honor Pittsburgh’s many Negro League Hall of Famers by spotlighting individual players, teams and owners.
It will include photos from Crown Antique & Collectibles and negroleaguehistory.com reproductions of a dozen portraits by artist Graig Kreindler, books, cards and other collectibles.
The display will include a continuous screening of the award-winning documentary “Kings of the Hill: Baseball’s Forgotten Men,” which spotlights the Pittsburgh Crawfords and Homestead Grays.
The Crawfords operated throughout the 1930s and during the middle of that decade were considered one of the strongest Negro League teams ever assembled. Their roster of star players included Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Cool Papa Bell.
The Homestead Grays operated from 1912 to 1950 and were one of the most successful Negro League teams, winning 10 Negro National League titles and three Negro League World Series titles. Gibson and Bell also played for the Grays along with recognizable names such as “Smokey” Joe Williams and Judy Johnson.
The exhibit’s opening reception is on Feb. 4 and is open to the public. The hours for the exhibit are weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
