¡Pleibol! to highlight MiLB's community engagement

Más Allá del Diamante is a content series designed to spotlight and embrace the people, programs, culture and stories that champion Copa de la Diversión’s community impact and further advance Minor League Baseball’s continuous efforts to diversify the game and business of baseball.

As part of the Hispanic Heritage Month campaign #ForTheLoveOfBéisbol, we are highlighting an upcoming exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History -- ¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues / En los barrios y las grandes ligas -- that represents our diverse communities and the contributions of Hispanics, Latino/as and Latinxs to the sport of baseball as shared by Robin Morey, Curatorial Assistant for ¡Pleibol!

Can you explain for our fans, what is “¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues/En los barrios y las grandes ligas”?

“¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues/En los barrios y las grandes ligas” is a fully bilingual exhibition exploring how Latinas/os have impacted American culture and society through the lens of baseball. The exhibition focuses primarily on community stories, examining how Latinas/os have used baseball to challenge prejudice, build community and make a better life for themselves and their families. And we are proud to highlight some of the great community engagement of Minor League Baseball as part of this story! The exhibition also features Major League Baseball legends, including Roberto Clemente and Fernando Valenzuela, but our emphasis is not only on the stars of the game, but also how generations of players have given back to their communities. ¡Pleibol! also covers the often-unrecognized contributions of Latinas in baseball and softball by highlighting women who created their own teams and made a name for themselves as players, broadcasters and even owners of professional baseball teams.

How did you start the idea of an exhibition?

In 2015, Curator of Latinx History and Culture at the National Museum of American History Margaret Salazar-Porzio brought together scholars from around the country already working on the topic of Latinas/os and baseball. Together, they saw they had a critical mass of interest and enthusiasm to document, preserve and eventually display the incredible ways baseball provides a gateway to explore many subjects important to Latino history, like immigration, labor rights and issues around race and ethnicity. There was so much excitement around the idea of working together that they decided to create a series of community collecting events aimed toward creating a Smithsonian exhibition. And now, we have two upcoming exhibitions: one that will be based in Washington, D.C. and a traveling exhibit.

I heard from a friend that there is a book that accompanies the exhibit. Can you tell us about it and where can we find it?

Yes, there is a book! Also titled "¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues/En los barrios y las grandes ligas," the bilingual book features a series of essays from baseball scholars and community experts accompanied by beautiful photographs of baseball artifacts and other historical images. You can purchase the book from Penguin Random House, from your favorite book seller and it is also available on Amazon.

When will the exhibit be live?

¡Pleibol! will open at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., on April 1, 2021, just in time for baseball season! A traveling version of the exhibit will also tour 15 cities around the country through the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service starting in January 2021.

What was the process of gathering all the information to build the exhibition?

Gathering stories and artifacts for the exhibition was a very rewarding experience. The ¡Pleibol! project partnered with more than 30 local institutions in 14 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico to hold community collecting events, where members of the community came together to share their baseball memories. Many of the photos and artifacts shared at the collecting events are now housed by these local institutions, and some were collected by Smithsonian curators to be preserved as part of the National Collection.

What is your favorite part about this project?

Because museum exhibits are about learning through objects, I want to share one of my favorite artifacts! We have a beautiful collector’s album of baseball cards featuring 100 players from the 1945–1946 Cuban professional winter league. The collection contains cards from Latino legends like Minnie Miñoso, Martín Dihigo and Luis Tiant Sr. It’s truly thrilling to flip through the pages and explore which players are part of the album.

What is the biggest lesson you learned throughout this process?

The National Museum of American History tells the story of the United States not just through high-profile artifacts from presidents, celebrities and Hall of Famers, but also through objects owned by people like you and me, and ¡Pleibol! really highlights how regular people incorporate baseball into their daily lives. I grew up loving baseball, fervently following my local Minor League Baseball team (Go Bulls!) and my favorite big-league players, but this project really helped me see how regular people can make a huge impact on their community through the game.

Do you have any message for our Hispanic, Latino/a and Latinx fans in Minor League Baseball?

Latino history is American history! Latinas/os have been at the heart of our national pastime for over a century and continue to be trailblazers in all aspects of the sport. Initiatives like MiLB’s Copa de la Diversión show how Latino fandom is integral to the revitalization of the game. I am confident that Latina/o fans will continue to bring passion and vibrancy to baseball for many years to come!