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For our second hour, a live broadcast from the Murphy Fine Arts Center at Morgan State University.
On stage with Marc we have Bob Luke, author of The Baltimore Elite Giants: Sports and Society in the Age of Negro League Baseball, and Bert Simmons, pitcher for the Elite Giants and the last Elite Giant member living in Baltimore.
The Baltimore Elite Giants were one of the best-known teams in America’s Negro Leagues. Despite having powerful and gifted athletes that often surpassed the standard for the major leagues, players for the Baltimore Elite Giants were restricted from the majors by a color barrier that not only limited their advancement but made it impossible to make a living from their livelihood, creating obstacles that weren’t there for white major leaguers at the time.
We share stories and memories, and also discuss the many hardships that faced the team during and following their thirty year run.