Buy Negro Leagues books and merchandise . Anyone who studies the history of baseball will find that a segment of that history is missing, or at best, largely incomplete. That nebulous segment is the story of black baseball players during the era of racially separate leagues. The serious student of baseball will not be satisfied with an incomplete history. Within the last decade, progress has been made and some missing information filled in.
More research is needed and the effort is continuing.
The vast majority of the players included herein were of major league caliber. Doubtless, many other deserving players should be included. Care should be exercised in interpreting the existing data. The erratic compilation of statistics, the variable quality of opposition, the abbreviated league scheduling, and the conditions governing facilities and travel should all be taken into consideration to put evaluations into proper perspective. The selections for the first, second and third teams herein are consensus choices.