Negro League Baseball’s Hidden Legacy: Larry Lester on History, Stats & Recognition
By Lana Reid | December 6, 2023
As part of the Black Men Matter Series, Lana Reid sits down with Larry Lester, author, historian, and co-founder of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, to discuss the hidden legacy of Negro League Baseball. Larry shares how incomplete records, segregation, and delayed acknowledgment have shaped how Negro League history has been remembered. The conversation explores the importance of accurate documentation, historical truth, and honoring the achievements of Black baseball players who were excluded from Major League Baseball due to segregation.
In this episode of The Male Perspective, Larry Lester provides a powerful and educational conversation on baseball history, record-keeping, and historical justice.
Larry explains how Negro League Baseball thrived despite systemic exclusion from Major League Baseball, producing elite talent, competitive leagues, and cultural impact that went largely unrecognized for decades. He discusses how poor record-keeping, media neglect, and institutional bias contributed to the erasure of many players’ accomplishments from the official baseball narrative.
Throughout the conversation, Lana Reid and Larry explore the importance of statistics and documentation in shaping legacy. Larry shares how his research and historical work have focused on uncovering game records, player statistics, and firsthand accounts to ensure Negro League players receive proper recognition. He emphasizes that statistics are not just numbers, but evidence of excellence that validates history.
The discussion also highlights why recognition matters today. Larry reflects on recent efforts to integrate Negro League statistics into Major League Baseball records and what that acknowledgment represents for families, historians, and communities. He underscores that preserving accurate history is about truth, respect, and honoring those who were denied opportunity but not greatness.
This episode reinforces the importance of historical accuracy, cultural preservation, and acknowledging the full scope of Black excellence in American sports history.
About the Guest
Larry Lester is an author, baseball historian, and co-founder of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. He is widely recognized for his work researching Negro League history, preserving statistical records, and advocating for accurate recognition of Black baseball players excluded from Major League Baseball during segregation.
For more information on Larry Lester:
https://www.larrylester42.com/
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001KHM44C
https://www.facebook.com/larry.lester1
https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylester42/
About the Series
This episode is part of the Black Men Matter Series, highlighting Black men whose work preserves history, advances truth, and uplifts cultural legacy across generations.
About the Host & Organization
The Male Perspective is hosted by Lana Reid, founder of Conversations in Color, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) grassroots organization dedicated to providing uplifting and community-building spaces of dialogue for Black voices.
Conversations in Color’s Current Initiatives
THE MALE PERSPECTIVE
The purpose of The Male Perspective is to dispel stereotypes and increase awareness of the experiences of Black men through open discussions, thought-provoking interviews, and the sharing of personal experiences that highlight the diversity and depth of the Black male experience.
SISTAS REBUILDING SISTERHOOD
Sistas Rebuilding Sisterhood is an intergenerational community of Black women who come together for relaxed, non-judgmental gatherings to exchange ideas, share experiences, and collaborate in a collective effort to improve the quality of sisterhood interactions in everyday life.
TAPESTRY OF BLACK VOICES AWARDS
The Tapestry of Black Voices Awards honors local communities and showcases the creativity, brilliance, and lived experiences of Black voices across the United States.