2008 Woodie Awards
Lecture to discuss 'The Game for All Races'
Kate Jacob
Issue date: 4/22/08 Section: Campus
Burgos is a lifelong baseball fan, player and historian. He said that by knowing Latinos actually played in the Negro League before the Major League was desegregated will provide a new understanding of race in baseball.
"We don't know as much as we think we know," Burgos said.
Burgos said he wants to share the story of the shear willpower these baseball players had to not let segregation dominate who they are.
"Today, Latinos and African Americans are viewed as having no history together and having nothing in common-but they do," Burgos said. "And we need to realize this."
Burgos said he wants to evaluate the current political black-versus-white scale by using the history of the Latinos in baseball to illuminate the need of social justice among all races.
"What we see when we look at this history is team officials who manipulated racial understanding," Burgos said. "So, ultimately, we needed a Jackie Robinson."
Although there were dozens of players-both black and Latino-who were better players than Jackie Robinson, according to Burgos, no one was better suited to break the color line.
"His task was not to be a great player, but a great man to break down the barriers," Burgos said.
Chandler, who organized the lecture, praised the players coming to the discussion.
"The importance for bringing this (issue) up is for the sake of history and to give praise and thanks to these forerunners who allowed others to play the game," she said.
According to Chandler, the lecture was originally scheduled for February during Black History Month, but due to poor weather conditions, it was moved to April.
Burgos said he found this date switch somewhat ironic because April is actually Latino History Month, so the lecture time remained very relevant.The program is dedicated to William (Sonny) Webb, a Negro League player, an original panel member who passed away in December, according to Chandler.
"This (lecture) is a way to let (the panel members) know that they are not forgotten, but are loved, just like so many people love America's game-baseball," Chandler said.
"We don't know as much as we think we know," Burgos said.
Burgos said he wants to share the story of the shear willpower these baseball players had to not let segregation dominate who they are.
"Today, Latinos and African Americans are viewed as having no history together and having nothing in common-but they do," Burgos said. "And we need to realize this."
Burgos said he wants to evaluate the current political black-versus-white scale by using the history of the Latinos in baseball to illuminate the need of social justice among all races.
"What we see when we look at this history is team officials who manipulated racial understanding," Burgos said. "So, ultimately, we needed a Jackie Robinson."
Although there were dozens of players-both black and Latino-who were better players than Jackie Robinson, according to Burgos, no one was better suited to break the color line.
"His task was not to be a great player, but a great man to break down the barriers," Burgos said.
Chandler, who organized the lecture, praised the players coming to the discussion.
"The importance for bringing this (issue) up is for the sake of history and to give praise and thanks to these forerunners who allowed others to play the game," she said.
According to Chandler, the lecture was originally scheduled for February during Black History Month, but due to poor weather conditions, it was moved to April.
Burgos said he found this date switch somewhat ironic because April is actually Latino History Month, so the lecture time remained very relevant.The program is dedicated to William (Sonny) Webb, a Negro League player, an original panel member who passed away in December, according to Chandler.
"This (lecture) is a way to let (the panel members) know that they are not forgotten, but are loved, just like so many people love America's game-baseball," Chandler said.
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