Andrew "Rube" Foster Mural
Donation protected
GOAL:
Known and recognized as the "Father of Negro League Baseball," Andrew "Rube" Foster formed the 1st Black owned baseball league in 1920. His vision also provided the foundation for future generations of black baseball players to realize their dreams of being allowed to play in the Major Leagues. As part of his impressive legacy, "Rube" Foster is one of 9 members of the Chicago American Giants ball club to be enshrined into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
Now you can be a part of that legacy by supporting our project to produce a 3 story Mural in honor of Andrew "Rube" Foster in Chicago's Bronzeville community.
The mural will be just the first step in telling the story of a forgotten history. The next step is to follow up mural with a three part exhibit featuring the Chicago American Giants. The exhibit will serve to educate Bronzeville and the city of Chicago and the nation at large as to the contributions of Rube Foster to his community and to major league baseball.
The purpose of the exhibit would serve a dual role; the first role - would be to impart the knowledge of the contributions, and struggles of Andrew “Rube” Foster, and his amazing “Chicago American Giants” baseball teams on American society. The second role - would be to educate the public, and in particular our youth to their cultural heritage handed down from past generations which could serve as a source of inspiration; therefore, this is a cultural past that must not be forgotten, nor should it be lost, nor should it be ignored
OBJECTIVES:
To be completed in three phases:
1st Phase: find temporary/permanent multiply locations to host portable parts of the exhibit to introduce the history to as wide an audience as possible. Use the exhibits for fund-raising efforts to solicit both private and public donations, and generate support for a permanent “Chicago American Giants Museum” which is planned for development during the second phase to start in one to years from the opening of the exhibit.
2nd Phase: locate a permanent location to host the “Chicago American Giants Museum” complete with Gift Shop & Book Store, which could provide
an up-scale setting for both school and corporate tours as well as being open to the public.
Final Phase: open an up-scale “Chicago American Giants Café” to act as catalyst and anchor in creating (if you will) a “Wriggleville of the Southside”. The hope is to exploit the historical ties between the community of Bronzeville and the Chicago American Giants, keeping in mind that there is also an historical tie between the Chicago American Giants and the Chicago White Sox organization. And, of course there is an historical tie between the Chicago White Sox and Bronzeville (the Chicago White Sox have always played all of their home games in the Bronzeville community.
The name of the exhibit is “Chicago American Giants” – “The Greatest story never Told” & will consist of - Three Parts:
Part 1: - Andrew “Rube” Foster & Bronzeville’s Baseball Legends - (to be offered to the DuSable Museum as a permanent site.)
Table of Contents:
1. Prelude – The Baseball World Before 1890
2. Andrew “Rube” Foster bio as a player, as an owner, and as the Creator/Founder of the Negro National League.
3. Chicago American Giants 1910 – 1920
4. Chicago American Giants 1920 – 1929 (“The Rube Foster Era”)
5. Chicago American Giants 1933 – 1948 ( “The Golden Era”)
6. Bronzeville Baseball Legends (“The Rube Foster Era”)
(Featuring the (4) players inducted into the HALL-OF-FAME)
7. Bronzeville Baseball Legends (“The Golden Era”)
(Featuring the (4) players inducted into the HALL-OF-FAME)
8. Allow visitors to sign write-in campaign to petition to have the “Rube” Foster home which was purchased in 1926 located at 4131 S Michigan Ave to be designated as an “Historical Site”
Part 1: will be offered to the Du Sable Museum to host as a permanent site, and will consist of panels featuring Mr. Andrew “Rube Foster, founder of the Negro National League and considered the father of Negro League Baseball. The exhibit would also highlight the accomplishments of his teams the “Chicago American Giants” and provide the historical background of the great players (8) which are currently enshrined in Major League baseball’s Hall-of-Fame. To this day many people have never heard of him or the players or know their names for that matter. Their story needs to be known, not just by black Americans but by all Americans. They were true pioneers and hero’s living in Bronzeville since the turn of the 19th century!
Part 2: will feature the history of the EAST-WEST ALL-STAR CLASSIC Games played in Historic Comisky Park from 1933 thru 1948 (a period which will be referred to as “The Golden Era”) to be offered to the Sports Authority across the street from the Cellular 1 Ball Park prior to and during the East-West All-Star Classic played in July between the Suburban High School All-Stars verses’ the Chicago High School All-Stars. This would provide a learning tool and true understanding of the significance of the contributions of those history of the player that participated in those games played during the “Golden Era” of Negro League
Baseball complete will team photos, scores, and game statistics (each year will have a separate panel. Part 2 of the exhibit will also highlight the historic role played in the Bronzeville community both financially and socially in playing host to the nation for these games. (Incidentally, 41 Negro League baseball players in these games are now inducted into the HALL-OF-FAME! They will be featured in this part of the exhibit also!)
Part 3: will focus on “The demise of the Nergo League”:
- Will feature Negro League Baseball in the late 1940’s
- Will feature Negro League Baseball in the 1950’s
- Will feature Negro League Baseball in the 1960’s
The exhibit in its entirety will make its debut at the UIC’s African American Cultural Center on a temporary basis. In the future the hope is to eventually have a permanent site to host the exhibit as part of a ”Bronzeville Tourist Destination District” attracting tourist from across the nation!
“Rube” Foster’s vision was to see the Negro League become an economic engine for the community, creating jobs and establishing Bronzeville as an international tourist destination. His vision is still very much alive today!
The layout of the panels is complete; however, the size of the panels will be determined by the space allocated to the exhibit and then cost per panel can be fixed (I will need funding to produce exhibit). If interested I will send Power Point presentation of panels!
