Negro Leagues Legacy Lives On In Norfolk’s Sam Allen

By L. Ceri Mundrati
Summer Intern
New Journal and Guide

Norfolk baseball legend Sam Allen stepped up to the plate once again this Father’s Day as he participated in the annual Salute to the Negro Leagues Day celebration with the Kansas City Royals.

Allen was honored by throwing the ceremonial first pitch before the Royals’ Father’s Day game, recognizing his pioneering career in the Negro Leagues during the late 1950s.

The celebration brought together former players, fans and members of the baseball community to recognize the legacy of the Negro Leagues. Allen participated in autograph signings, media interviews and other festivities alongside Kansas City Royals infielder/outfielder Tyler Tolbert and World Series champion Darryl Motley. Allen’s daughter, grandson, and other family members were also there to celebrate the occasion with him.

For Allen, returning to Kansas City carries special significance. At 21, he began his professional baseball career with the Kansas City Monarchs, one of the most storied franchises in Negro Leagues history.

The Negro Leagues were professional baseball leagues composed primarily of African-American players from the 1920s through the 1950s. The leagues were established because Black players were excluded from Major League Baseball.

“The Negro Leagues played five years under the lights before the Major Leagues did,” Allen shared.

Allen played for the Kansas City Monarchs in 1957, when he led the league in runs. He later played for the Raleigh Tigers in 1958 and the Memphis Red Sox in 1959.

“I just loved to play baseball, putting the batter to the ball, that was the thing,” Allen shared.

For Allen, the annual Salute to the Negro Leagues Day celebration offers a chance to reflect on a career that took him across the country.

“I love to travel. If we played in one place during the day we could be about 500 miles away overnight. You stayed on the road,” Allen said.

Allen’s professional baseball career was cut short when he was drafted into the Army following his fourth season in 1960. His love for the game, however, never faded, as he continued playing baseball while serving in the military.

Just this year, filmmaker Glen Mason released the documentary, “Sam Allen: A New October” capturing Allen’s legacy and broader impact on the sport. The documentary follows Major League’s Baseball’s 2024 decision to officially incorporate Negro Leagues statistics into the major league record books, a milestone that helped ensure the accomplishments of Negro Leagues players received long-overdue recognition.

Today, Allen continues to attend baseball games and looks forward to the Salute to the Negro Leagues Day celebration each year. While none of his children or grandchildren have pursued baseball, Allen hopes the newest member of the family might continue the tradition.

“Only three weeks old, he came out nine pounds and 21 inches long, he might be the next ball player.”

For Allen, returning to Kansas City each year is about more than revisiting his playing days. The annual celebration ensures that the stories of Negro Leagues players continue to be shared with new generations, honoring the athletes whose talent and perseverance helped shape the game of baseball long before they received widespread recognition.