Stories Inside the Man Cave
Stories Inside the Man Cave
Preserving Negro League History with Bob Kendrick
Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, shares the remarkable story of how the museum grew from a one-room office to America's National Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and discusses plans for a new 30,000+ square foot facility.
• Negro Leagues history represents both the ugly reality of segregation and the triumphant spirit of Black baseball players who created their own leagues
• The museum preserves stories of legendary players like Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, and Willie Mays who began their careers in the Negro Leagues
• Bob Kendrick started as a volunteer in 1993 before eventually becoming museum president in 2011
• Many MLB greats came from the Negro Leagues, including Hank Aaron who started as a cross-handed hitting shortstop with the Indianapolis Clowns
• The Birmingham game broadcast last year transformed historic Rickwood Field to honor Negro Leagues history on national television
• Texas produced many Negro Leagues stars including Willie Wells from Austin and both Foster brothers from Calvert
• MLB officially recognized Negro Leagues statistics in 2020, making Josh Gibson the all-time batting average leader at .372
• Video games like MLB The Show have introduced younger generations to Negro Leagues history and players
• The museum tells a counterintuitive civil rights story that celebrates triumph rather than focusing solely on struggle
To support the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's "Pitch for the Future" capital campaign to build their new facility, visit nlbm.com - every contribution helps preserve this vital piece of American history.
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The Bully is a cozy Austin original bar and grill that feels like home. Boulevard Bar and Grill, nestled into this Northwest Hills strip mall, recently celebrated two decades. The drink prices are like going back to 2004. It's where familiar faces gather and everyone knows your name. The Bully family are also friends of the stories inside the man cave podcast boulevard barn grill on far west boulevard in northwest austin. Stevie lee we look very small in these boxes here today, a revised version of the Brady Bunch boxes, but, man, we have a special episode. Of course. It's always special when Stevie Lee gets to join me right In the man cave.
Speaker 3:Absolutely Always special to see your face, man.
Speaker 2:Man, I tell you what. And those watching if you're listening, you're okay. I tell you what. And those watching if you're listening, you're okay. But if you're watching in this world, we're not perfect, nor are anything that's digital related. So if you see Stevie kind of frozen, it's not him, it's whatever Wi-Fi provider in the Austin area is.
Speaker 2:We'll blame them. We won't name names, but I know I've had some Wi-Fi outages here recently and I was out of town and my phone was blowing up. Hey, your service has been interrupted. We'll get to it immediately. But, stevie, here in the middle of July it's the slowest month in the sports world and you and I have talked about having this gentleman that we're going to have a guest. He's making an appearance in the man cave for the first time. He runs a museum that is not only significant for baseball but captures and continues and breathes life into a significant historic part of baseball, that being the Negro Leagues. And you have a late family member that you'll discuss, we'll just talk to him about. But when you think of the Negro Leagues and the significant piece of history tied to American baseball, what comes to mind for you?
Speaker 3:Oh man, it really comes to mind that there was an ugly time in our history, but also celebrated for African American history. It's mixed feelings, because we were excluded but we found our own way to compete and do things, uh, our own way. And then then we were um, you know, put, put together again, or put together you know. So it's, it's bittersweet, but I love that there's a museum preserving the history of it and all. So I can't wait to talk to Mr Bob about it all, because it's something that's needed and is always going to forever be needed. This museum that he runs will stay beyond us.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely yeah, the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and one of my favorite cities and I'm not just saying this because Bob Kendrick's going to be in the man cave but Kansas City. I spent a lot of time when I was working in the Oklahoma City TV market, from Big 12 championships, ncaa tournaments, even Royals baseball. It is a great city and Stevie and his lovely better half, summer, are going to get to know Kansas City a lot more because they have their oldest daughter will be playing volleyball up there. But we'll get into that. But, stevie, you know, all this wouldn't be possible. I know we opened up with the Boulevard Bar and Grill, which is going to be the sponsor of our upcoming live 90-minute episode to preview everything football-related at all levels. But our friends, family Hargrove, roofing out of your hometown, shreveport, louisiana. What do you got to say about those fine Americans who provide quality roofs to Texas and Louisiana?
Speaker 3:Absolutely fine Americans. You and I went to dinner with Billy and some of his staff last week. They are fine, fine humans. We'll do you right and give you a fair quote and do the work correctly. And what they're saying is always hard-growth roofing. Know who's on your roof.
Speaker 2:And Stevie Lee does that the best 100% of the time. But on that note, man, enough of us talking about it. This is someone. We have waited our times. We couldn't get our schedule lines, but the well-spoken, great leader, just an ambassador to everything great about baseball and Negro League's baseball history. Stevie, are you ready?
Speaker 3:Let's ride.
Speaker 2:Let's ride, baby. All right, you just heard, stevie, we're going to bring in our guy, bob Kendrick, really quick, and this episode is about baseball and preserving Negro League's history. And, if you are not aware, we're on every social media platform known to mankind. So give us a follow to each of those listed and you can subscribe to our YouTube page for free. And that's great the way our economy is right now, stevie, let's not waste any more time. Let's bring in, for the first time, the Bob Kendrick. Bob Kendrick from the Kansas City, missouri. That's one thing that I think a lot of people are confused of. Kansas City is in two states for the most part. Which side is the good side, missouri or Kansas, or is all the above?