Known and recognized as the "Father of Negro League Baseball," Andrew "Rube" Foster formed the 1st Black owned baseball league in 1920. His vision also provided the foundation for future generations of black baseball players to realize their dreams of being allowed to play in the Major Leagues. As part of his impressive legacy, "Rube" Foster is one of 9 members of the Chicago American Giants ball club to be enshrined into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
Now you can be a part of that legacy by supporting our project to produce a 3 story Mural in honor of Andrew "Rube" Foster in Chicago's Bronzeville community.
The mural will be just the first step in telling the story of a forgotten history. The next step is to follow up mural with a three part exhibit featuring the Chicago American Giants. The exhibit will serve to educate Bronzeville and the city of Chicago and the nation at large as to the contributions of Rube Foster to his community and to major league baseball.
The purpose of the exhibit would serve a dual role; the first role - would be to impart the knowledge of the contributions, and struggles of Andrew “Rube” Foster, and his amazing “Chicago American Giants” baseball teams on American society. The second role - would be to educate the public, and in particular our youth to their cultural heritage handed down from past generations which could serve as a source of inspiration; therefore, this is a cultural past that must not be forgotten, nor should it be lost, nor should it be ignored
OBJECTIVES:
To be completed in three phases:
1st Phase: find temporary/permanent multiply locations to host portable parts of the exhibit to introduce the history to as wide an audience as possible. Use the exhibits for fund-raising efforts to solicit both private and public donations, and generate support for a permanent “Chicago American Giants Museum” which is planned for development during the second phase to start in one to years from the opening of the exhibit.
2nd Phase: locate a permanent location to host the “Chicago American Giants Museum” complete with Gift Shop & Book Store, which could provide
an up-scale setting for both school and corporate tours as well as being open to the public.
Final Phase: open an up-scale “Chicago American Giants Café” to act as catalyst and anchor in creating (if you will) a “Wriggleville of the Southside”. The hope is to exploit the historical ties between the community of Bronzeville and the Chicago American Giants, keeping in mind that there is also an historical tie between the Chicago American Giants and the Chicago White Sox organization. And, of course there is an historical tie between the Chicago White Sox and Bronzeville (the Chicago White Sox have always played all of their home games in the Bronzeville community.
The name of the exhibit is “Chicago American Giants” – “The Greatest story never Told” & will consist of - Three Parts:
Part 1: - Andrew “Rube” Foster & Bronzeville’s Baseball Legends - (to be offered to the DuSable Museum as a permanent site.)
Table of Contents:
1. Prelude – The Baseball World Before 1890
2. Andrew “Rube” Foster bio as a player, as an owner, and as the Creator/Founder of the Negro National League.
3. Chicago American Giants 1910 – 1920
4. Chicago American Giants 1920 – 1929 (“The Rube Foster Era”)
5. Chicago American Giants 1933 – 1948 ( “The Golden Era”)
6. Bronzeville Baseball Legends (“The Rube Foster Era”)
(Featuring the (4) players inducted into the HALL-OF-FAME)
7. Bronzeville Baseball Legends (“The Golden Era”)
(Featuring the (4) players inducted into the HALL-OF-FAME)
8. Allow visitors to sign write-in campaign to petition to have the “Rube” Foster home which was purchased in 1926 located at 4131 S Michigan Ave to be designated as an “Historical Site”
Part 1: will be offered to the Du Sable Museum to host as a permanent site, and will consist of panels featuring Mr. Andrew “Rube Foster, founder of the Negro National League and considered the father of Negro League Baseball. The exhibit would also highlight the accomplishments of his teams the “Chicago American Giants” and provide the historical background of the great players (8) which are currently enshrined in Major League baseball’s Hall-of-Fame. To this day many people have never heard of him or the players or know their names for that matter. Their story needs to be known, not just by black Americans but by all Americans. They were true pioneers and hero’s living in Bronzeville since the turn of the 19th century!
Part 2: will feature the history of the EAST-WEST ALL-STAR CLASSIC Games played in Historic Comisky Park from 1933 thru 1948 (a period which will be referred to as “The Golden Era”) to be offered to the Sports Authority across the street from the Cellular 1 Ball Park prior to and during the East-West All-Star Classic played in July between the Suburban High School All-Stars verses’ the Chicago High School All-Stars. This would provide a learning tool and true understanding of the significance of the contributions of those history of the player that participated in those games played during the “Golden Era” of Negro League
Baseball complete will team photos, scores, and game statistics (each year will have a separate panel. Part 2 of the exhibit will also highlight the historic role played in the Bronzeville community both financially and socially in playing host to the nation for these games. (Incidentally, 41 Negro League baseball players in these games are now inducted into the HALL-OF-FAME! They will be featured in this part of the exhibit also!)
Part 3: will focus on “The demise of the Nergo League”:
- Will feature Negro League Baseball in the late 1940’s
- Will feature Negro League Baseball in the 1950’s
- Will feature Negro League Baseball in the 1960’s
The exhibit in its entirety will make its debut at the UIC’s African American Cultural Center on a temporary basis. In the future the hope is to eventually have a permanent site to host the exhibit as part of a ”Bronzeville Tourist Destination District” attracting tourist from across the nation!
“Rube” Foster’s vision was to see the Negro League become an economic engine for the community, creating jobs and establishing Bronzeville as an international tourist destination. His vision is still very much alive today!
The layout of the panels is complete; however, the size of the panels will be determined by the space allocated to the exhibit and then cost per panel can be fixed (I will need funding to produce exhibit). If interested I will send Power Point presentation of panels!
Organizer
Alvin Spearman
Organizer
Peoria, AZ
