MLB to Celebrate The Negro Leagues at 2008 Draft

Prior to the start of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft on Thursday, June 5th (2 p.m. EDT, live on ESPN2) at The Milk House at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Major League Baseball will hold a Special Negro Leagues Player Draft. Each Major League Club will “draft” surviving former Negro League players, who will represent every player who did not have the opportunity to play Major League Baseball. - From MLB.com

I can personally relate myself to this story by a  childhood experience. Growing up near Pottsville, Pennsylvania (Home of Yuengling Beer) I was constantly watching the Phillies and Yankees.  I was a typical kid who constantly dreamed about being in the Majors.

In the late 90’s my grandfather began buying me autographed baseballs signed by the great players and legends that are marked forever in the history of America’s greatest past time. Mickey Mantle, Joe Dimaggio, Hank Aaron, and Pete Rose ring a bell. To this day I still have every single ball that was bought for me. However, there is one ball in particular that I will always remember.  The blue stamp in the center of the ball did not read “Official League” and had me confused me at first. Then with out any delay I asked the question as any 9 year old would. What’s the difference between Official League and Negro League?

What ever was said to me that day I will not understand and to this day I still don’t. Cheers to the MLB for taking the time to celebrate a very important time in American history and the history of our greatest past time.