San Diego Padres to make generous donation to SABR Negro Leagues Grave Marker Project
On Friday, May 31, 2013, the San Diego Padres will make a generous donation to the Negro Leagues Grave Marker Project at the 10th annual Salute to the Negro Leagues Luncheon at the Omni Hotel San Diego.
The Negro Leagues Grave Marker Project, founded in 2004 by SABR member Jeremy Krock, raises funds to buy headstones for unmarked graves of Negro League players. More than two dozen headstones have been installed at cemeteries throughout the country for black baseball stars such as John Donaldson, Jimmie Crutchfield and Dink Mothell. For more information, click here.
The limited-seating luncheon, which will be emceed by the Mighty 1090 radio host John Kentera, will be hosted by Padres Executive VP/Senior Advisor and Hall of Famer Dave Winfield. The 2013 Salute to the Negro Leagues, themed Game Changers, will honor former Negro League players, including George “Jo-Jo” Altman, Neale “California Comet” Henderson, Don “Groundhog” Johnson, Ray “Boo Boy” Knox, Minnie Minoso, Charley Pride, Mack “The Knife” Pride, Jim Robinson, and Ron “Roomie” Teasley. Other notable guests include SABR member Bob Kendrick, executive director of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Mo. and keynote speaker Joe Posnanski of NBC Sports. Prior to the game, Minnie Minoso will throw the Ceremonial First Pitch.
The Padres Foundation will also present donations to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the Jackie Robinson Foundation and the new Central Library in San Diego. For more information, visit Padres.com.
For more information on the SABR Negro Leagues Research Committee, which raises money for the Grave Marker Project, click here.
- Coming up: The 16th annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference will be held June 13-15, 2013, in Newark, New Jersey; register today!
- Donate: To support the Negro Leagues Grave Marker Project, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to SABR
Originally published: May 29, 2013. Last Updated: May 29, 2013.