Baseball
Negro Leagues Museum To Honor Hispanic Baseball Heritage
By Off The BASN Sports Wire
Sep 1, 2007

KANSAS CITY -- In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) will host "Baseball Booknotes" author's program with historian Dr. Adrian Burgos, Jr. on September 8, 2007. 

Burgos will discuss and sign copies of his new book, "Playing America's Game: Baseball, Latinos, and The Color Line (University of California Press, 2007).  He will be joined by former major leaguers and NLBM supporters Jose Azcue and Diego Segui, who will also discuss their careers in baseball.

The program will begin at 1 pm. CT on the Field of Legends exhibit.  The event is free with a paid admission ticket to the NLBM. " Playing America's Game" will be available in the Extra Inning Museum Store for purchase.  

The book was previous featured by the Black Athlete Sports Network (BASN) as its "Book Of The Month" for the month of June.

" Playing America's Game" tells a compelling story of the men who negotiated the color line at every turn -- passing as "Spanish" in the major leagues or seeking respect and acceptance in the Negro leagues.

Dr. Adrian Burgos is an Associate Professor in the history department of the University of Illinois.  He has worked on several projects relating to Latinos in baseball, inlcuding work for the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Jose "Joe" Azcue hails from Cienfuegos, Cuba.  He starred as catcher for a number of Major League teams from 1960-1972, most notably with the Cleveland Indians.  He caught two no-hitters in his career and was an All-Star in 1968. Azcue now resides in Kasnas City.

A native of Holguin, Cuba, Diego Segui pitched for several teams in the Major Leagues from 1962-1977, starting with the Kansas City A's.  He is also the father of Major League star David Segui.  Segui now resides in Kansas City.

NOTE: For more information, please call the museum at 816-221-1920 .