Homewood-Flossmoor Athletes to Play in Negro Leagues Tribute Game

Three Homewood-Flossmoor athletes will take the field in a tribute to Negro Leagues baseball in Chicago, July 1 at U.S. Cellular Field.

Hosted by the Chicago White Sox, the game celebrates the history and tradition of the Negro Leagues while promoting the next generation of African-American baseball players from the city and suburbs.

Homewood-Flossmoor players Bryce Gray, Percy Walters and Walter Carter are among the 37 participants in this year’s game, said Mike Madera, Public Relations for the Sox. Gray is a catcher, Walters plays third base and Carter is an outfielder, Coe said.

Players are eligible for the Double Duty game through the end of their junior year in high school. The program is designed to provide youth baseball opportunities for inner city players who otherwise would not be able to afford the costs of traveling teams and year-round coaching. Some suburban players also participate in the program.

Now in its eighth year, the Double Duty Classic celebrates the Negro Leagues All-Star Game that took place annually at Comiskey Park, the team’s former home. This year’s players will don vintage uniforms—navy and cream—from the league’s East and West divisions.

The game begins at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Admission is free and open to the public, with free parking available in Lot B at U.S. Cellular Field. The game also will be broadcast live on Comcast SportsNet Chicago. Pre-game entertainment outside the ballpark starts at 11:30 a.m. Gates open at noon with a pre-game ceremony starting at 12:30 p.m.

Ballplayers are also invited to a special forum discussion prior to the game on the history of the Negro Leagues and African-Americans in the game of baseball. The forum, which starts at 10 a.m., is for invited guests only.

Julian “JR” Jackson, sports reporter for JRSportBrief and CNN’s HLN, will serve as host of the special forum. Special guests at the forum include White Sox All-Star pitcher James Baldwin, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum President Bob Kendrick, ESPN analyst and columnist Michael Wilbon and White Sox Executive Vice President Ken Williams.