Speaker 4:Well, they're both great sides. But if I was going to be partisan to it, well it'd have to be on the Missouri side, because the museum is on the Missouri side and I live on the Missouri side. But no, they're both great areas. You can literally stand on state line road and straddle it and you have one foot in Missouri and one foot in Kansas, and so they're twin cities and both are great places.
Speaker 2:So, stevie, I gotta call him out, and I know that it's not Stevie's fault, but he could not wait to show you that Jackie Robinson jersey that he proudly hangs on his office wall behind you. I mean, stevie was like a kid at Christmas. He couldn't wait to show you.
Speaker 4:Yeah, no, it's impressive. You know, it never gets old for me talking about Jackie Robinson celebrating Jackie Robinson, his beautiful widow, rachel Robinson, just celebrated her 103rd birthday. Wow, and she is just as beautiful today as she was when Jackie married her. And to me she is well, she's royalty. She is baseball royalty and honestly I don't know if she gets enough credit for her role in Jackie's pioneering breaking of the color barrier, because while Jackie never publicly broke down, hers was the shoulder that he leaned on when he got home. Hers was the shoulder that he leaned on when he got home and I can only imagine what it must have been like for her sitting in those stands listening to these people say these mean-spirited things about her husband. And she had to be there and she had to kind of take it, and so both of them play such a pivotal role in breaking baseball's color barrier and we're so blessed that she is still with us.
Speaker 2:That's beautiful. And then the other night the hologram. I think it was a week ago. I think it was for Jackie Robinson with a hologram, is that right?
Speaker 4:Oh, at the All-Star game. Yeah, yeah, that was for Henry Aaron.
Speaker 2:Oh, hank Aaron, I'm sorry.
Speaker 4:That was for the great Henry Aaron.
Speaker 4:I tell you what no one does celebrations quite like Major League Baseball. That was so powerful. And of course it was my good friend CeCe Sabathia's idea to celebrate Henry Aaron. Of course I'm sure they couldn't come to Atlanta and not celebrate Henry Aaron. They couldn't come to Atlanta and not celebrate Henry Aaron. But the fact that the game was played on July 15th to be able to celebrate his 715th home run, which will be epic, it will always remain the greatest sports accomplishment in my lifetime.
Speaker 4:I was almost 12 years old when Henry Aaron hit record home run 715. I grew up in Georgia, a little town called Crawfordville, georgia, east of Atlanta, west of Augusta, all of 500 people and Sean every day on the playground. I wanted to be Henry Aaron. Now I know some other kids. Stevie wanted to be Henry Aaron sometime but I had to be Henry Aaron and when he hit home run 715 in Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium, I'm at home in my mother's living room in Crawfordville, georgia and as he's circling the bases there, I'm circling the bases right alongside him in my mother's living room. So she had the old couch. That was first base. The old TV was second base. The other old couch was third base and her recliner was home plate. And as my childhood idol was touching them all, I'm touching them all too, and I had the esteemed honor of walking the late great Henry Aaron through the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum back in 1999.
Speaker 4:It was the first and only time, fellas, that I've ever been starstruck, and every time I was around him I was reduced to that almost 12-year-old kid that circled the bases with him. Yeah, so that moment at the All-Star Game brought back so many memories and it was so tremendously well done.
Speaker 2:That was unreal. I was in, you know, I know it seems it doesn't seem possible, but I was speechless when I saw that hologram and then that image of his wife. Yes, In the background of the stadium and I was just, I know I couldn't think of anything to say. I was just so invested in that and I was like did, did. Did I witness what I just saw?
Speaker 4:Yeah, beautiful, it was very powerful. It was very powerful, very moving, very poignant, and Henry Aaron will always remain such a prevalent have, a prevalent place in this sports history. And the fact, fellas, that he came out of the Negro Leagues, that's beautiful.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:You know, he was 18 years old. He was a skinny cross-handed, hitting shortstop when he came to the Indianapolis Clowns in 1952. And, for those who might be hearing that term for the very first time, in the case of Mr Aaron he was a right-hand hitter who was hitting with his left hand on top. That, of course, is unorthodox. The fear is that you break your wrist. It didn't matter. Well, henry Aaron was knocking the cover off the baseball in a highly unorthodox fashion. When he gets to the Indianapolis Clowns, they put the right hand on top and the rest, as they say, is history. Yeah, 755 home runs later that's mind-blowing.
Speaker 2:So, stevie and I, you, you I mean you bob you mentioned nobody puts on a show that honors an era, an individual or the game itself, like Major League Baseball does. And I know I met you through our mutual friend, michael Coleman, and I followed you before that and I was just okay when, a year ago, when the big show, the production produced in Birmingham Alabama, I literally had a, just because of the historical value of it. I literally had a tear in my eye watching this and how it all came together. So, for those of you who may not have seen this, we kept this clip and Stevie and I were just we've got to get Bob on here, especially after we witnessed this. This was beautiful.
