WKNO Remembers the Negro Leagues in Memphis
Encore presentation Thursday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. on WKNO/Channel 10.

The Negro Leagues produced some gifted baseball players and many memorable games; however, most of the games and their players would never be seen. Many Negro League players were relegated to playing backwaters and prohibited from appearing in many of the larger stadiums in the segregated South. WKNO presents a fascinating conversation with one of these underappreciated men in Joe Scott: Memories of the Negro Leagues.

Hosted by Reggie Williams, Vice President for Community Relations for The Memphis Redbirds and a former major league baseball player, Joe Scott delves into the memories of the 86-year-old ball player. Scott talks about the early days of the Negro Leagues in Memphis. He also reminisces about his long association with Baseball Legend Satchel Paige and takes a memory-filled journey to the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.

The half-hour also includes observations from civil rights luminary Julian Bond and Major League Baseball Vice President Jimmy Lee Soloman, as well as Congressman Steve Cohen. Together they paint a portrait of the old Negro Leagues whose history is just starting to be appreciated.

“Joe Scott is a treasure,” said Pierre Kimsey, producer of the program. “He provides a real window on an important part of American history.”

Following the premiere of this documentary, WKNO will present an encore of the award-winning documentary Black Diamonds, Blues City. This documentary from 1996 was written and directed by Stephen J. Ross, a University of Memphis professor, and produced by Ross and John R. Haddock. Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, Black Diamonds presents the story of the Memphis Red Sox. The film was honored as “Best Regional Film or Video Production” at the Nashville Film Festival; was selected for screening at the Los Angeles International Film Festival, the Dallas Video Festival, the Louisville Film and Video Festival and IndieMemphis.