African American Baseball Exhibit in Seattle

[Pythonfactory]

There is an exhibit called "Pitch Black: African American Baseball in Washington" at the Northwest African American Museum in Seattle until November of this year. I haven't checked it out yet but plan on doing so in the near future.

Has anyone seen it?

http://www.naamnw.org/exhibits/

[itjclarke]

Thanks for posting.. I'm flying there tomorrow morning. I've got a pretty tight agenda, but will be back several times before the exhibit ends.. will definitely check it out at some point.

[t206fix]

Massachusetts Street? Where is that, South Seattle?

I plan on seeing it March 20.

I can tell you the curator, Chieko Phillips, did a remarkable job of putting together a thorough, coherent timeline with very little, if not disparate information. Among the never seen before Pre-integration images are those of local legends such as Jimmy Claxton, and the 1944 Hanford Eagles.

The 1944 Hanford Eagles team, won the Tri-Cities Championship, but no information came from the plant. The only paper to report on the team, the Sentinel, is the property of the DuPont Chemical Company. Because of the secrecy of the Hanford Nuclear Facility the newspaper actually reads above the headline: "Anyone taking this press from the facility will be prosecuted".

Author of Sunday Afternoons at Garfield Park, Lyle Wilson, did much of the research on that team. I contributed to the central Washington, Roslyn and Franklin, African American strikebreakers 1888-1891 and Jimmy Claxton history.

I am very much looking forward to this visit as I don't get a chance to get to the west side very often.

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by pariah1107

The 1944 Hanford Eagles team, won the Tri-Cities Championship, but no information came from the plant. The only paper to report on the team, the Sentinel, is the property of the DuPont Chemical Company. Because of the secrecy of the Hanford Nuclear Facility the newspaper actually reads above the headline: "Anyone taking this press from the facility will be prosecuted".

Boy, that place isn't doing itself any favors (PR wise) lately... alleged safety hazards, firing whistle blowers, and now keeping historical artifacts out of the museum.

(expect I'm now on a watch list)

Yes, Hanford's a mess, and it's not getting better. Leaks, seeps, and spills. Down-winders with dramatically increased cancer risks, etc.

Strangely, when we were looking for information on the Eagles, I contacted the Washington State Library in Olympia, and they had no record of a newspaper in Hanford during the war, only the nearby Pasco Courier. When I said, the paper is referenced here, here, and here. They just said good luck. It was a friend who was a technician at Hanford who said we should try the Dupont Chemical Company, it seemed suspicious but worth a shot. Sure enough, yes we have the newspaper that will be $1 per page for three years worth of papers (1943-45)!

The disclaimer above the header was too funny, but all sorts of stories of government spies at local bars listening for drunk workers running their mouths. These people were gone the next day, shipped out, some just disappeared. The project was of course very hush, hush. Here's Wilson Alexander, catcher and manager 1944 Hanford Eagles:

[seattlerainiers]

Along with the previously-mentioned Lyle Wilson (wonderful guy, good friend, great researcher), I was fortunate to be on the planning committee for this exhibit. Also provided a number of items for display, including, pictured below:

1. 1937 Washington Browns broadside (w/Bill Foster)
2. 1947 Carver Athletic Club schedule poster with team picture
3. Hand painted game used base from Sicks' Stadium, presented to Seattle Pilots Tommy Harper on "Tommy Harper Night", August 22, 1969.

I'd encourage everyone in, near, or travelling to Seattle to check out the exhibit if you get a chance.

[seattlerainiers]

Oops...forgot to attach.