“Bud Fowler overcame numerous obstacles to become one of the most significant players in baseball history. In addition to being the first African American to play professional baseball, he was one of the game’s great promoters and developers—and everything he did in baseball came against the pushback of the presence of a Black man on the field. All this makes him an important barrier breaker, a notable figure in the history of our game, and a worthy recipient of this recognition. It will be my honor to speak for Bud Fowler during the Induction Ceremony on July 24.”
