For the fifth-straight year, the Chatham Coloured All-Stars were snubbed from inclusion into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
The All-Stars were the inspiration for On Account of Darkness: Shining Light on Race and Sport. The title, comes from a quote related to the All-Stars’ championship series in 1934. On the verge of winning the provincial title that season, and becoming the first all-Black team in Canadian history to do so, the game was called by officials “on account of darkness.” With the sun sitting high in the sky, as it was said, “the only darkness on the field was the nine Black players” on the All-Stars roster.
Recently I had the opportunity to share this story nationally in The Globe & Mail and Yahoo Sports. Each article takes a different approach in explaining the issue. In The Globe & Mail, the Chatham Coloured All-Stars’ legacy and impact is examined as a measure of their success. In Yahoo Sports, Canada’s apathy toward historic Black teams, such as the All-Stars, is compared to the recognition all-Black teams are currently receiving in the United States.
You can pre-order On Account of Darkness: Shining Light on Race and Sport to read the All-Stars’ full story by CLICKING HERE.
Ian Kennedy is a Canadian author and journalist.
