BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In honor and celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend and to pay homage to Birmingham’s role in the Civil Rights Movement, as well as its place in the history of the integration of sports, the Birmingham Squadron are set to wear specialty jerseys for games on Jan. 13 and Jan. 15.
The jerseys feature a black torso design and bear the marks of the Birmingham Black Barons across the chest, as well as the outline of the Magic City Skyline across the shorts. A tribute to the Negro League baseball team founded in 1920, the jersey was designed to honor the players and history of this part of the cultural heritage of the Birmingham community.
“We are honored to celebrate and recognize the Birmingham Black Barons with the donning of these specialty jerseys,” said Squadron general manager Leslie Claybrook. “The history of the Black Barons in the Magic City and nationally is quite remarkable and needs to continue to be told. These specialty jerseys play a small role in keeping the legacy top-of-mind.”
The history of Birmingham’s civil rights movement, as well as the nation’s, cannot be told without the Birmingham Black Barons. From 1920-1962, the Black Barons made the Magic City their home. Unbeknownst to most, the Birmingham Black Barons were not just about baseball. Team owner Abe Saperstein also owned the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters, and many Black Barons also donned Globetrotters uniforms in the offseason to supplement their income.
Game-worn jerseys will be auctioned at Legacy Arena during both the Jan. 13 and Jan. 15 games and proceeds of the jersey will benefit the Negro League Baseball Museum as it continues to tell the stories of the men who blazed trails to provide our sports landscape today.
Tickets for the Birmingham Squadron’s Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend games can be found here. In celebration of the weekend, the team is offering a buy one, get one free deal in which fans receive a ticket to Monday’s contest with the purchase of a Saturday game ticket.
For more information about the Birmingham Squadron, follow the team on social media or visit BirminghamSquadron.com.