Adam Jones on visiting, supporting Negro Leagues Museum

KANSAS CITY - Playing Major League Baseball is very important to Orioles center fielder Adam Jones. But so is recognizing and appreciating the sacrifices of others who opened the door for him and other African-American players.

This afternoon, Jones presented a $20,000 donation to Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Kansas City is the site of the birth of the Negro Leagues and home to the museum preserving its history that Jones has visited more than 10 times.

Today's visit and donation, which among other things will help some Kansas City-area youngsters visit the museum later his summer, was planned long ago. But it almost takes on larger significance in light of what happened in Boston, when Jones had racial slurs directed at him from the Fenway Park stands.

"I care about all people in all walks of life," Jones said at the museum earlier today. "To me it doesn't matter if its black, white, Hispanic, Asian. I want the opportunity to further this great game of baseball that helped me.

"What happened in Boston - very unfortunate. But I think it can start a conversation. People need to help police people. Situations like that should not occur.

"Coming here with this donation, it will help educate all kids, all adults, every time someone walks in here. Some have no idea what the Negro Leagues are about or what they went through. I appreciate people coming out here to learn something they didn't know about the great game of baseball through the Negro Leagues' eyes."

Jones was asked more about the incident in Boston.

"Racial division is still out there," Jones said. "People are not afraid to show ugliness and hate. I personally don't understand it. In sports, I have experienced it, but in normal life not too often.

"When I first came here with the Mariners in about '07, it just opened my eyes. Mark McLemore told me, 'These are the guys that set everything in place for you. They are the pioneers of the game.' They didn't care they were segregated. They created their own league."

Kendrick praised Jones for his support of the museum.

"As we continue to grow as an organization, to have the support of young athletes like Adam is vitally important," Kendrick said. "I hope it sends a message to other athletes listening to this. We need to make sure that this story lives on long after the last Negro Leaguer has passed on."

During the recent celebration of Jackie Robinson Day in the major leagues on April 15, several national stories pointed out that fewer African-Americans are playing now in MLB. The number has dwindled to about 7 percent of all players.

"At the end of the day, I love my teammates dearly," Jones said. "They are my brothers. But what do I see? I don't see myself. An instance like this is a great time to talk about it. The numbers are 62 African-Americans in baseball. That is a very low percentage. This is a platform to speak on it. Some say, 'You make a lot of money, just stick to playing baseball.' That has nothing to do with it. It's not about the money."

Jones was asked about speaking out as he did after the incident in Boston.

"I was unafraid of any backlash that came with it because I think in the game of baseball, I have the respect of my peers through hard work," he said. "It is a great time to discuss it."

Kendrick added: "There was a time the Negro League players slept on their bus and ate peanut butter and crackers on the bus. This was in the very town where they had just played and filled up a ballpark and they couldn't get a meal from the very fans that were just there. They didn't have a place to stay, but they kept on keeping on.

"Adam has a place here to come and draw strength from what his ancestors were able to do in this game. Major leaguers can come here and see people who look just like them. That is why Adam's support is big. It puts our museum back in the forefront for just why it is so important."

Founded in 1990 and originally contained within a one-room office in Kansas City, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum currently utilizes 10,000 square feet of space to preserve and tell the history of the Negro Leagues and its players. The exhibit features multimedia computer stations, several film exhibits, hundreds of photographs, a replica field with 12 bronze sculptures and a growing collection of baseball artifacts.

"This is just a place to learn what these great men had to go through," Jones said.