The Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference (JMNLC)SABR Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference website
/ref> is an annual conference sponsored by Negro leagues Committee (NLC), a standing committee of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), a non-profit

501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...

organization.SABR or "Society for American Baseball Research
/ref> As of 2016, the NLC has held nineteen conferences in various cities known for their history in hosting

Negro league baseball The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans and, to a lesser extent, Latin Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be ...

teams. The JMNLC is the first and remains the only such event dedicated exclusively to the examination of black baseball history. The objective of the conference and committee is to encourage the study and research of

, pre-Negro league baseball, African-Americans in baseball, and the positive influence on American society by the elimination of racial barriers. This national conference attracts scholars, historians, collectors, social activists, and fans of the game. The Conference focus includes scholarly, literary, and educational components.

History of the Conference

The Conference has been an annual SABR event since 1998, and was named in memory of Jerry Malloy (1946–2000) after his death. Malloy was a journalist and was considered by his peers in SABR to be a skilled authority on 19th century black baseball. Malloy was an important member of the Negro Leagues Committee and a respected researcher and historian. Admission to the conference is open to all. The 2016 conference is being held in Kansas City, Missouri, July 7–9. Past conferences have been held in

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the 9th largest city and 15th largest municipality in Pe ...

(1998, 2000, 2003),

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

(2001, 2006), Chicago, Illinois (2005, 2008),

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

(1999), Memphis, Tennessee (2002),

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

(2004, 2012),

Portsmouth, Virginia Portsmouth is an independent city in southeast Virginia and across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,915. It is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. The Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval M ...

(2007), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (2009, 2015), Birmingham, Alabama (2010), Indianapolis, Indiana (2011), Newark, New Jersey (2013) and Detroit, Michigan (2014). Since 2004, the conference has also included an update on the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Marker Project.

Awards

The SABR Negro Leagues Committee announces the following awards during the conference: * The Robert Peterson Recognition Award: for bodies of work that increase public awareness about the Negro leagues, akin to Peterson's book "Only The Ball Was White." * The John Coates Next Generation Award: for recognition of outstanding achievement and dedication by newcomers to the research field. * The Normal "Tweed" Webb Lifetime Achievement Award: to recognize long-term contributions to the field of Negro league research. * The Fay Vincent Most Valuable Partner (MVP) Award: for the contributor with the greatest impact towards a successful conference and shares former Commissioner Vincent's vision to recognize the Negro leagues and its impact on the socialization of American culture.

Events and Programs

Between ten and 14 research presentations are given at every conference, ranging from historical research to statistical studies to entertaining stories, covering any subject related to the history of African-American baseball. A trivia contest (related to Negro leagues history) with prizes for the winner is held, and two auctions (one silent, one live) are conducted. Fundraising is also done to help pay to mark the graves of former Negro league players. The effort, known as the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Marker Project has provided a

headstone A headstone, tombstone, or gravestone is a stele or marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. It is traditional for burials in the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim religions, among others. In most cases, it has the deceased's name, da ...

for more than 30 players since 2004. An authors panel is held, and book signings are done afterward. A bus tour is done of most host cities, citing the memorable spots related to that city's Negro leagues history, and an awards banquet is held in which the four named awards are announced, plus two $2,500 youth scholarships, based upon submitted essays, and two $1,000 library grants. A seminar on Negro leagues history is held during the conference for education professionals, and an academic journal, based on presentations made during the conference, is published later in the year in partnership with

McFarland & Company McFarland & Company, Inc., is an American independent book publisher based in Jefferson, North Carolina, that specializes in academic and reference works, as well as general-interest adult nonfiction. Its president is Rhonda Herman. Its former ...

References

External links

Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Markers

www.seamheads.com and the Negro League Database
{Dead link, date=February 2020 , bot=InternetArchiveBot , fix-attempted=yes
Larry Lester, Negro League Historian

The Ongoing Research Site for John Donaldson

Todd Peterson Gallery
Negro league baseball Recurring sporting events established in 1998