Stars of the Negro Baseball League - Digital Archive - Alexander Boeck

Josh Gibson was the all-time leader in home runs for the Negro League. He is credited with hitting almost 800 home runs during his time in the Negro League and independent baseball, more career home runs than even Barry Bonds. He was the second highest paid player in black baseball behind Satchel Paige. Gibson is known as one of the most powerful hitters to play the game. He spent most of his Negro League career with the Homestead Grays, where his primary position was the Catcher, but would also play both 3rd Base and Left Field. While in the Negro League he hit a total of 113 home runs and had 361 RBI’s. Buck O’Neil once said there was a certain sound of the ball hitting lumber, which he heard only a few times. The first came from Babe Ruth. The second came from Josh Gibson. It is argued that he was the best catcher to ever play the game, both in the Negro League and the Major Leauges. He was awarded the Negro National League batting title four times in 1936, 1938, 1942, and 1945. He was put into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.