It’s a monumental week in baseball history, as the Negro League statistics officially become part of Major League Baseball’s all-time record on Wednesday.
The company, first reported USA TODAY’S BOB NIGHTENGALEIt comes 3 1/2 years after MLB initially announced it would elevate the Negro Leagues to major-league status, allowing America’s entire baseball history to be told through numbers without leaving anyone out.
Former giants slugger Barry BondsHowever, after the Negro Leagues integration, he could no longer hold two records, including his single-season slugging percentage mark (.863) in 2001 and his single-season OPS record (1.421) in 2004 — both of which he now holds. It belongs to Hall of Fame catcher Josh Gibson.
Gibson spent his entire career in the Negro Leagues from 1930, 1933-40 and 1942-46, and is now MLB’s single-season record holder. (1.474 in 1937) after statistical consolidation. He also becomes MLB’s career leader in all three categories.
“If you hear Josh Gibson’s name now, he’s not just the greatest player in the Negro Leagues,” Gibson’s great-grandson Sean Gibson told the Nightingale, “but the greatest of all time. Those aren’t just Negro Leagues stats. Those are major league baseball stats.
“This represents not only the Josh Gibson family, but the 2,300 men who never had the opportunity to play in the Negro Leagues. [in the Major Leagues].”
Bonds isn’t the only Giants legend affected by the flood of upcoming stats. Willie Mays will get a boost His 1948 Negro Leagues season With the Birmingham Black Bears, he now has 3,293 career hits — up from 3,283. Upon checking his Negro League statistics for 1949 and 1950, Mays added even more hits to his total.
“We are proud that the official historical record now includes Negro League players,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement (h/t Yahoo Sports) “The initiative is focused on ensuring future generations of fans have access to the statistics and milestones of all those who made the Negro Leagues possible. Their accomplishments on the field will be a gateway to greater learning in American history about this victory and the path that led to Jackie Robinson’s 1947 Dodger debut.”
It’s certainly good news that all of baseball’s rich history will be officially included when fans talk about the greatest athletes to ever play the game. Although Bonds has moved up the all-time rankings, he certainly remains in that category.
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