Jack White is among the Detroit natives who love their city's heritage and the game of baseball, so he's pitching in with $10,000 to help start a $50,000 crowdfunding campaign to restore his city's Hamtramck Stadium, a former local resource now one of few surviving fields from early black baseball history. Hamtramck hosted teams such as the Negro National League Detroit Stars and players such as Turkey Stearnes.
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The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown blogged raves about Jack White's baseball acumen after his visit in 2014. "When Jack threw out a ceremonial first pitch in Detroit," they noted back then, "he wore a Stars jersey, out of respect to the Negro leagues team that called The Motor City home."
Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) and Piast Institute are behind the campaign and its plans to restore the playing area for community use, followed by restoration of the grandstand seating area.
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"From its founding, the Piast Institute has focused on telling the story of Polish-Americans in Detroit and Hamtramck, which are intertwined with the stories of the historic African-American communities in both cities," said Piast Executive Vice President Virginia Skrzyniarz. "The revival of Hamtramck Stadium will be a living monument to Hamtramck’s legacy of diversity and tolerance."
Renowned names from the past, now in Cooperstown, that played on the field include Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, and it was home field for Detroit Stars' Turkey Stearnes.
Supporters have until April 2 to raise the $50,000 needed. Contributions can be made at the campaign's Patronicity page. Success will be met with $50,000 in matching funds from the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
In other news at the intersection of baseball and music, the GRAMMY Museum will open its new exhibit "Take Me Out To The Ball Game: Popular Music And The National Pastime"on March 14, accompanying the 2019 Major League Baseball season with a celebration of baseball's musical soundtrack
