Silver Spring Resident Snags a Piece of Negro Leagues Baseball History
Courtesy of the D.C. Lottery
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Washington , D.C. – Saturday, July 9 was a great day for Negro Leagues baseball. It was warm and sunny with players and fans enjoying the game. One of those fans, David Stinson of Silver Spring , Maryland , won an official Homestead Grays Negro Leagues throwback Jersey , courtesy of the D.C. Lottery and Charitable Games Control Board.
Stinson won the jersey in a raffle at A Day of Negro Leagues History sponsored by Capitol Hill Sporting Goods and The Ugly Mug Restaurant located at 727 and 723 8 th Street, S.E. , respectively. Stinson, who works for the
Justice Department, was ecstatic about the win saying, “I’ve been learning about the Negro Leagues for the last seven to eight years, and I brought my two sons to this event so they could learn about American history. Now, they have a piece of it.”
Rodney Smith, owner of Capitol Hill sporting goods, says he was inspired by the D.C. Lottery’s Negro Leagues Instant Scratch Ticket to stage the event. “It made me want to pay tribute to the local heroes of baseball’s Negro Leagues. You wouldn’t have a Barry Bonds today if it were not for Negro Leagues players like Al Burrows of the New York Black Yankees.” Smith teamed with Gaynor Jablonski, owner of the neighboring Ugly Mug Restaurant and brought Burroughs along with Mamie “Peanut” Johnson of the Indianapolis Clowns, Luther Anderson of the Satchel Paige All Stars, and William “Sonny” Randall and James Tillman of the Homestead Grays to 8 th Street Southeast to sign autographs, take photos, and mingle with fans. The Ugly Mug Restaurant gave fans with autographs a 25 percent discount on food and drinks.
Other winners included Chad Clinton of Washington, D.C. who picked up an Al Burrows commemorative plaque in a silent auction. Ardis Olgetree of Southeast D.C. scratched her way to cash with complimentary Negro Leagues Instant Tickets. Olgetree won $20, which was great for her husband Michael, who said, “Since she won $20, I can keep the $5 that I won.”
D. C. Lottery Executive Director Jeanette A. Michael summarized the day by saying, “The D.C. Lottery enjoys being a major player in helping local businesses stage promotions that draw customers and build community.”
