Page 47 - Waves April

this culture’s ever produced.

THE MODERN DAYS

Throughout history, baseball has not
only entertained, but has also offered
a sense of comfort during difficult
times.

President George W. Bush showed
the nation’s strength as he threw
out the first pitch of World Series
Game 3 in New York City just seven
weeks after the tragedies of 9/11.
The 2013 Red Sox proved “Boston
Strong” with a World Series win in
the shadow of the Boston Marathon
bombings.

Opening days like this one Again in Houston, baseball served
at the Polo Grounds have an important purpose. As the region
crawled back from the destruction of
been a community tradition Hurricane Harvey, the 2017 Houston Women stepped up to the plate as World
War II depleted much Major League
for well over a century. Astros claimed their first-ever World talent
Series championship. BORN ON GALVESTON
the first since 1884 in the big leagues. ISLAND
There were numerous strides and set- The Museum documents these mo-
backs in between. ments and more – moments in which
baseball and our culture have inter-
An unwritten agreement barred blacks sected in powerful ways. The Muse-
from professional leagues from the late um’s collection of artifacts extends
1800s and into the 20th century. Before far beyond the baseball’s greatest
that, the professional game had bucked players, and includes many items
the trend, as Bud Fowler – a native Central that tell the stories of our nation.
New Yorker – played in the 1870s and ‘80s
despite the proliferation of Jim Crow laws.

Within the African-American community, Former Houston Astros
baseball was a great source of pride as Pitcher Brandon Backe
dozens of barnstorming teams traveled
from town to town to entertain crowds. The
Negro leagues fielded outstanding players,
many of whom have been inducted into
the Hall of Fame.

Baseball led the way on integration, as
Jackie Robinson became a key symbol of
equality during the Civil Rights struggles
of the 1960s. Hank Aaron made history
as a symbol of African-American progress
in the 1960s and ‘70s. In 1971, the Pitts-
burgh Pirates fielded MLB’s first all-black
lineup, and a little more than three years
later, Frank Robinson became the majors’
first African-American manager.

There are three things that America will be
known for 2,000 years from now: the Con-
stitution, jazz music, and Baseball. They’re Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson made American history when he broke
the three most beautifully designed things the color barrier in 1947.

Waves Magazine | May 2019 Issue | 47