I've read some books and watched some other material on organized black baseball--but nothing has had the impact that this documentary did on me both for understanding and appreciating what they did for black baseball.
In "The League", director Sam Pollard looks at black participation in organized baseball going back to the 1880s. But mostly it focuses on the African-American Leagues of the 1920s/30s and what a boon they were to black communities on the East Coast and in the Midwest. At their zenith, these leagues were often near the top performers of black-owned businesses and prosperous endeavors.
As one would expect, the great stars (Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Oscar Charleston, etc.) of that endeavor are given some screen time here, as well as owners or key figures (such as Rube Foster--who basically created the entire concept). The production value is quite high too, sporting much live-action footage and great music.
But the true hallmark of "The League" is the adroit way it helps enunciate how the leagues began, thrived, and ultimately folded by looking at how the political/cultural/societal events of those time shaped league actions. Jim Crow laws, bigoted--or at very least extremely unhelpful--key figures (like one Commissioner) of MLB, the Great Depression, World War II, and integration movements all played an enormous role in how the leagues evolved. Pollard does an extraordinary job of capturing all of that and having it be as entertaining as informative.
Overall, I can truly say that this is the best piece of media I've ever consumed on the topic of the black baseball. I walked away with a far greater understanding of the role such competition played in the history of professional baseball--black or white.
