Today we remember Rube Foster on his birthday. Born on Sept. 17, 1879, in Calvert, Texas, he began his career in baseball pitching for the Fort Worth Yellow Jackets. Although he dominated as a pitcher, Foster excelled on the diamond as a manager and executive, co-founding the National Negro League and earning him recognition as the “father of black baseball.” In 1981 he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, honored with a U.S. postage stamp in 2010 and this year the U.S. Mint commemorated Foster’s contributions to baseball by featuring him on a limited edition gold coin. We are incredibly grateful for pioneers like Rube Foster and we honor his legacy today and everyday.
