Negro Base Ball League Enters Arena -- February 13, 2020

Tulsa Star, 14-February-1920

100 years ago today, on 13-February-1920, owners of several independent professional teams for African American players, who were barred from Major League Baseball, gathered in Kansas City to form the first Negro National League.  Rube Foster, founder and manager of the Chicago American Giants, led the group.  The first Negro National League lasted until 1931, when the Great Depression finished it off.

NEGRO BASE BALL

LEAGUE ENTERS ARENA.

Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit,

Kansas City and Dayton, O. to

Arrange Schedule.

(Star News Service.)
KANSAS CITY, Feb. 13. -- This city will be today and tomorrow the meeting place of a group of Colored base ball managers to organize a circuit, including Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit, Kansas City, and Dayton, O. Rube Foster plans to form a national league after this circuit has been perfected. The Cuban Stars will he the traveling team in the circuit, Foster, who is manager of the American Giants; Joe Green of the Chicago Giants, and Carey R. Lewis, sporting editor of the Chicago Defender, will leave next week for the conference.