Speaker 4:Oh, it's been surreal. It has been everything that I could have imagined, and then more. Just to walk into what I call one of baseball's greatest cathedrals, to walk into this area and see this transformation has been absolutely amazing, and I tip my cap to all my friends over at Major League Baseball, everyone who had a hand in making this happen.
Speaker 2:Stevie, when you and I talked about that and saw it because Birmingham is an old town with a ton of athletic and baseball history. Do you remember our conversation when we talked about that and how that was all put together in Birmingham?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I did. I do remember that man. Golly, we went down to Birmingham with the family years ago and we passed by all the stadium. But we also reflect. My wife's uncle played in the Negro League and we can get to that later. But we always reflect and have a special place for the Negro League, and we can get to that later, but we always reflect and have a special place for the Negro League in our hearts, in our house.
Speaker 2:So, Bob, having heard that you've heard so many stories, I mean family members, descendants of the Negro League stars. But when you put it together and encapsulate it all for those who may not be aware of the significance of Birmingham in Negro League's history and how that production, that broadcast, turned that old historic field into one of the best productions of baseball and providing the historical perspective of it all, yeah, no.
Speaker 4:And what it did was it gave Negro Leagues history a mainstream voice, because this was a national international broadcast done at a stadium that was completely transformed. Rick Woodfield is the oldest active professional ballpark in the country, so it's older than Fenway, older than Wrigley. It just happens to also be the place that a 17-year-old kid by the name of Willie Mays began his career, and you know, the apex of that event was supposed to be Mr Mays' attendance at that game and, as you guys might recall, he died two days before the actual game took place and it became kind of a memorial for Willie Mays. But he did exactly what he had hoped to do and that was to bring some of his colleagues together, a handful of those former Negro League players who are still with us. There are not many left. We knew from the onset of building this museum that it was literally going to be a race against time. It wasn't a matter of if, it was simply a matter of when all of those who helped make this history that we preserved were going to be gone. Their legacy should never die, and that's our job. And an event like what we saw in Birmingham, with that national salute to the Negro Leagues held there at Venerable Rickwood Stadium was amazing and you felt like you had literally walked back in time. Yeah, no, I mean the look to feel, the, the aroma of the various foods, everything felt like you had time traveled and you could only imagine what it must have been like at those games. Because black fans filled up rick woodfield, they were out drawing the birmingham barons, the black barons were out drawing the birmingham barons in their own ballpark, and and so and again.
Speaker 4:Willie mays is widely regarded as the greatest major leaguer of all time and it it comes out of the Negro Leagues. And, as we mentioned at the top of the show, henry Aaron. Those are two of the greatest stars in Major League Baseball and they both were young players in the Negro Leagues. And it should give fans an indication of just how much talent was there in the Negro Leagues, and Stevie alluded to this you know, in the opening as well, how much talent was missed by Major League Baseball fans. You see, as fans of this game, we were cheated because we should have seen all the great stars, regardless of color, take the field and play with and against one another. And how much better would our game had been. Because I tell people all the time they didn't learn how to play after 1947. Fellas, they were playing great baseball well before 1947.
Speaker 4:And had the doors open sooner. And of course, what we saw last year on May 29th essentially, commissioner Rob Manfred went back and opened the doors when they allowed the stats of the Negro Leagues to be entered into the record books of Major League Baseball. Because I'd always said, had the doors opened sooner, the records would be entirely different. But what happens? He reopens the door and now the record books are entirely different. And it's not a slight against those major league counterparts, it's just how good these guys were who played in the Negro Leagues.
Speaker 4:And for those who sometimes are critical of these kinds of things, I hope that it becomes a gateway, a portal into a much deeper understanding. Josh Gibson is now your all-time career batting average leader at 372. All-time single-season batting record of 466 in 1943. And I'm going to go out on a limb and say that ain't going to be broken. But you should want to know who Josh Gibson was and why he was so great. Who was Boo June Wilson? Who was Mule Suttles, oscar Charleston, some of these other lesser known stars from the Negro Leagues? You should want to know about them as a baseball fan and I hope that what we've seen over the last several years with this elevation of interest and awareness of the Negro Leagues, that we're creating that opportunity awareness of the Negro Leagues that we're creating that opportunity.
Speaker 3:I got a little bit of a story. I took a class at the University of Texas. I was actually looking at my transcript. I wanted to remember the name of the class, but I think it was the history of baseball and it was a writing component that we had to write papers in this class and we were in class and the professor was lecturing. It wasn't a huge class in these auditoriums at the University of Texas, one of those smaller classes and he started talking about it was one week that he was just spending on the Negro League.
Speaker 3:And he's talking about some Negro League players are still alive. And he's talking about some Negro League players are still alive. And I raised my hand my girlfriend at the time from San Antonio, her name. She introduced me to her uncle and so I said, yeah, my girlfriend's uncle played in the Negro League. They call him the mule.
Speaker 4:Yeah, John Mule Mouse.
Speaker 3:And he goes, john Mule Mouse. He goes, john Mule Mouse, little bitty, young white dude, he's like John Mule Mouse. I said, yeah, that's him. Everybody turned around and looked at me. He knows someone To say all that. It wasn't that far away. If we want to remember history, it's not really history, it's part of us still. It wasn't that long ago to where, just because of the color of your skin, you were excluded out of Major League Baseball. You know, and so you know, he wanted to talk to me after class. He wanted to see if we can get him down. He was already very, very old at that time.
