National Park College (NPC) welcomed former Negro League baseball player Dennis Biddle to campus Wednesday. Born in Magnolia, Arkansas , Biddle currently lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin , where he retired after 20 plus years as a social worker.
Biddle played in the Negro League from 1953-54 with the Chicago American Giants. He
went on to sign a contract with the Major League Baseball team, the Chicago Cubs. He was the youngest player to play in the Negro League at age 17. Due to an ankle injury, Biddle’s career was cut short. He later attended college and started a career in social work.
Biddle shared stories of Cool Papa Bell, Satchel Paige, John Gibson and Jackie Robinson,
but also of those players that never received recognition. He emphasized the importance
of recognizing and remembering those who played with and against the legends.
He explained that the Negro League Museum in Kansas City brought all living Negro League players together
to announce that the former players would be receiving insurance benefits. This health
care benefit was limited to certain players, leaving many without coverage. Biddle
and former teammate, Sherwood Brewer, created the Negro League Baseball Players, LLC with the intent of providing insurance
for all former players in the Negro League. Biddle travels the country to raise funds
for the organization.
When asked why he became a spokesperson, Biddle stated, “I made a promise to the older
guys to tell their history. In 1995, there were 314 players alive. Today there is
less than a hundred.” Biddle feels obligated to hand down the history of the Negro
League and said things are often misquoted or swept under the rug.
NPC freshman baseball pitcher Andy Roberts grew up around baseball and played for
as long as he remembers. He said the main thing he took away from the experience was, “No matter how long you’ve
played, the game is always with you.” Roberts said listening to Biddle helped him realize, “It’s not always about baseball. The things that you do on a day-to-day basis shape
who you become, shape the people around you, and also that the people around you can
shape who you are.”
Biddle also has a traveling exhibit, The Yesterday’s Negro League Baseball Players, which displayed on campus during the past two weeks. The exhibit explores the rich and colorful history of the league through artifacts,
portraits and memorabilia. Biddle plans to continue being a voice for the lost memories of the forgotten players
through public speaking and the traveling exhibit.
