Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference
July 20-23, 2023
Detroit, Michigan
Save the date! SABR’s Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference will be held on Thursday, July 20 to Sunday, July 23, 2023, in Detroit, Michigan.
All baseball fans are welcome to attend. Registration and hotel information will be available at SABR.org/malloy in early 2023.
Black baseball has a long history in Michigan, especially centered in the Motor City. Among the original entrants to the Negro National League in 1920 was Tenny Blount’s Detroit Stars, managed by Pete Hill and anchored by Big Bill Gatewood on the mound. The Detroit Wolves and Motor City Giants also played in Mack Park and Hamtramck Stadium. In addition to the well-known Turkey Stearnes, other star players included catcher Bruce Petway, the speedy Jimmie Lyons and the powerful Edgar Wesley.
Scroll down to learn more about submitting a research presentation abstract, or applying for our high school essay contest, art contest, or school library grants in 2023.
About the Conference
The Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference promotes activities to enhance scholarly, educational, and literary objectives. Since 1998, the event has been the only symposium dedicated exclusively to the examination and promotion of Black baseball history. The conference is open to baseball and history fans of all ages. Each year, monies are targeted to donate books to schools or libraries; raise funds for the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Marker Project; and award scholarships to high school seniors in a nationwide essay contest and an annual art contest.
The Negro Leagues Committee is one of SABR’s original committees, formed in 1971. It has continued to preserve and highlight the contributions of African-American players in baseball history. The committee published the landmark The Negro Leagues Book in 1994, which featured a complete register of more than 3,000 players, team rosters and in-depth histories from leagues of the late nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth.
Call for Papers
SABR’s Negro Leagues Research Committee welcomes proposals for oral and poster presentations from all research fields for the 2023 Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference on July 20-23 in Detroit, Michigan. This year’s theme is “Turkey Stearnes Centennial, the Negro Leagues and Civil Rights.”
Proposals should include a 250-word abstract, plus a brief biographical note with contact information. For oral presentations, please indicate whether you will require any AV equipment. For poster presentations, please indicate the number and size of posters you wish to display. Please email your proposal as a Word attachment to Dr. Leslie Heaphy at Lheaphy@kent.edu before March 6, 2023.
Essay Contest
SABR’s Negro Leagues Research Committee is pleased to award $1,000 scholarships to four high school seniors in its 15th annual Thomas R. Garrett Scholarship essay contest in 2023.
The contest is open to high school seniors and carrying a minimum GPA of 2.5 at the end of their junior year. Students have to write a 1,200-word essay answering a question related to one of the Negro League figures who are the namesakes of the scholarships. Deadline to apply: April 15, 2023.
Click here to learn more or to download a scholarship application.
Art Contest
The 13th annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference Art Contest is open to all artists in 2023. Art from the winners will be on display at an upcoming Jerry Malloy Conference. The winning entry in the professional and amateur categories will receive a $150 prize and a certificate from the conference. The youth winner will receive a set of art supplies. Photos of the art will also be included in an upcoming issue of Black Ball: A Negro Leagues Journal, published by McFarland & Co. Questions can be directed to Leslie Heaphy (Lheaphy@kent.edu).
- Professional and Amateur categories: Click here to download a PDF application form. Entry fee: $30 for up to three submissions. Theme: “The World of Black Baseball.” Deadline to apply is July 30, 2023.
- Youth category: Click here to download a PDF application form. Entry fee: $10 for up to three submissions. Theme: “Black Baseball Triumphs.” Deadline to apply is September 11, 2023.
Dick Clark Memorial Library Grants
SABR’s Negro Leagues Research Committee will award two $500 Dick Clark Memorial Library Grants for 2023. School and community libraries from across the country are invited to submit grant proposals centering on educating students and the community about black baseball and American history. Deadline to apply: June 5, 2023.
Please email a completed application, including a letter of support, to Leslie Heaphy (Lheaphy@kent.edu).
