Ex-Negro League star Dennis Biddle launches one-of-a-kind baseball store in Milwaukee to commemorate black baseball's storied past

Before an accident ended his playing career in the 1950s, Dennis Biddle was a player for the Chicago American Giants in the Negro Leagues. He had a wish to support the former players and preserve the Negro Leagues' heritage.

In 1996, he and another former player who played with Jackie Robinson, Sherwood Brewer, established Yesterday's Negro League Baseball Players Foundation to help ensure health care and a pension for former players.

In addition to working in schools to teach children about the history of the Negro Leagues and providing support to nearby Little Leagues, Dennis Biddle and his wife Patrice Biddle carry on the foundation's legacy today through a museum and memorabilia store located in Mayfair Mall, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sales of memorabilia generate revenue for the Foundation's operations.

With more than simply items on its shelves, Legacy Sportswear silently bears witness to history in the center of Mayfair Mall, Milwaukee, WA. Every piece serves as a reminder of the hardships and victories faced by individuals who helped African Americans get into baseball by actively promulgating the Negro Leagues in small towns and cities.

Visitors are taken to a different age where a person's career path is dictated by the color of their skin as they explore the collection. But the story of black baseball is one of tenacity, skill, and an enduring legacy that never stops inspiring thanks to the efforts of people like Dennis Biddle and the players who dared to dream.

Dennis Biidle was asked to comment on the misrepresentation of African Americans in the big leagues and the Negro Leagues baseball players not getting a share of the revenue that the league generated. He replied:

"We found out we had no representation, our name and our likeness were being used. The New York Times reported $2.4 million made off the name Negro League...and in three years, and none of that money went to these old men who made history and had no representation.

"I feel today that I supported them, and they supported me too. So I'm doing all I can for them. I did, thanks to Bud Selig, I did get most of them a pension from the Major Leagues and medical, and I'm thankful for that." - Dennis Biddle in response to his active advocacy for the Negro Leagues

Many players like Dennis Biddle will be owed to bridge the gap from the Negro Leagues to the Major Leagues

Minnie Miniso playing for the Chicago White Sox in the MLB

The rise of African American players in Major League Baseball (MLB) from the Negro Leagues was indicative of their skills and a testament to their perseverance to fight against all injustices prevailing in society and create a positive representation of African Americans in baseball.

Not only did legendary players like Minnie Minoso, Ernie Banks, Sam Hairston, Larry Doby, Dennis Biddle, and Bob Boyd break down barriers of racial injustice and discrimination, but they also left a lasting impression on the sport of baseball.

Their transitions were more than just professional ones; they were significant turning points in the history of sports and advancements in the continuous fight against racial segregation.

These individuals added not only skill but also a new dimension to the legacies of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs, which in turn helped the ballclubs generate healthy revenue.