Speaker 3:One of my favorite memories of him, though. One of the first times I met him, my girlfriend introduced me to him and said, yeah, he plays football at the University of Texas. He was not impressed. He said you know, the only reason you get to play at the University of Texas is because of me. I said you know, the only reason you get to play at the University of Texas is because of me. And I said, yes, sir. I said yes, sir, and then he handed me a playing card that he had autographed. He handed it to me. I was like, oh, this is nice and he looked at me and said that'll be $5. I couldn't hand it back to him, you know. So I had to reach him a wallet and grab $5 and give it to him. It wasn't a do you want to buy this or do you think this is nice? He gave it to me and when it was in my hands he wasn't going to take it back.
Speaker 4:He wouldn't take it back.
Speaker 3:Well, we called him Uncle Sonny, uncle Sonny. He was Uncle Sonny in the family, but he passed away in 2013. But he left a legacy. He let everyone know in the family. All the little kids knew who he was, and so his memory still lives on whenever we get together with my wife's family in San Antonio, so it was really cool to know he actually. I'm sorry, but going rambling, but when President Barack Obama was inaugurated, he and some of his friends walked the parade. I don't know if you remember that, bob, but they were at the parade with the presidential inauguration parade. So that was pretty special to have someone that we can actually look up to and look back on. That paved the way for young black athletes today.
Speaker 4:You know, Well, you know he still holds a record he hit 11 home runs in 11 straight games. Wow. Yeah. Wow, yeah, he told 11 home runs in 11 straight games.
Speaker 4:Wow, he told me that he was so impressive as a great ball player but impressive as a human being. But he tells a funny, funny story in the documentary the Other Boys of Summer and he talks about facing Satchel Paige page. And he says he gets in the batter's box and he digs in and he hears the umpire say strike one. He said never saw the ball and he said I thought they were playing shadow ball. And he says he gets back, he steps out, he gets back in the batter's box. He hears the umpire say strike two. He said I never saw the ball. He said I dropped my bat and I started heading to the dugout. The manager said well, john, you only got two strikes. He said, skipper, I didn't see the first and I didn't see the second one. What makes you think I'm going to see the third one? Oh my.
Speaker 3:God, wow, wow that was good, that was him. Man, that was him.
Speaker 2:That's hilarious, Bob. You know, all across the South and throughout the country the Negro Leagues had a presence in some form. Tell us a little bit about the historical piece of the Negro Leagues in places like where Stevie and I are, in Austin, Texas, in the Central Texas area. And then, how were you influenced? Because you were a guy that grew up in small-town Georgia, played college basketball for a smaller college, yeah, and how did you not be persuaded? But what was it that said? You know, I have an opportunity. I'm going to not only promote the brand the eternal brand of the Negro Leagues, but become so involved to where you're named president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in KC.
Speaker 4:Yeah, Well you know, to answer your first question, you would be hard pressed to find any part of this country that wasn't touched at some point in time by black baseball history. And while the state of Texas didn't have a formal team in the what we call the organized professional Negro Leagues, the state of Texas is tremendously impactful in these leagues because some of the greatest players of all time that played in Negro Leagues came out of Texas. So when you start talking about both of the Foster brothers, andrew and Willie Foster Rube Foster, of course Andrew Rube Foster would establish the Negro Leagues, but people sometimes forget he had been a great pitcher himself in the early era of black baseball and Rube Foster, in my own opinion, is the most brilliant baseball mind this sport has ever seen. But Rube Foster is also one of the rarest of baseball figures who would have gone in the Hall of Fame as a player, as a manager and as an executive, and you don't find many, if any, that check all three boxes. His brother, willie Foster, was one of the greatest left handed pitchers, not in black baseball history but in baseball history. Both were from Calvert, texas.
Speaker 4:The legendary, the legendary Smokey Joe Williams in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. You know, from Waco Texas, you know, so you know you had all these great stars. Of course I was last there with you all when we were honoring Willie Wells.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 4:El Diablo. El Diablo, the devil, who grew up there in Austin, texas. He was Ozzie Smith, before we ever knew who, ozzie Smith was Easily Making those same kinds of acrobatic plays, but Willie Wells was a power hitting shortstop and, I'm sorry, smokey, joe Williams was from Seguin Texas, not far. Yes, seguin Texas, you know. So there was so many wonderful players. Ernie Banks out of Dallas, texas, even though a lot of people did not know that, ernie's career began in the Negro Leagues with the great Kansas City Monarchs. So the state of Texas plays an integral role in the story of the Negro Leagues, integral role in the story of the Negro Leagues, and so we are thrilled. Now the second part of your question.
