Living HBCU Baseball History with The Legends – James Robinson of North Carolina A&T

In my ongoing work with the website Black College Nines, I have the privilege of connecting with former baseball players who played at historically black colleges and universities and often the Negro Leagues.

I love this work. It's history, human connection across multiple generations, and enjoyable baseball discussions.

My first profile is North Carolina A&T alum James Robinson, a member of powerhouse Aggie teams of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Mr. Robinson became a professional ballplayer, playing for the legendary Oscar Charleston with the Philadelphia Stars and serving as captain of the Kansas City Monarchs.

My favorite part of the interview was when I pushed Mr. Robinson to tell me about any college games that stood out. Essentially, he told me A&T would beat teams so badly that games were called early and the outcome was rarely in doubt. There was nothing arrogant about his answer. In fact, I asked him two different ways trying to pull out additional gems. The honesty and matter-of-fact statement that teams couldn't stay on the field with Aggie nines in those days made me smile.

Hope you enjoy, too.