Photo Courtesy of Josh Gibson Foundation

America has always struggled to live up to ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the freedoms written by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution. Nowhere has this idea played out more visibly than on the baseball field where men and women have fought to cross racial, cultural, and gender barriers for the equal opportunity to play the game. In conjunction with our new exhibit, Baseball as America, the National Constitution Center presents “Baseball: The Melting Pot,” a special conversation about the ways in which the game of baseball has served as a reflection of our social tensions as well as ideals, and our struggle to become a more inclusive society. Participants in this discussion include:

Sean Gibson is the great-grandson of Hall of Fame baseball player Josh Gibson, a man that many regard as the greatest Negro League baseball player. Gibson serves as Executive Director of the Josh Gibson Foundation, a history and learning center in Homestead, PA that seeks to teach people about the history and impact of the Negro Leagues. Gibson’s passion to assist his grandfather with the Foundation was spurred when he accompanied him for the first time on the Negro League circuit tour in 1997. On that tour, he realized that a substantial number of young African Americans were not aware of the existence of the Negro Leagues.

Born June 11, 1957 in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Danny Martinez came to the United States at the age of 14. Danny was signed as a free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies organization and played minor league baseball as a shortstop for three years until being released due to a serious leg injury. Since 2005 Danny has served as the Spanish language play-by-play broadcaster for the Phillies. Danny has appeared on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” and PBS documentaries concerning Cuban defecators. Danny was awarded Hispanic voice of the year 2003 by Latin Sports Inc., given to a member of the Hispanic media involved in the Latin community.

Kerry Yo Nakagawa, the author of Through a Diamond: 100 Years of Japanese American Baseball and founder and director for the non-profit Nisei Baseball Research Project (NBRP); curator of the Diamonds in the Rough: Japanese Americans in Baseball exhibition which was displayed at the National Museum in the summer of 2000; consultant to the Baseball As America exhibition from Cooperstown; and an independent producer/filmmaker, actor, researcher, and writer.

Moderating this discussion is Jayson Stark. He is the author of The Stark Truth: The Most Overrated and Underrated Players in Baseball History. Stark has been a senior baseball writer for ESPN.com since 2000. His regular contributions include the newsy "Rumblings and Grumblings" column, the eclectic "Three Strikes" blog and his tilted look inside baseball’s numbers and quirks, the "Useless Information Department." He also makes regular television appearances on SportsCenter, the Hot List, Outside the Lines, First Take and Baseball Tonight. He is a regular ESPN Radio guest of Mike and Mike, Game Night and the Pulse. He also appears on ESPN Radio 950 in Philadelphia every Monday morning. Before arriving at ESPN, Stark worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer for 21 years. He was twice named Pennsylvania’s sportswriter of the year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

Since the often-dubbed “great American sport” first took shape in this country, baseball and America have mirrored the same values, responded to the same events, and grappled with the same social and economic issues. From February 15 through May 11, 2008, the National Constitution Center will host Baseball As America, the first major exhibition to examine the relationship between baseball and American culture. The 6,000-square-foot exhibition is organized by The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, and marks the first time the treasures of the Hall of Fame have left their legendary home to tour the country.

Parking for this event is available for $7 at the Independence Visitor Center’s garage located on 5th and 6th Streets between Market and Arch Streets.   Parking availability is subject to change, so please call the Constitution Center on the day of the program or check our web site for more information. Please also see our directions by public transportation.

Related Links:

The Stark Truth: The Most Overrated and Underrated Players in Baseball History

Josh Gibson Foundation

Spanish Beisbol Network

Nisei Baseball Research Project