Detroit Tigers Salute The Negro Baseball League This Weekend

DETROIT (Tell Us Det) – The Detroit Tigers hosted the franchise’s annual Negro Leagues Weekend as the Tigers host the Pittsburgh Pirates. On Saturday, May 19 the Tigers represented the Detroit Stars while the Pirates represented the Pittsburgh Crawfords during the 18th Annual Negro Leagues Tribute Game. The Tenth Annual Negro Leagues Weekend marks the first — and longest running — three-day celebration of its kind in Major League Baseball.

The Detroit Tigers paid tribute to several former Negro Leagues players and former Tigers players, as well as special guests, for a weekend full of events celebrating the contributions of Negro Leagues players to the game of baseball.

The Tigers paid  tribute to 12 former Negro Leagues players during a special pregame ceremony which included Frank Crosson, Charlie Davis, Joe Douse, Melvin “Buck” Duncan, Minnie Forbes, Bill Hall, Gene Johnson, Alton King, Jake Sanders, Pedro Sierra, Ron “Schoolboy” Teasley and Johnny Waer.

The ceremony was hosted by famed radio announcer John Mason of WCHB AM 1200. Jake Sanders will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. The Tigers also honored former Negro Leagues players Harold “Bee Bop” Gordon and James “Bullet” Moore Jr. with a moment of silence.

The two teams took to the field wearing the throwback uniforms of the Detroit Stars and Pittsburgh Crawfords.

The first 10,000 fans to enter Comerica Park received an Austin Jackson Detroit Stars Bobblehead.