Mariners honor Steelheads in salute to Negro Leagues

Jun 21

Shortstop J.P. Crawford wearing the Seattle Steelheads jersey (Photo Steve Hickey/Converge Media)

By Ike Everard | Ike@whereweconverge.com

The shouts were clearly joyful even before their smiling faces came into view. As national anthem singer Shaina Shepherd began soundcheck with her rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing, J.P. Crawford and Shed Long bounced around the batting cage soaking up every note of the tune.

“They got the right people to come out here and sing,” outfielder Taylor Trammell said through a smile. “It means a lot. It shines a light on what it’s like to be a Black player and what it means to be Black in America.”

The Mariners’ Juneteenth Celebration featured a salute to the Negro Leagues, with the team donning throwback Seattle Steelheads jerseys for the occasion. The Steelheads played in Seattle for just one season in 1946, but the legacy of Black baseball in Seattle was still felt 75 years later.

For shortstop J.P. Crawford, whose second inning grand slam provided the team’s early offense, the night was part of his continued education around the Negro Leagues and the history of Black baseball players.

“I never really learned about the Negro Leagues until I began playing with a bunch of fellow negroes on professional teams,” Crawford said. “They kind of showed me the ropes.”

Crawford credited former Mariner Dee Strange-Gordon for stoking his desire to learn more about the history and struggles Black players have overcome. He said that coming from Long Beach, California he wasn’t exposed to that knowledge, but he now appreciates the scope of it.

“I’m so thankful for [Negro League players]. They had the courage to go out every day and pave the way for us,” Crawford said. “I couldn’t even imagine going through what they had to go through.”

Crawford hitting his second-inning grand slam (Photo Steve Hickey/Converge Media)

For Trammell, the game was an experience which brought him back to his roots. He brought a jersey featuring Negro League patches onto the field with him for warmups.

“I took it from my dad,” Trammell said. “I talked to Bob [Kendrick, the president of the Negro Leagues museum], and he was impressed by it. He hadn’t seen one of these in a while.”

Trammell was giddy after speaking with Kendrick, who also threw out the first pitch prior to the game.

“It was unbelievable. It was an honor,” Trammell said. “You see somebody who knows so much about our history, and we get to learn from it.”

Prior to the game, Mariners broadcaster Dave Sims hosted an on-field panel featuring Pitcher Justin Dunn, Mariner great Alvin Davis and member of the Mariners hometown 9 program, 13-year-old King Allah. They spoke about the impacts Black players have had on the game, and in the case of Allah, what can be done to increase the participation of Black youth in baseball.

Despite the efforts of programs like RBI and Baseball Beyond Borders, the participation of Black youth in the sport is still low. Coaches like Bookie Gates attribute that to the instant gratification and fan attention provided by sports like Football and Basketball, but for JP Crawford the issue lies in accessibility.

“I know a lot of people who have the talent but don’t have the funds or equipment or the proper rides all the time because their parents have to work so much,” Crawford said. “They just don’t have the same opportunity a bunch of us have.”

He says baseball needs to do a better job of giving kids a chance. For Crawford, choosing baseball was as simple as sibling loyalty.

“My older sister played softball. I wanted to be like her so I picked up a ball as soon as I could. I fell in love with the game,” Crawford said.

While the Mariners and MLB continue to push towards inclusivity and the recognition of Black athletes’ contributions to the sport, there is still much to be done.

“We’re taking baby steps in the right direction, but I still think we have a bunch of work to do,” Crawford said. “It’s a sad world we live in, it’s 2021 and we still can’t see that we’re all the same human race. It’s sad.”

This occasion, though, was one of celebration and commemoration for everything that has led the sport to the point it’s at now. As J.P. Crawford crossed home plate to score the game winning run, it was proof that, at least for one night, everything can go right.

“It’s great to give people an understanding of where we came from and how we’re able to play this game,” Trammell said. “The Negro Leagues were able to pave the way for all of baseball.”