MLB officially recognizes the Negro Leagues as a Major League

As part of the culmination of its 100th anniversary celebration, the Negro Leagues is being officially acknowledged as a major league by MLB.

From 1920-48, seven professional leagues operated as the Negro Leagues, separate and of course segregated from Major League Baseball as we broadly think of it. But on Wednesday, that officially changed.

“All of us who love baseball have long known that the Negro Leagues produced many of our game’s best players, innovations and triumphs against a backdrop of injustice,” said commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement on Wednesday. “We are now grateful to count the players of the Negro Leagues where they belong: as Major Leaguers within the official historical record.”

The Negro Leagues are getting long-overdue acknowledgement

Some Negro Leaguers, like Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays and Satchel Paige, eventually played in MLB. But plenty of others, like Josh Gibson and “Cool Papa” Bell, never did. Thankfully, they are now officially Major Leaguers. In total, 3,400 Negro League players will have their statistics recognized by MLB.

MLB celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Negro Leagues during the 2020 season, with a league-wide acknowledgement on Aug. 16. In concert with a shortened season that will go on record, the idea of keeping Negro Leagues records separate was due for a correction — and it’s an overdue acknowledgement.

As Ben Lindbergh of The Ringer cited, the work of researchers at Seamheads.com helped set the parameters of 1920-48 for the records of the Negro Leagues that will become part of MLB record. The Negro World Series was last played in 1948.

Some official Major League stats will change now. Via Lindbergh’s piece, here are examples regarding Mays:

“Mays went deep at least once in his rookie campaign for the Black Barons, but a box score hasn’t been found. Until one is located, his famous mark of 660 homers will stay the same. But the single Mays celebrated as his 3,000th hit in July 1970 will no longer be considered his 3,000th; instead, it may end up as hit no. 3,010 or 3,017, depending on whether his hits in the ’48 NAL Championship Series are counted toward his tally. His “new” no. 3,000 might be a hit he believed to be no. 2,983 or 2,990. His first major league hit will no longer be the homer he launched off of Warren Spahn on May 28, 1951, but — at least for now — his single off Leniel Hooker on July 25, 1948.”

Complete official statistics are hard to pin down for the Negro Leagues. So the “old wives’ tale” estimate that Gibson hit 800-1,000 home runs in his career will remain unconfirmed. But the man once tabbed as “black Babe Ruth,” and his Negro League brethren, will have their accomplishments officially recognized and included by Major League Baseball.