Cleats to HighTops: Women of the Negro League to the WNBA

I recently asked filmmaker Spike Lee when he was going to make a biopic about the three women who played in The Negro Leagues, "not before Jackie and Joe Louis" he quipped. I feel you on that Spike, I see you're busy so maybe I can ask Oprah. It's a story that needs to be told and I hope the perseverance and grit of Mamie Johnson, Connie Morgan and Toni Stone will someday grace the screen.

As the WNBA season gets set to tip off, it's by far the most successful women's team professional league, it has survived over a decade. I'll be honest, eleven years ago there was doubt, wondering if this league would be able to grow a fan base and sustain popularity along with revenue. I don't care if the NBA has carried some of the financial burden of the WNBA-personally the league should, money is not an issue. The WNBA provides an opportunity to showcase a player's skills among her counterparts- that privilege eluded Johnson,Morgan and Stone.
A League of Their Own is one of my favorite baseball movies and there's a brief non-verbal scene that represents the discrimination of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League. Geena Davis' character is hurled a fast one from an African American woman in the stands-followed with a look of smit as if to say, yeah we can play this game too! Mamie Johnson arrived for a tryout with the AAGPBL however, true to form of "America's racial climate of the day" she was denied a tryout in the all-white league.

So, now I wonder what it was like for the femme trio to finally tread upon the sacred holy ground of America's favorite national past time in the Negro Leagues. Sure over the last few years, their names have surfaced and a simply Google search will produce some nice reading. However, it sure would be nice if just one of these amazing athletes could get some real screen time. Anybody have Oprah's number, I feel a screenplay coming on!

Aaron Owes Nothing To Bonds...

It is inevitable, it will happen and you may not like it. However, when Barry Bonds ties and subsequently breaks one of the most prestigious records in baseball, Henry Aaron will not be in attendance and that's fine with me.

Some sports columnists, radio talk hosts and Bobby Bonds Jr. , Barry's little brother, seem to take issue with Aaron's decision not to be present when the "great feat" or "disgrace" occurs.
"I'm not going to be around," is what the current home run king told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "I'd probably fly to West Palm Beach to play golf. "I don't want to be around that sort of thing anymore. I just want to be at peace with myself. I don't want to answer questions." My response, is there room in your foursome? Henry Aaron owes no explanation or justifiable reason for not being in attendance. I read where sports writer Rob Parker called Mr. Aaron a "coward" and feels he needs to openly take a stance regarding Bonds and the record chase.
Well, I did speak with Mr. Aaron and he is fine with the criticism besides, I have a feeling Parker is more upset that Mr. Aaron didn't agree to an interview.

Henry Aaron is a businessman and tends to the care of his mother. He is not obligated to Major Baseball League and can selectively choose which events to attend. Yes, it is his record that will be surpassed and it is this record that's surrounded by controversy. I say Barry Bonds is fortunate that Aaron hasn't made his opinion known. Be it wrong or right, imagine Bond's world if the great Henry Aaron publicly dissed the Giants slugger. It's an old cliche but remember, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.