Interpreting the Evidence
Baseball Flyer, Howard Field, Brooklyn, NY, 1924
Suggested Teaching Instructions
Document Description
Flyer announcing two baseball games at Howard Field, located at Atlantic and Ralph Avenues in Brooklyn, New York, July 20, 1924. The games were the San Juan B.B.C. vs. Porto Rican Stars, and Sheridan Caseys vs. Porto Rican Stars.
Historical Context
Major League baseball was segregated until 1947, when Jackie Robinson broke the color line. Segregation often applied to Latino players as well. Many Latinos played in the Negro League. Teams such as the Porto Rican Stars and the San Juan B.B.C. increased the public’s interest in baseball and demonstrated the abilities of the Latin American players.
Essential Question
How are sports connected to culture?
Check for Understanding
Describe the scene in the photograph and explain the cultural significance of this baseball team.
Historical Challenges
Who was the first Latino baseball player to play in the major leagues? Name others who followed. Make a poster showing their teams and the years that they played.
Select your own Latino Baseball All-Star Team. Select any Latino player who ever played the game. You should have a player for each position. Write a short essay defending your choices.
Interdisciplinary Connections
Math: After composing your All-Star Team, figure out the team’s batting average. (Batting average = total number of hits divided by the total number of at-bats.)
English Language Arts: Research the biography of a present-day Latino Major League Baseball player. Make a baseball card with the information.