Tarleton’s School of Kinesiology is showing the Negro League Exhibit in Wisdom Gym for Black History Month.

Major League Baseball segregated in 1887 and wasn’t desegregated until 1947 when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. The Negro Leagues started in 1920 by Andrew “Rube” Foster from Texas. Foster met with owners in Kansas City where they officially formed the league which included a World Series and an All-Star game.

The league would “bar-storm” other teams, playing anyone who would play them. The exhibit was created for the 2012 All-Star game, which was held at the Kansas City Royals Ballpark in Kansas City, Missouri. This was also the birthplace of the Negro Leagues.

“This exhibit highlights the players who played in the Negro Leagues and the Major League, and eventually ended up playing in the All-Star game,” Associate Professor and Coordinator for Coaching Athletic Administration and Recreation, Dr. Jarrod Schenewark said. The exhibit stays in a museum in Kansas City.

“I was doing research and saw it was the 100th anniversary. I’ve been up to the museum before and thought it would be a good idea to bring it down. It was a way to make good use of the Dean’s Innovation Grant.”

The Dean’s Innovation Grant was proposed three years ago by the former Dean of the College of Education, Dr. Jordan Barkley, when he made the decision to invest in innovative research and special programming. The current dean, Dr. Kim Rynearson, has continued to support this type of innovation. Dr. Schenewark proposed the idea to feature the Negro Leagues exhibit and it was selected for funding.

“I think it’s important to recognize that the Negro Leagues existed and that it was a professional league,” Schenewark said.

“The exhibit really highlights how, even though they were segregated, it allowed them have a career in baseball and to follow their dreams.” Dr. Schenewark said that the whole idea of chasing your dreams is for everyone.

The exhibit features an overview of information about the Negro Leagues. It highlights the 20 players who began their careers in the Negro Leagues then went on to play for the Major Leagues and were eventually selected for the Major League All Star game.

“Our institution embraces diversity as a core value and putting that value into action means we need to understand and appreciate the experiences and accomplishments of people from different backgrounds,” Department Head of Sports Sciences, Dr. Tom Tallach said.

“Dr. Schenewark made an outstanding proposal and the college decided to support it. We are very appreciative,” Tallach said.

The School of Kinesiology does not plan on featuring something for Black History Month next year, but they will see how the exhibit is received by students and faculty.

“While it’s not out of the question, it is also important to provide a variety of educational experiences for our students and community,” Tallach said.

The Negro Leagues also had an impact on the civil rights movement. 28 days before his assassination, Martin Luther King Jr. visited Negro Leagues player Don Newcombe and told him that what they did in baseball made his job easier.

“It shows the impact of sports and how it’s not just a game,” Schenewark said.

The Negro Leagues Exhibit is set up in Wisdom Gym and will be featured there until Feb. 28.