MASTERMIND THE HUSTLE

History, Her-story, their story and what is your story? Stories are retold, modified, repeated, ignored or forgotten forever. What is your spoken or written account of significant events? We make, history or become history, a familiar term used in my household growing up. Now is our moment in time and the disparities are available for our Solutions, Revolution, Resolution and Innovation. The world is counting on us to Mastermind this moment in time. “Make an imprint in the Universe.”
However, I cannot negate the fact that we must revisit and acknowledge the past so we can move forward. We have the power and agility to repeat, change or control the narrative. Who is the keeper of knowledge to inspire, uplift and empower? May the hinges fall of the doors and the floodgates of knowledge, opportunity, inspiration, ignite our powers.
Black history month, an annual celebration of achievement by African Americans has evolved from “Negro History Week” and “African American History Month. This month is dedicated to honoring the neglected accomplishments of Black Americans. Let the record reflect that slavery is a part of our history, but not the whole capstone of our history. This is a Black History decade or century not just a month.
As the granddaughter of a Negro League Baseball Player, it is imperative that I keep the legacy alive of Jim Lefty Jones and the Negro Baseball League. In 2020, Major League Baseball officially recognized the Negro League as a Major League. After 100 years the stats and records of the Negro Leagues will be added to Major League Baseball. The Negro League players were not allowed to join the American and National Leagues before Jackie Robison broke the color barrier in 1947. The jury is still out on if breaking the color barrier was a positive or negative attribute to folding of the Negro Leagues.
The Negro League highlighted the talents of African American players. The Negro League was a successful business generating a lot of revenue, in addition to providing jobs. Commissioner Robert Manfred stated the end of last year (2020), ”All of us who love baseball have long known that the Negro Leagues produced many of our game’s best players, innovators and triumphs against a backdrop of injustice. We are now grateful to count the players of the Negro Leagues where they belong: as Major Leaguers within the official historical record.”
The Philadelphia Stars were the Negro League Baseball team from Philadelphia. My grandfather Jim “Lefty” Jones played for the Philadelphia Stars during the later part of his career. However Lefty Jones played for the Baltimore Elite Giants (1943 – 1944), the U.S. Army in (1944 –1946), Nashville Tennessee (1946 – 1947), Raleigh Tigers (1947- 1948), and the Philadelphia Stars: Lead hitter in 1952 of the negro American with a .376 mark in (1949-1952), Canada in (1952-1953).
One of the urban legends about Lefty Jones’ side hustle is that he was the food concession stand before the term was invented or acted upon. He would sell peanuts and popcorn to the spectators at the baseball game. Grandpop Lefty Jones Masterminded his Hustle. In West Philadelphia (Belmont and Parkside Avenue) there is an historical marker that recognizes the history of African American baseball. Jim “Lefty” Jones name is listed among the greats that represented the Philadelphia Stars.
According to the Negro League National Baseball Players Association, the first Negro League was established in Kansas City, February 13, 1920. The Negro League Museum is in Kansas City as well. A few years ago I was in Kansas City and had the pleasure to experience the tour with the museum president Bob Kendrick. We started the tour in the “Field of Legends” with bronze detailed life size likeness of Buck Leonard, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and other legends. I told Mr. Kendrick “I know my grandfather Lefty Jones is in this museum.” I started searching for Lefty Jones in the museum and came across a picture of Mo’ne Davis Philadelphia’s own Little League Baseball pitcher and Mamie Peanut Johnson. Mamie Johnson, Connie Morgan and Toni Stone are the three women to play baseball in the Negro League. Connie Morgan a Philadelphia native played for the North Philadelphia Honey Drippers an all girl baseball league, before she replaced Toni Stone at second base for the Indianapolis Clowns. In addition to reading excerpts about women baseball players, it was to my surprise there were a few women general managers. Abe Manley, was general manager of the Newark Eagles (Negro Baseball League). Olivia Taylor was another woman who inherited the baseball league Indianapolis ABC from her husband.
Let the record reflect, that I did find some information about my Grandfather Lefty Jones at the Negro League Museum. However they were missing some pertinent information about my grandfather. After speaking with my uncle, I was able to send the museum more information about Jim Lefty Jones for their archives.
History, Her-story, their story and what is your story? Stories are retold, modified, repeated, ignored or forgotten forever. This is a Black History decade or century not just a month. Listen to “Finance Geeks” Talk Radio Monday 7pm and Saturday 11am. Download the tune in-app and search for Free Agent Radio.
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