Speaker 4:I started at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, believe it or not, as a volunteer in 1993. Who knew, yeah, who knew, that it would turn into a career and one of the most gratifying things I think I could have done, either personally or professionally. I'll never forget fellas, walking into what was then a one-room office in 1993. That was the Negro League Space Ball Museum. It had some photos on the wall, a few boxes of memorabilia and that was the museum. And guys like the late great Buck O'Neill and other local Negro leaguers literally took turns paying the monthly rent to keep that little one room office open and, as I like to say, hopes and dreams of one day building a facility that would pay rightful tribute to not just one of the greatest chapters in baseball history, but what? Now? Thousands of people from around the globe discover one of the greatest chapters in American history. From around the globe discover one of the greatest chapters in American history. But, guys, when I walked into that one room office, I literally walked into what would become my passion.
Speaker 4:I fell in love with the museum, I fell in love with this mission and I fell in love with the amazing athletes who made this history. I had no idea at the time that it was going to turn into a career. I just wanted to support the organization in any way that I could, and so I started volunteering. And I was no different than virtually everybody else who had an encounter with Buck O'Neill. It was love at first sight. You met Buck and I just wanted to be on Buck's team. I wanted to assist in any way that I could, and so I started volunteering. Five years later, I became the museum's first director of marketing in 1998 and eventually served as VP of marketing, before leaving for 13 months and then, in 2011, coming back to be named president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. So it's a tremendous story in its own right to go from being a volunteer to now trying to lead what I think is one of the most important cultural institutions in the world.
Speaker 4:That easily makes baseball museum.
Speaker 3:Well, I got a question how do you guys get funding to keep?
Speaker 4:it is primarily. It is primarily private, privately funded. We get a few dollars, we get a few dollars from the state. The city supports to some extent, but the bulk of the resources are generated privately.
Speaker 3:And is that through events and galas and things like that?
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 4:So events, admission to the museum, the fundraiser, as you mentioned, fundraising events, membership, foundational support, events, membership, foundational support.
Speaker 4:So you know, I'm out there, man, I'm beating the pavement, I'm turning over every rock and stone I can to make sure that we can keep this place healthy and whole. And, of course, I think you both are aware that we've announced plans to build a new 30 plus thousand square foot Negro Leagues baseball museum that's going to be built right around the corner from where the museum currently operates. So you know, you think about a museum that started in such a grassroots fashion as we did, in a little tiny one-room office. Today we are recognized as America's national Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, as deemed and designated so by the United States Congress and, of course, now on the cusp of building the nation's first Negro Leagues campus, as the gateway into historic 18th and Vine and, as I like to say, an international headquarters for both black baseball and social history. So it's been an incredible journey for a little museum that no one gave any chance of succeeding and, as I tell folks, I am as excited as you could possibly be about having to raise $35 million.
Speaker 2:Your energy is unmatched and you have to be in that position because for I don't think it's the younger generation just specifically I think it's everybody in America. This is just an opinion and it may be fact, depending on who's listening or who we're talking to, but I challenge everyone who's listening watching this go to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's website. You will learn so much about it and how to donate to help Bob, and maybe a corporate donation would be well, definitely would be extremely beneficial. And when you have an opportunity to talk to Bob if you visit Kansas City, not only will you feel connected but you'll feel motivated to not only be a part of this but to extend the legacy for generations and generations.
Speaker 2:But the big part that I've wanted to make that the statement is this didn't just happen at the civil rights movement in the fifties and sixties, the Negro leagues, I want to say, before the turn of the century, of the, before the turn of the 20th century. These men, just what they had to go through just to play the game that they love and could have played a lot of them at the MLB level what they did, how they got to all these little communities just to play baseball and Birmingham is a good example, which had a white team, and then, of course, the Black Barons and the segregation that was involved. Everything that I've read I just cannot for us. I can't imagine a world like that, but I think this helps so we won't go backwards ever again.
Speaker 4:Yeah, no, we certainly think that is one of the roles that this museum plays, you know. But, guys, I don't think there was ever a time that people didn't want to know about the Negro Leagues. They just had no way to know about the Negro Leagues. It's not in the pages of American history books. So countless generations of us have gone through our own formal educations without again knowing one of the most significant chapters, not in baseball history, but American history, and so, as you can well imagine, it is an awakening for virtually everyone who walks through those turnstiles at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Speaker 4:But you know, I like to say that it is a counterintuitive look at the civil rights movement, because most civil rights stories are very painful. They're downtrodden, because you've seen me on my journey as enslaved people, my quest for civil rights where I've been sprayed with water hoses, police dogs released on me, the police brutality that still manifests itself to this day. But my success stories, sean, have rarely ever been talked about, and the story of the Negro Leagues is one of those great American success stories. You won't let me play with you in the major leagues? Ok, I'll create a league of my own. And when you start to think about that, guys. That is the American way. And so while America was trying to prevent them from sharing in the joys of its national pastime, it was the American spirit that allowed them to persevere and prevail, and when our guests walk away from that museum, they leave cheering that spirit. So it's nothing sad or somber about this story and again, stevie touched on this at the beginning.
