Plans underway for museum honoring Negro Leaguers

CLEVELAND (AP) -- A group of baseball history buffs convened its annual meeting in Cleveland where plans are underway to establish a museum dedicated to the Negro League.
"We're hoping that it will provide an informative session for people who want to learn more about Negro League baseball, about the multicultural aspects of the game and its impact not only on baseball, but on our culture -- including locally," Bob Zimmer said.
"We're hoping that it helps create an awareness and interest for the museum project, too," said Zimmer, whose jewelry store houses his collection of memorabilia from the Negro and Latin leagues.
Zimmer believes the Baseball Heritage Museum that he has proposed in his jewelry store building would complement the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Mo. Zimmer said a lack of funds is the only reason the museum hasn't been completed.
He estimates the cost of the project to be about $2.5 million.
Former Cleveland Indians infielder Vern Fuller is the museum's executive director. "We're working hard to try to raise the dollars to do it," Zimmer said.
The three-day Negro League Legends Weekend Festival, which ends today, was arranged "for people to get close and personal with the players," Zimmer said. "There's not much time left for that because the players are getting up there in age."
The festival, co-hosted by the Baseball Heritage Museum and the Society for American Baseball Research, featured presentations and panels. Featured guests included Negro League players such as Joe B. Scott, Harold Gould and Bill Cash.