As long as I can remember, athletes and musicians have always wanted to be each other.

The thrill of performing in front of large crowds whether at concert halls or ball diamonds is addictive.

Some have succeeded and some have not (Shaq!).

While not a professional singer – the legendary Buck O’Neil would belt one out every once in a while. He was quick to say he wasn’t much of a singer but he did a great rendition of the classic “Take Me Out to the Ball Game“.

The common denominator is that whether you played sports or sang – you were and those now are – entertainers.

One of the greatest entertainers of all time was the Godfather of Soul James Brown.

He loved baseball and his link to the Negro Leagues was a very strong one.

In his 2005 memoir entitled “I Feel Good”, Brown talks about how his world famous dance moves were influenced by Negro Leagues greats.

“But in those years, that Jackie Robinson, the first black man who came to Major League Baseball, and he was doing the split on first base. There was another black baseball team called the Indianapolis Clowns and the Kansas City Monarchs before blacks – those were Negro leagues. And eventually, when Robinson got into Major League Baseball, he brought some of those tricks with him…”

 

So many people in all walks of life were forever impacted by the style, creativity and pure athleticism of those who played in the Negro Leagues. That influence remains still today and is part of the living legacy of those players and teams.

Dave Barr (@daveabarr)