STORYLINES
Oscar Charleston - The First Superstar
Before Willie Mays, there was Oscar Charleston - the dynamic center fielder who could do it all. Charleston's career batting average still ranks third all-time in baseball history, and he paired that all-time great bat with unparalleled range and sure hands in center field. According to Buck O'Neil, Charleston was so strong he could take a baseball in both his hands and peel the leather off by twisting it and tearing the cover off at the seams.
Leroy Matlock - The Unheralded Hurler
One of the more unheralded, great pitchers of the Negro Leagues, Leroy Matlock didn't throw smoke - but he got guys out for a long time on control, guts, guile, and strategy. While hitters were playing checkers, Leroy Matlock played chess - and he always won. The same pinpoint control and speed mixing that the modern fan might associate with Greg Maddux were what made the Mighty Matlock unhittable in his day.
Biz Mackey - The Greatest Signal Caller
Perhaps the greatest defensive catcher the sport has ever seen, James Raleigh "Biz" Mackey earned his nickname because he gave the opposing hitters the business - throwing dirt on their shoes, talking their ears off, and doing everything in his power to maximize his pitcher's capabilities. Biz was the complete package behind the plate. Later, as a Negro Leagues manager, he served as a mentor for Major League trailblazer Larry Doby and the young Roy Campanella, who would win three National League Most Valuable Player awards.
Judy Johnson - The Clutch Performer
Judy Johnson was an intelligent third baseman with impressive range and a cannon arm, who made up for his diminutive stature by spraying line drives all over the field. Wherever Judy went, his teams won - and wherever Judy went, he delivered clutch heroics and the biggest heart that this game has ever seen. Facing elimination in Game 6 of the 1935 Negro League World Series, Judy delivered a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth to extend the series, and his Pittsburgh Crawfords completed the comeback in Game 7.
Monte Irvin - The Five-Tool Talent
Monte Irvin could do it all, and he did it all during his life in baseball. Forces beyond his control prevented him from breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier, but he was an RBI king and an All-Star for the New York Giants after starring for the Newark Eagles, and the second man in history to steal home during a World Series game. As a young boy, the great Roberto Clemente dreamed of growing up to be like Irvin - and long after his playing days were up, after his Hall of Fame induction, Irvin was instrumental in the foundation of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.