Tim Anderson smiled when discussing some of his favorite stars from the Negro Leagues.
"Cool Papa Bell, the name is so cool," the Chicago White Sox shortstop said. "Jackie Robinson, all those guys. Really all of them. I look up to them.
"If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be here today. I can't forget them."
Major League Baseball celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Negro Leagues on Sunday. As part of the recognition, players, managers, coaches and umpires wore a Negro Leagues 100th anniversary logo patch.
The Sox showed a performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" on the video board before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals. They also had commemorative cutouts of several Negro Leagues icons, including Andrew "Rube" Foster, Minnie Minoso, Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe and Jackie Robinson in the seats near the Sox dugout.
"Such an important part of our baseball history," Sox manager Rick Renteria said.
Many of the East-West All-Star games were held at Comiskey Park.
Renteria lauded the Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City, Mo., for showcasing the history of the sport and America. Anderson took a youth group from Chicago to the museum in 2018.
"Definitely a dope experience," Anderson said. "I learned things I never knew about those guys that played back in the Negro Leagues. Those kids are going to remember it forever, whether they do pick up a baseball or they don't. At least they have some type of baseball memory.
"It was only right that I took those kids out to experience that and also get them out of Chicago to a different scenery."
Sunday's centennial celebration occurs at a time when the percentage of Black players on opening-day rosters this season was 7.8%, according to USA Today. Anderson wants to continue to play a role in growing the game.
"It's only right I continue to keep going and keep motivating and keep inspiring kids all around the world to get into the game of baseball," Anderson said. "I stay within myself and do things that I think that are cool. Hopefully that rubs off on those kids.
"I don't do anything out of the way to motivate kids to get into the game. I just take it a day at a time and continue to be myself and hopefully that will draw kids to the game and hopefully we can continue to make the game grow in the right way and the right direction."
