Welcome to Negro League Soul

The year 1946 marked a turning point in the history of Black baseball in Cleveland and across America. With World War II over and the movement toward racial equality gaining momentum, baseball’s long-standing color line was beginning to crack. 

This presentation explores a remarkable year in Cleveland baseball history, from the Cleveland Buckeyes’ reign as defending Negro World Series champions to Jackie Robinson’s historic season with Montreal, Eddie Klep’s groundbreaking experience as a white player in the Negro Leagues, and the brief existence of the Cleveland Clippers. It also examines Bill Veeck’s purchase of the Cleveland Indians and the events that paved the way for Larry Doby to become the first Black player in the American League in 1947. 

Through stories of courage, opportunity, and change, the presentation reveals how Cleveland played an important role in one of baseball’s most significant transformations.