Woman Among 17 Elected to Hall of Fame
“Effa Manley, a savvy businesswoman whose gravestone reads “She Loved Baseball,” became the first woman elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame yesterday. She was among 17 people from the Negro leagues and the era preceding them in black baseball who were selected by a special committee. Manley, who was a co-owner of the Newark Eagles with her husband, Abe, handled the daily business operations of the team and was considered an expert in marketing and advertising. She was also diligent in fighting for better conditions for the players on the Eagles, who won the Negro leagues World Series in 1946.
“While Abe had the money, she was really the one running the show,” said Leslie Heaphy, a Negro leagues historian and member of the voting committee.” …
“Heaphy said that Manley was also active in the civil rights movement and used the Eagles to help promote those causes, including holding an Anti-Lynching Day at a game.” …
“Heaphy said that Manley’s challenging childhood shaped her into an aggressive executive. Manley wrote letters to the Hall lobbying for various Negro leagues players to be considered for induction before dying in 1981 at age 84. Now she will join the Hall.
“She learned early on not to be overlooked,” Heaphy said.
Read the whole story here.
