Gordon Smith with former Negro League player Bob Scott (Photo/Story Credit: Skyler Henry)
Macon, GA — Gordon Smith, a local teen high school baseball player, recently honored several Black history heroes who were born in Macon, Georgia and played in the Negro League. He came up with the idea after he returned from a visit to the Negro League museum in Kansas City, Missouri, and realized that none of the players from Macon were being recognized.“[The museum in St. Louis] was amazing because you would see a lot of history and the people that played Negro League baseball being honored,” Gordon said during an interview with WGMT/ NBC 41.
So Gordon took it upon himself to raise more than $2,000 to create four wall plaques with a brief history of each of the players. Each of the plaques will soon be on display at Luther Williams Field located on Willie Smokey Glover Drive in Macon, GA. Built in 1929, this minor league stadium is the centerpiece of Central City Park and is the second-oldest minor league stadium in the country.
The honorees included:
Ernest Fann – a catcher and pitcher that led his baseball team to state championships in 1961 and 1962, and went on to play with the Atlanta Black Crackers
Marion “Sugar” Cain – a pitcher and outfielder that started his career with the Pittsburgh Crawfords, and went on to play for the Brooklyn Royal Giants and the Oakland Larks.
Robert “Bob” Scott – a pitcher for the Macon Braves, Macon Cardinals, the New York Black Yankees, and the Boston Blues. He also played on the Jackie Robinson Barnstorming Team.
Lemuel Hawkins – a pitcher and first baseman that played for the Kansas City Monarchs, Chicago Giants, and Chicago American Giants. He also played in the 1924 Negro League World Series.
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