
About Last Weekend: Historically Black colleges celebrate baseball legacy during All-Star Week
Christian Womble of Jackson State University pitches at the HBCU Swingman Classic at Globe Life Field July 12, 2024. (Alberto Silva Fernandez | Fort Worth Report)
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Ahead of the MLB All-Star Game, Arlington’s Globe Life Field brought together 50 students from Division I historically Black colleges and universities to showcase their talent as part of the HBCU Swingman Classic.
The second annual event aims to highlight Black baseball talent on a national stage, according to the MLB. Student athletes were selected by a committee that included Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., league and player representatives as well as talent scouts.
To kick off the festivities, the Texas Southern University drumline played as announcers introduced athletes on the field. While there was supposed to be a battle of the bands event, Prairie View A&M University was unable to make it due to the impact of Hurricane Beryl, according to the band’s Instagram.
The Texas Southern University “Ocean of Soul” marching band performs at the HBCU Swingman Classic at Globe Life Field on July 12, 2024. (Alberto Silva Fernandez | Fort Worth Report)
Fort Worth native and 20-time Grammy award-winning artist Kirk Franklin was in attendance to perform the “Star Spangled Banner.” He also sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” frequently referred to as the “Black National Anthem,” accompanied by a choir.
Fort Worth icon Opal Lee, known for her national advocacy work to make Juneteenth a federal holiday, started the game by declaring, “Play ball!”
16,647 fans were in attendance to cheer on the long legacy that HBCUs have had in baseball.
Gospel singer and Fort Worth native Kirk Franklin performs the “Star Spangled Banner,” as well as “Lift Every Voice and Sing” on July 12, 2024. (Alberto Silva Fernandez | Fort Worth Report)
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