Double Duty Classic game to honor Negro Leagues

Posted July 02, 2009 11:00 pm

Daily Herald News Services

On Friday, July 10, the Chicago White Sox will host the second annual Double Duty Classic, an event celebrating the history and tradition of Negro League baseball in Chicago and promoting the next generation of inner-city baseball players.

This summer marks 76 years since the first Negro League East-West All-Star Game was played at Comiskey Park in Chicago.

Before Friday's game, a private forum also will be held at U.S. Cellular Field's Conference & Learning Center, beginning at 10:30 a.m., and feature a question-and-answer session with White Sox general manager Kenny Williams and moderated by Michael Wilbon of ESPN. They will address and answer questions from the young athletes participating in the Double Duty Classic.

Some former Negro Leaguers also are scheduled to attend the game and forum.

"The Double Duty Classic is about honoring the legacy of the many great players who worked and sacrificed so that we all could enjoy this game," said Williams. "With this event, we also hope to share that legacy with the next generation of players and ensure they carry that on as they develop as players and as people."

The game, which will be played at U.S. Cellular Field, begins at 1:05 p.m., and will feature the top high school players from across the country (Illinois, Arkansas, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Texas and Wisconsin). The White Sox Amateur City Elite (ACE) high school travel team will represent the city of Chicago in the all-star showcase.

Players will wear uniforms honoring the Negro Leagues' East-West All-Star teams. Each team will carry a roster of players from both the ACE team and players from across the country.

The game is named for Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe, who played for the Chicago American Giants of the Negro Leagues. At the age of 41, Radcliffe earned MVP honors for his performance during the 1943 season with the American Giants. Nicknamed "Double Duty" because he once pitched the first game of a doubleheader and caught the second, Radcliffe was one of the most dynamic players in the Negro Leagues and professional baseball. He died in Chicago in 2005.