Robert Williams of Ninety-Six will be honored with a special reception and will be the guest of honor for an unveiling of the new Negro League Baseball Stamp on Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 11 a.m. at the Ninety-Six Post Office, 201 N. Cambridge St.

Williams, 77 years old, is a former shortstop for the Birmingham Black Barons who played for one season, in 1955.  His career was cut short when he was drafted for the U. S. Army.  The Barons, which were a part of the Negro National League, played from 1920 to 1960.  Great players to come from the team included Satchel Paige and Willie Mays and Jimmie Crutchfield.

The two new stamps, which go on sale for the first time on July 15th, pay tribute to the all-black professional baseball leagues that operated from 1920 to about 1960, and Andrew “Rube” Foster, who established the Negro National League. The two 44-cent stamps comprise one scene painted by Kadir Nelson.

In 1920, Andrew “Rube” Foster (1879–1930)—who began his baseball career as a pitcher—established the Negro National League, the first successful league of African-American teams. Nicknamed “Rube” after defeating major-league pitcher George Edward “Rube” Waddell in 1902, Foster is considered the “father” of Negro leagues baseball. He is featured on the stamp.

Many greats from the Negro Leagues—and their sons—went on to hall of fame careers after baseball integrated, beginning with Jackie Robinson in 1947.

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