Logo Created To Honor New York Black Yankees

Bridgewater, New Jersey – The Somerset Patriots, the New York Yankees Double-A affiliate, will pay tribute to the New York Black Yankees of the Negro National League at the team’s Sunday, August 27 game at TD Bank Ballpark. The Patriots take on the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies), playing as the Hartford Schoolboys, at 1:05 pm.

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The Tribute to the Black Yankees is in celebration of Somerset’s entrance into Minor League Baseball’s “The Nine” initiative. “The Nine” is a Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout MiLB’s 120 communities nationwide.

Despite playing in uniforms that resembled the Yankees, or used uniforms from the major league Yankees, the New York Black Yankees never had a true brand identity to call their own. The Patriots have unveiled a logo designed specifically to honor the Black Yankees’ heritage that is unique to the historic team.

The logo was designed with an interlocking BY for the first time to put the emphasis on the Negro League team versus the city of New York or the Yankees brand. The logo was designed for the team by Ryan Foose, an award-winning designer who focuses on sports branding for companies that include ESPN, MiLB, NCAA and more. Foose also designed the Zorros de Somerset logo for the Patriots’ Copa de la Diversión identity.

On August 27, the Patriots will play in special themed jerseys to honor the Black Yankees with the new logo on the sleeves. The game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off online to benefit the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum (SSAAM) and the organization’s work to tell the story of the unique culture, experiences, and contributions of the African American community of the Sourland Mountain Region. To learn more about the SSAAM, visit: ssaamuseum.org.

In addition to SSAAM, the Patriots have teamed up various members of the Black community including Love Plainfield, Queen City Film Festival, Bold Action Photo Booths, Charles J. Muth Museum of Hinchliffe Stadium, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Boys and Girls Club of Union County, Public Schools of Plainfield and many more.

The event will include a special pre-game program and exhibits on the main concourse to educate fans about the Black Yankees and the Negro Leagues. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a card strip with three baseball cards highlighting Black Yankees greats. In addition, a limited amount of Thunder Twins beer, honoring two of the greatest Negro League players that ever played, Josh Gibson and Buck O’Neil, will be available at the main gate.

More information about Somerset’s future plans regarding “The Nine” program will be announced in the coming months.

Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, “The Nine” connects MiLB teams’ existing, Black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign.

If your group or organization would like to get involved, please contact the Somerset Patriots for more information at (908) 252-0700 or [email protected].

About the Somerset Patriots

The Somerset Patriots are the New York Yankees Double-A Affiliate and develop today’s top minor league talent into the pinstriped superstars of tomorrow for MLB’s winningest team. The Patriots are the reigning Eastern League Champions and play their home games at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ, where fans of all ages and levels of baseball fandom get to enjoy the unique experience that is minor league baseball. To learn more, visit: somersetpatriots.com.