NEW YORK -- On Wednesday night, the Mets had a private screening of “The Other Boys of Summer,” a documentary that was directed by Lauren Meyer and narrated by Cicely Tyson, who died last month. No, the film is not about the Brooklyn Dodgers. It’s about players who had fun showing their talents in the Negro Leagues.
Two current members of the Mets organization -- outfielder/first baseman Dominic Smith and ambassador Omar Minaya -- and former Major Leaguer Curtis Granderson were impressed with the film. They came away with a deeper and richer appreciation for how great the Negro Leagues were. Meyer also attended the screening.
There were a handful of Negro Leagues players who Meyer spoke to, from Monte Irvin to John “Mule” Miles. None of them expressed bitterness toward playing in a segregated society. MLB didn’t integrate until 1947, when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. There were days when the players didn’t have a place to stay during road trips, so the next alternative, for example, was to stay at a funeral home.
“This film showed how much the Negro Leagues loved the game. There was also a forgiveness, but [the Negro League players] didn’t forget about it,” Minaya said.
Racism didn’t stop the Negro Leagues players from displaying their great talents on the diamond. Hall of Famers such as Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson made their marks in the Negro Leagues, which were formed in 1920. Their style of play made baseball exciting and fun to watch.
“It was a beautiful film,” Smith said. “Growing up in a different generation, you only hear about the Negro Leagues and things the players went through and the obstacles they had to overcome. For me, to actually hear the personal stories, it really hit home. They really had to persevere tough things.
“You hear [the stories] as a youth, but to actually see it in the film, it really hit home. The Negro League players are the strongest people I heard about and know. It takes a special person to go through it, persevere, really push through and doing it with a smile on your face and not fight back. Those people are very strong people. They are really inspirational.”
After the film ended, the quartet had a virtual conversation that went beyond the Negro Leagues. The conversation was moderated by Mets public address announcer Marysol Castro, and it lasted for almost an hour.
Smith talked about Black players' experiences in baseball. Last season, Smith was vocal following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis and the subsequent protests around the country. Smith said the conversation is still going strong when it comes to making lives better for African Americans.
“The outreach that I’ve received from so many people across the world, whether it be people in different fields from doctors to other professional athletes, you name it, [has been outstanding],” Smith said. “They all wanted to know what they needed to do to help. It’s been unbelievable to see how many people want to help.”
Minaya, Granderson and Smith believe if Robinson was alive today, he would like to see more African Americans participate in the game of baseball. It’s not a secret there has been a decline in African Americans playing the sport. The Players Alliance, a group of current and former professional baseball players, is trying to reverse that trend.
“There is an effort being put together,” Minaya said. “We owe it to Jackie to find ways to increase the numbers of participants in youth baseball.”
Said Granderson, “Let’s not forget Little League Baseball. It still exists. It’s a worldwide organization. That’s supposed to be the affordable league to get you introduced to the game. As you continue to progress … now we see that travel ball is an option. It’s amazing to see travel-ball teams at 6, 7, 8 years old, and we are not figuring out if we are enjoying it, first and foremost. Let’s do that.”