Major League Baseball has integrated the statistics of former Negro Leagues players into its historical records, altering the standings of legendary players like Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb. Josh Gibson is now listed as MLB’s all-time career leader in batting average at .372, surpassing Ty Cobb’s .367, and also overtakes Babe Ruth in career slugging percentage. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred expressed pride in this inclusion, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the achievements of Negro Leagues players.
“We’re excited,” Sean Gibson, the slugger’s great grandson, told CNN. “This is a long time coming. Not just for Josh Gibson, but all the other great Negro League family members as well.”
Josh Gibson, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972, is highlighted as a key figure in this update. His great-grandson, Sean Gibson, expressed excitement for this recognition of all Negro League players. Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, described this as a watershed moment, emphasizing that the story of the Negro Leagues goes beyond statistics.
“This is indeed an exciting day. It was a long time coming,” Negro Leagues Baseball Museum President Bob Kendrick said at a Wednesday news conference. “It is an absolute watershed moment for both Black baseball and Negro League history.”
More than 2,300 Negro Leagues players from 1920-1948 have been added to the MLB database, with ongoing discoveries of additional stats. This update also affects the career statistics of Hall of Famers like Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, and Minnie Miñoso, reflecting their Negro Leagues accomplishments.
This move follows MLB’s 2020 decision to recognize the Negro Leagues as equivalent to the Major Leagues, addressing past exclusions and providing statistical validation for the era’s top Black players.
Link: CNN
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