Rube Foster

Rube Foster was an American baseball player, manager, and executive who played a key role in the development of Negro league baseball. Born in 1879 in Calvert, Texas, Foster began his career as a pitcher in the early 1900s, playing for various teams in the South and Midwest.

In 1920, Foster founded the Negro National League, which became the first successful organized league for Black baseball players. As the league’s president, Foster helped to promote and organize games and teams, and he played a key role in establishing the Negro leagues as a viable and important part of American baseball.

Foster’s contributions to the development of Negro league baseball were recognized in 1981, when he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1993, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp honoring Foster as part of its “Legends of Baseball” series. The stamp features a portrait of Foster with the text “Rube Foster, Negro Leagues Baseball,” and serves as a tribute to his legacy as a pioneering athlete and executive who helped to break down barriers and promote equality in sports.