What a stunner: commissioner Rob Manfred today announced that the Negro Leagues are now designated as “major league,” meaning that the careers of 3,400 players will now be recognized in the MLB record books.
Does this make Satchel Paige the all-time ERA leader, or Josh Gibson the single-season home run king?
Well, yes and no. Gibson’s storied, 82-homer season (in 101 games!) is nowhere close to a matter of official record; Gibson never hit more than 20 official homers in a Negro League season. Even Paige’s “official” Negro League tally of games is relatively small, given the number of games he pitched for Negro League teams in exhibitions.