Scrappers pay tribute to Negro League

By John Kovach

Warren native Ted Toles will be the featured speaker at Tuesday’s event at Eastwood.

NILES — Ted Toles Jr. of Warren will be a featured speaker Tuesday night to highlight Negro League Tribute Night at the Mahoning Valley Scrappers’ game against Batavia at Eastwood Field.

Sharing the podium with Toles, a former Negro League baseball star, will be Shawn Gibson, the great grandson of Josh Gibson, another former Negro League star from 1927-46.

The tribute program will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by the game at 7:05.

Toles and Gibson will talk about the Negro Leagues and some of the players, and the importance of keeping their history alive for young people to learn about.

“The Scrappers set this date up and asked me to help out,” said Toles, who has become good friends with Sean Gibson through their mutual involvement in Negro Leagues promotions, and is grateful that he is coming to Eastwood.

Toles, 82, a native of Braceville, said the Scrappers gave him tickets to give away free to the public for Tuesday’s game to promote Negro League Tribute Night.

“Anyone who wants a free ticket, all they have to do is call me at 330-501-2689 and I will give them one,” said Toles.

Toles was a southpaw pitcher, outfielder and switch-hitter in the Negro Leagues from 1946-49, playing with four different teams: the Pittsburgh Crawfords, Cleveland Buckeyes, Newark Eagles and Jacksonville Eagles.

Toles is an usher at Scrappers games and has become an ambassador for the Negro Leagues not only in the area but throughout the nation.

He has traveled the country with his sons and friends to attend Negro League exhibits at major league ballparks, and participates in various speaking engagements.

Toles’ popularity has grown to the point that companies have begun printing his baseball card and making his statue for collectors of baseball memorabilia.

Shawn Gibson serves as executive director of the Josh Gibson Foundation, which helps to keep his great grandfather’s legacy intact and provides educational and recreational opportunities for youth.

Josh Gibson was a catcher and long-ball hitter for the Pittsburgh Crawfords and Homestead Grays, and was elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

Gibson was considered one of the most powerful long-ball hitters in the history of professional baseball, and led the Negro National League in home runs for 10 consecutive years.

It was not uncommon for Gibson to slug homers of more than 500 feet — one reportedly having traveled 575 feet — and he belted 75 home runs in 1931.

Gibson died of a stroke at 35 only a few months before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and climbed into the major leagues with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Had Gibson lived, he might have followed Robinson across the color barrier to take his big swing at becoming the black Babe Ruth of baseball.

kovach@vindy.com