Homestead Grays slugger Josh Gibson now leads in career batting average, slugging and OPS|George Bush Presidential Library and Museum|CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
The MLB announced yesterday that it has incorporated stats of over 2,300 players from the Negro Leagues that operated between 1920 and 1948 into its record book. The move has propelled Josh Gibson to the No. 1 spot in multiple categories.
The achievements of players who competed in the Negro Leagues were previously not included in the historical record.
Homestead Grays slugger Gibson now leads in career batting average (.372), slugging (.718), and OPS, aka on-base percentage plus slugging percentage (1.177), previously dominated by Babe Ruth and Ted Williams.
MLB decided to recognize Negro Leagues as a “major league” in 2020, correcting its 1969 decision to exclude Black player leagues.
Before Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, Black players were not allowed in MLB. The inclusion of Negro League stats aims to honor those players’ contributions and educate future generations about their impact on baseball history.