Nationals to host Negro Leagues Night at Nationals Park

The Washington Nationals will host Negro Leagues Night at Nationals Park on Wednesday, June 18, teaming up the Josh Gibson Foundation to recognize the achievements of the Homestead Grays and Black players in Washington, D.C., prior to MLB’s integration. The evening will feature a pregame panel discussion of the impacts of the Negro Leagues in American baseball as well as a Josh Gibson bobblehead giveaway. To join the celebration of Black history and culture, visit nats.com/Promotions.

As part of Negro Leagues Night, the Nationals will host a panel, including Sean Gibson, great-grandson of Josh Gibson and other distinguished guests, to discuss last year’s inclusion of the Negro Leagues statistics into the Major League Baseball record books, the way that the Negro Leagues shaped baseball today and more. The pregame panel is open to all fans with a ticket to that day’s 6:45 p.m. matchup versus the Rockies.

Additionally, 20,000 fans in attendance for that evening’s game will receive a Josh Gibson bobblehead. One of the greatest home run hitters and most feared sluggers of any era, Gibson began his career in 1930 and played for the Pittsburgh Crawfords and Homestead Grays through 1946. The catcher from Buena Vista, Ga., was a 12-time All-Star, two-time Negro Leagues World Series champion, three-time Negro National League batting champion, two-time Triple Crown winner and, in 1972, became the second Negro Leagues player to be inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

In May 2024, Major League Baseball officially incorporated statistics from the Negro Leagues, which resulted in Gibson becoming MLB’s career leader in multiple offensive categories. With a .372 career batting average, he officially surpassed Ty Cobb (.367) as the all-time career leader in average. Often called the “Black Babe Ruth,” Gibson also overtook Ruth’s records as the career leader in slugging percentage (.718 vs. .690) and on-base plus slugging percentage (1.177 vs. 1.164). He also holds the all-time single-season record in those same categories. Gibson’s statue outside Nationals Park recognizes his Hall of Fame career, and he is one of six Grays players featured in the Ring of Honor. Gibson is also featured in the Homestead Grays exhibit in the ballpark’s Champions Club.

“Josh’s family and the Foundation are grateful that the Nationals are honoring the Negro Leagues and Josh on June 18,” said Sean Gibson, Executive Director, Josh Gibson Foundation. “For Josh and the Grays, Washington was their second home from 1940 onward. They played proudly before the local fans, delivering them multiple championships, and for Washington to celebrate their legacy and serve the community as we at the Foundation seek to do, well, it does justice to their memory. Thank you to the Nationals, and we look forward to a long partnership together.”

Negro Leagues Night will also shine a light on the Josh Gibson Foundation, which honors Gibson’s legacy and develops programs that help children reach their potential. Through the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, the Nationals are aligned with this mission and are committed to providing opportunities to area youth through sports-based development and academic enrichment. As part of Negro Leagues Night, Nationals Philanthropies, the official charitable arm of the Nationals, will host representatives from the Josh Gibson Foundation for a pregame recognition on the field, in addition to designating 5050 Raffle proceeds from that evening’s game to the Foundation.

“We are honored to host Negro Leagues Night at Nationals Park this season to commemorate the achievements and experiences of the Homestead Grays and its players,” said Ashleigh Hazley, Washington Nationals Senior Director of Youth Programming and member of the Black Employee Network employee resource group. “The Grays are a critical part of D.C.’s culture, and it is exciting to share and celebrate that rich history and the impacts that Black players – like the legendary Josh Gibson – had on the game of baseball.”

To join the celebration of Black history at Negro Leagues Night at Nationals Park on June 18, visit nats.com/Promotions.