Josh Gibson

Biography

Josh Gibson was one of baseball's greatest hitters and a legendary figure in the Negro Leagues. Playing primarily for the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords, Gibson earned the nickname "The Black Babe Ruth" for his prodigious power and consistency at the plate. His career spanned the 1930s and 1940s, a period when racial segregation prevented him from competing in Major League Baseball despite his extraordinary talent.

Gibson's legacy extends far beyond his statistics, which included an estimated 800 home runs over his career. He represented the excellence and determination of African American athletes who excelled despite systemic barriers. Though his life was cut short by illness at age 35, Gibson remains an icon of baseball history and a symbol of the injustices of segregation in American sports.