Speaker 4:Segregation was a horrible chapter in this country's history, but out of segregation came this wonderful story of triumphing conquest. And so while the circumstances that dictated a need for a Negro Leagues are sorrowful, the story of the Negro Leagues, it, is as uplifting as anything you will ever encounter, and that's the way we treat the story there at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. My, you know, we were talking about John Neal Miles earlier and he would go out and about the San Antonio area talking about the history of the Negro Leagues. And sometimes when you tell your story, people just naturally assume that you're complaining. But, as he would so eloquently say, he said I'm not complaining, I'm just explaining. This is what happened. These are the conditions and circumstances which we had to operate under. But, as I also remind folks, no matter what that set of social circumstances might have been, it never killed their love of the game, and they were driven by a pure love of the game.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's beautiful, stevie. I got a little excited, um, I said you know what we got?
Speaker 2:we were talking about subjects content for this episode and I, sunday night, I got real excited. I just you know how we sometimes jump on Instagram and scroll. Well, this interview popped up and this is a universe thing. We talked about Jackie Robinson in the background of Stevie's Wall and you would never guess who his favorite athlete was. And I saw this interview with the great Bill Russell, the great basketball legend, and I don't know what year this was, because he was sitting with Tim Duncan, former of the Spurs, great by way of Wake Forest. And Tim looks shaven. He looks a little younger, but I thought this interview right here was so fitting but just inspiring in a way. I want you guys to check this out.
Speaker 1:You know the name Jackie Robinson, absolutely. The day after he died, his wife called me and said I want you to be a pallbearer at Jackie's Field. I said, of course. I said, but class, why? Why me? And she said you were Jackie's favorite athlete. That's pretty cool and I feel the same way about you.
Speaker 5:Wow.
Speaker 2:Stevie, he's looking at him.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:In the same lens that Jackie did with Bill. So he's another younger generation. I mean both of you guys. Man your thoughts on that.
Speaker 3:That gives me chill bumps. Yeah, that's powerful, because it looked like Duncan was still playing in that video, right? And so the times of segregation? We think that's long ago and it's not, guys, it's not. But he was just one generation away from that, when Duncan was playing. Now Duncan has kids that will see this interview and will hear that story and carry on the legacy of who Bill Russell was or is and the story of who Jackie Robinson is.
Speaker 3:And then from that, with birth, going down a rabbit hole of Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball but he first was at in the Negro League. Ooh, there's a Negro League in Kansas City. Let's take our kids up here to Kansas City and check out this Negro League museum in Kansas City because it all ties together, guys. It's so emotional for me because you know, and also, tim Duncan is not from the continuous United States, he's what Virgin Islands? Right, he's from the US Virgin Islands, but he knew about Jackie Robinson and Bill Russell as a young kid. So this is not just an American issue, this is a worldwide issue.
Speaker 3:Bob, hats off to you and everything that you do. It's special to me to have you on right now. I'm a little nervous, even when we got on, because this is close to me, mean, I, uh, my wife's uh uncle always talked about it. We will sit down and just talk about it and um, but to have you on preserving the history, and you were absolutely right, he never complained, this is what they did. Uh, he almost celebrated, it, almost sounded like he wanted to keep it that way, you know. So because he had so much fun and had so many.
Speaker 4:You know, Stevie, people want to sometimes hop on the challenges that they had. But when you talk to the players, they wanted you to know the joy that they had, the joy exactly. Exactly.
Speaker 3:That's exactly what.
Speaker 4:I know, and, scott, I had not seen that video clip before, so thank you for sharing that. That was very powerful. Because, number one, you know there are a handful of people who are sports icons. I like to refer to them as Jackie Robinson, joe Lewis, jesse Owens. Bill Russell falls into that category. I've always believed that every hero has a hero. Somebody inspires us. Bill Russell was an inspiration for a lot of guys. I hope the younger guys who play in the NBA take time to learn his story, because it's an important story. These guys were all very much so prevalent in ushering in civil rights in this country. And for Tim to hear that directly from Bill that he looked at him the way that Jackie had looked at Bill Russell, that he looked at him the way that Jackie had looked at Bill Russell. And for Bill Russell to hear that Jackie looked at him that way, because you know how important Jackie was to Bill Russell. So that's special there, that is.
Speaker 2:That's so. I couldn't wait. I just could not wait to show that, because that really not only put a lot into perspective for me personally, not just being a fan, but just a human element of it all Of relationships, idols, heroes, whatnot. We're coming to the end of this because our second segments are so fast we couldn't let Bob make an appearance unless he delivered one of these. All right, Bob, we've been very fortunate. This is episode 471. The man Cave stories are usually anything tied to the individual's life locker room, maybe a story that's never been told before, but mainly stories that are equally as amusing today as they were when they occurred.
Speaker 2:Do you have any of those that you feel comfortable sharing.
Speaker 4:You know, and the stories don't usually center around me, but there's stories from the Negro Leagues that have been passed down to me that I think are tremendously inspiring and, in this case, amusing, because any time you talk about Satchel Paige there are nothing but great stories associated with the legendary Leroy Satchel Paige. I first heard the legendary broadcaster Vin Scully tell the story. Then, a few years ago, I was out at Kauffman Stadium and we were celebrating Jackie Robinson Day. But we had a weather delay because, you know, in Kansas City even in April the weather can get inclement. I'm there and they say well, george Brett and Whitey Herzog are back in the suite. Why don't you go by and say hello to him? Well, the minute I see Mr Herzog, the first thing I do I just look at him. I say, is it true? And he knew exactly what I was talking about. So the year is 1956.
