Auditor General DePasquale, Treasurer McCord Mark Black History Month

Featured story of American Negro Baseball League player from Pennsylvania

February 18 2014

Auditor General DePasquale, Treasurer McCord Mark Black History Month
Featured story of American Negro Baseball League player from Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG (Feb. 18, 2014) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale and State Treasurer Rob McCord marked Black History Month with a celebration to recognize the accomplishments African Americans have made to our commonwealth and nation. This is the 18th consecutive year the two agencies have sponsored such a program.

“Our diversity is part of why Pennsylvania such an interesting place to live,” DePasquale said. “It is important that we take time to review and learn from our history and recognize how the contributions of so many – whether in science, politics, arts, literature or music, and yes, even baseball — have resulted in the wonderful Pennsylvania that we know today.”

“Our annual Black History Month celebration is a valuable chance to stop and consider the many ways – largely unnoticed at the time and in the face of tremendous disadvantages – that African Americans have contributed to the development of our commonwealth and our nation,” McCord said. “This year in particular we spotlight the players in the American Negro Baseball League who developed their own avenue to enjoy and participate in our country’s great pastime, until our society broke down barriers in athletics based on race.”

This year’s program featured the American Negro Baseball League and, specifically, the story of Pennsylvania’s own Herbert “Rap” Dixon who was raised in Steelton. The outfielder was named by the Hall of Fame in 2006 as one of the 12 greatest Negro League outfielders of all time. Among his many accomplishments, five years before Jackie Robison’s major league debut, Dixon managed an integrated team of “Harrisburg Giants.”

Dixon’s story was told by Ted Knorr, a retired education and government employee from Lancaster County who has done extensive research on, and national promotion of, the Negro Leagues.

The joint Black History Month celebration also included musical selections performed by Lakeya Wilson, a state employee with the Department of Health.

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