‘Other Boys of Summer’ tour resumes with September dates
The tales of Josh Gibson, Mamie “Peanut” Johnson and different Negro League legends have come into higher focus in recent times. But there’s nonetheless a deep, wealthy historical past of Negro League baseball that’s principally untold and almost misplaced to time.
“The Other Boys of Summer,” a 42-minute documentary narrated by the late Cicely Tyson, goals to protect a few of that historical past by permitting the gamers who navigated life within the Negro Leagues to inform their very own tales. Lauren Meyer, the movie’s director, started interviewing Negro League gamers in 2007 earlier than placing the total documentary collectively for launch a decade later.
As a approach to supply followers with a novel alternative to take in the historical past and classes inside the documentary, Meyer has adopted the trail of many Negro League golf equipment with a barnstorming tour. In partnership with Minor League Baseball and Tumbleweed Pictures, Meyer is screening the movie at totally different Minor League cities — each on the ballpark and in the local people — all through the season.
So far, the tour has reached seven cities. Each celebration has additionally featured a panel dialogue that’s been personalised for the native viewers.
“The experience has been pretty phenomenal so far,” Meyer advised MiLB’s The Show Before the Show podcast. “The people who attend our programs, what they love about it is that they get to hear from the players themselves.”
The tour began in June at High-A Greenville, the place the documentary was proven on the outfield large display at Flour Field. Meyer then hosted a Q&A with John Whiteside, who performed baseball on the previously all-Black Sterling HS in Greenville, and native historian Luther Norman. After the festivities, the Drive took the sphere in specialty uniforms because the Greenville Black Spinners, who had been a Black semi-pro staff that performed within the space between 1921-69.
The jaunt continued by way of six extra Minor League cities throughout the South, ending up at Double-A Bowie’s Prince George’s Stadium and High-A Wilmington’s Frawley Stadium earlier than a short hiatus.
Meyer opened one other leg of the tour on Aug. 27 at Triple-A Norfolk’s Harbor Park, becoming a member of a panel dialogue moderated by Brian Smith, a neighborhood TV station’s sports activities director. Claudell Clark, a former Minor Leaguer who has worn many various hats on the traditionally Black Norfolk State University, was additionally a part of the panel. The Tides invited the Norfolk State baseball staff, the native Boys and Girls Club and the Norfolk Tides Kids Club for each the screening and the Tides’ recreation towards Durham.
The tour continued at Double-A Richmond the next evening, because the Flying Squirrels hosted an occasion on the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia. The date of this system, Aug. 28, coincided with the sixtieth anniversary of the March on Washington and the 78th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s first assembly with Branch Rickey.
Three extra Minor League parks will welcome The Other Boys of Summer Barnstorming Tour in September.
On Sept. 6, the Single-A Columbia Fireflies will host an occasion at Segra Park.
The Triple-A Charlotte Knights will display the movie at Truist Field throughout the staff’s HBCU Night on Sept. 8.
On Sept. 19, the tour arrives at 121 Financial Field, dwelling of the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