Speaker 4:Now, if you believe that Satchel Paige was born in 1906, which I absolutely do not believe, but for the sake of this story, let's just say that he was born in 1906. My math says that would now make him 50 years old and, fellas, he's still pitching great. He's now in AAA baseball, pitching for the Miami Marlins and a young outfielder for the Marlins was the late great Whitey Herzog and they're playing in Rochester, new York. And so the Rochester team had a knothole in the outfield wall and they had a promotion that said if any batter could hit the ball on the fly through the knothole you could win $100,000. Well, it was virtually impossible.
Speaker 4:But Mr Herzog says he goes out to the outfield, he's jogging. He took a baseball with him because he wanted to see if the ball would fit in the hole. Baseball with him because he wanted to see if the ball would fit in the hole. Well, there's just enough circumference to squeeze that ball through the hole. He goes and gets Satchel. He says Satchel, you're always bragging about how great your control is and how you can throw a baseball over a chewing gum wrapper. He didn't warm up in the bullpen like most pitchers do. Throwing to the catcher across home plate, satchel would use a stick of foil chewing gum wrapper. The catcher would sit the chewing gum wrapper on top of home plate and wherever the catcher moved the chewing gum wrapper, Satchel right over the top of that chewing gum wrapper. Oh my God.
Speaker 4:He said yeah, you always bragging about how great your control is and how you can throw a baseball over chewing gum wrapper. Well, I bet you a bottle of old granddad bourbon that you can't throw a baseball through this, not hole. Now. Satchel page fellas had a nickname for everybody. His nickname for Mr Herzog was Wild Child. He says Wild Child, will the ball fit? Mr Herzog shows him it's just enough circumference to squeeze that ball through the hole. He says Wild Child, I'll take that bet. Mr Herzog says he steps off 60 feet six inches. He puts down the pitching rubber. He's going to give the old man three tries to throw that ball through the net hole. He says Satchel takes the baseball like a hunter, is looking through the telescope of his rifle and he measures.
Speaker 4:And he measures and he says the first pitch goes in the hole but spins back out. He says he is in freaking disbelief. But he's saying to himself there is no way he can get any closer than that. The very next pitch, right through the hole. Satchel reaches down, picks up the bottle of bourbon and says wild child, I'll take that, and smothers on off into the sunset. So, as I tell my guests, there will never, ever, ever another Leroy Satchel-Payne.
Speaker 2:It's awesome Bob Kendrick's recount of history eloquently, smoothly, as if you were there for all of this. This is amazing.
Speaker 4:You know what I think. As someone who fashions themselves and I think I got fashioned that way as a storyteller, there's no greater compliment for me when people say I felt like I was there. You know, when you paint a picture that you feel like you're there and you're watching that epic showdown between Satchel and Josh Gibson, or you can envision the speed of Cool Papa Bell. I think that's what we live for. So much of the Negro Leagues was based on oral history.
Speaker 4:Storytelling has always been an important part of how this story was treated, and it's great to see that with this new generation, authenticity and storytelling has really stepped to the forefront, and so the story of the Negro Leagues fits beautifully, and I think that's why we've captivated the imagination of so many young folks when we were able to put the Negro Leagues into the video game MLB the Show. It has been literally a game changer, and so every day I'm getting kids coming into the museum and guys, they want to show me how Satchel did his double pump wind up, how he did his high leg kick and, of course, how he threw the b-ball. They want to throw the b-ball like Satchel threw the b-ball. And, man, that just fills my heart with joy, because that's exactly what we hope would happen. That's exactly what we hoped would happen, and so storytelling plays such a tremendous role in how we communicate around this piece of history.
Speaker 2:You do it well, very well. I don't want to stop talking, man.
Speaker 3:I know you got to get out of here for things that you have to do, but I just don't want to stop talking. I can hear your story all day. So, that being said, man, we're going to be back and forth to Kansas City to see my daughter, but we're going to definitely stop by. I want to get involved. I want to help with your fundraisers and things like that. I'll be in touch and any way I can help.
Speaker 3:Sean, I think that we should get the link and when we post this, we will fill in the donation section so we can just just help out with with donating and keeping this thing going and keeping it alive.
Speaker 4:Yeah, no, man, we absolutely appreciate, appreciate that the campaign is called Pitch for the Future. Pitch for the future. Sometimes, when people hear you working on the capital campaign, they think you only want large donations. And we do want large donations. But in the spirit of my friend Buck O'Neill, I say this and I mean it wholeheartedly every buck counts, yeah, yeah, every buck we receive moves us closer to our target goal. And so, yeah, if you're so inclined, please join us at nlbmcom and go to the Pitch for the Future tab and consider making a contribution to help us build, buck, a brand new house, a new Negro Leagues baseball museum and we're excited and I'm going to have to come up there with Stevie because I have not been back to Kansas City since I left OKC.
