NASHVILLE — It’s fitting that the Nashville Stars, a team for players ages 10 and under, are named in honor of an old Negro leagues team that played in Music City in the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. From the aggressive base running to the all-Black coaching staff and the speaker blaring a mix of hip-hop and R&B from the bleachers, the Stars embody the energy and excitement that made pre-integration Black baseball a cultural phenomenon as much as a sporting attraction. The team also serves as a stark contradiction of the stereotypical image of American youth baseball.
For the kids on this team, the majority of whom are Black, baseball isn’t a spring stopgap to hold them over until football season starts, or the free activity sponsored by the community organization that may or may not receive financial support from Major League Baseball.