Speaker 2:Unfortunately, I'll throw myself under the bus. I did drive around KC to go to Omaha, but Kansas City is a beautiful place and the Negro Leagues Museum from afar. I've always had a vested interest and for you to be here and telling these stories is amazing. We're going to take a quick break and, bob, you're going to be thoroughly entertained. Telling these stories is amazing. We're going to take a quick break and, bob, you're going to be thoroughly entertained from the ad you're going to see from Hargrove Roofing Two guys that are here in this room with you trying to act, and Stevie. I think he may win an Academy Award at some point for this. But on the other side we're going to end with some positivity stories inside the man Cave tradition and that's coming up on the other side. We're going to end with some positivity stories inside the man Cave tradition and that's coming up on the other side of this break.
Speaker 5:Here at Hard Grove Roofing we try to think outside the box, to kind of get the creative juices flowing. So I brought in my friend Stevie Lee, former defensive tackle for the Texas Longhorns. He's going to help the team strategize, really motivate them, light a fire.
Speaker 3:This guy's going to block down. This guy's going to help the team strategize, really motivate them, light a fire. This guy's going to block down. This guy's going to block down. You put your butt into the guard and that way, my Mike linebacker gets free to do what.
Speaker 5:Not only are they going to learn a thing or two, but they're going to also leave with a great attitude and a bunch of smiles on their faces.
Speaker 1:I'm sorry. What does this have to do with roofing exactly? Get out Right now.
Speaker 5:I said get out For me. That's what it's all about. It's just having fun making our employees have a great time.
Speaker 3:Hargrove Roofing.
Speaker 2:Know who's on your roof. Hey man, tell me something good. All right, gentlemen, and the bob kendrick, the president of the negro league's baseball museum and beautiful kansas city. You know, if you, if one, were to judge the world, and here in america or across the globe, by social media, you think there's nothing but negativity. That's what inspired this three years ago. Let's, let's end with some positivity and we'll begin with our v now VIP alumni of Stories Inside the man Cave. Bob Kendrick, tell me something good, my brother.
Speaker 4:Well, there's a lot of good to be told, particularly as it relates to this story of the Negro Leagues, because, again, they never cried about the social injustice, they went out and did something about it, and that's a story that is so steep and embodies the American spirit, and that's why I think so many people have gravitated to this story. It is everything that America aspires to be, and it's all wrapped up inside this wonderful story of these very courageous and talented athletes who, when it's all said and done, all they wanted to do was play ball. They just wanted to play ball. They didn't know they were making history, they didn't care about making history, they just wanted to play ball.
Speaker 2:Man. That's so inspiring, Stevie. Final thoughts on our guy Bob Kendrick and this amazing story.
Speaker 3:Man, bob, you're so right. There's so much good going on in the world today. I love your positive vibes and attitude. That's my something. Good man. Everybody's out there listening and watching this. Take out the Bob right now, man, he's positive about everything. Find something good in your life to hang on to, man Right now. I got two more weeks with my baby being at home. I'm hanging on to that. It's sad but I'm happy because I raised her to go off and now she's going off. Sounds like she's going to be in pretty good hands over in Kansas City. I can just send her to Bob's house.
Speaker 4:We're going to take care of her here.
Speaker 2:Steven, don't worry about it. Well, I'll take mine short. Tell me something good. There's a lot to be thankful and express gratitude for, but I've got two reasons right here You'll look at them for me to make that, return to Kansas City and eat the great food. There is that debate between Kansas City barbecue and Texas barbecue. I'm going to stay neutral on that one.
Speaker 3:I went up there for orientation and I tried it. I'm going to keep that to myself right now. Maybe I went to a different place. I'm not going to make a full judgment off of what I had, Bob. I'm going to need some recommendations when I get there.
Speaker 4:All right, you got it.
Speaker 2:You got it. It's fantastic. But you know it's just you got to have, like, an open mind, you got to have an open palate period.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:It's true, you know, bob, much appreciation to you, my friend. Thank you for taking some time to tell the beautiful story of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and you know, and your wealth of knowledge and amazing storytelling as well. Well, I appreciate it, guys. Thank you all so much for having me on the show. Thank you for your support. I'm just going to hitch a ride with Stevie, or he may make me drive half the way. That's how he is sometimes I can see him now snoring on the passenger side.
Speaker 3:That's a 10-hour drive man. I'm going to drive up there to drop her off. I'm thinking I'm never going to drive it again. Well, we've got to use our Southwest miles.
Speaker 2:Hey, what's the best airline to fly into Kansas City?
Speaker 3:Yeah, for us it would be Southwest, Southwest. It's up and down and it's about $150. That's it I like it.
Speaker 2:So for the esteemed Bob Kendrick and the Stevie Lee and his beautiful hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana, and the even more beautiful city of Kansas City, and to my college alma mater hometown, Nacogdoches, Texas, and Austin, Texas, and to all of you beautiful man Cave stories inside the man Cave followers, listeners, viewers, whatnot? Just remember. We are very gracious of you investing your time and liking and sharing. And for the OG man Cave boys, that being Harbaugh Harts, Big Mike and the Coach Moe, what do we tell them, Stevie Lee?
Speaker 5:We out. You see the drippy. I'm fitted up. I'm in my car in the Giddy Up.
Speaker 3:I said get out.