Flashback to 1917: Major League baseball is still decades away from including athletes of color, and while black independent teams are filled with fantastic players — and NYC sports fans wanting to see them play — local stadium booking agents block many of them from playing games for years…all but one, that is. Enter in the Dyckman Oval ballpark in Northern Manhattan, which made a name for itself by booking sporting events regardless of race, and became a go-to stop for some of the best black sports outfits of the era. From hosting the Negro National League World Series to showcasing at least 30 future hall of famers like Rube Foster and Satchel Paige (not to mention Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig), this is the story of the Dyckman Oval legacy and its remarkable, yet largely forgotten, role in the story of professional African-American and Latin-American teams.

Join New York Adventure Club as we explore the incredible history of New York City’s Dyckman Oval — originally built in 1917, this 4,500 seat multi-sport stadium located in the Manhattan neighborhood of Inwood was home to some of the nation’s top African-American and Latin-American professional teams before American sports became integrated.

Led by author and local historian Don Rice, our virtual journey surrounding the former Dyckman Oval will include:

• The origin story of Dyckman Oval and how it became the home field for prominent African-American and Latin-American teams, who were widely ignored by white press outlets and fans
• A rich portrait of sporting life at the Oval, including baseball, football, boxing, cricket, speed skating, soccer, dance contests, and even French haute-couture baseball tournaments
• Notable people who made their legacies in northern Manhattan, from early promoters who courted the people in Harlem, to Alex Pompez and his team “The NY Cubans (aka the “Latins from Manhattan”), to Fritz Pollard’s “Brown Bombers” football team during the NFL’s 1934-1946 ban on African-American players
• Memorable sports moments in the Oval’s history, including the 1935 Negro National League World Series and Babe Ruth’s multiple appearances at the stadium
• The unexpected demise of Dyckman Oval in 1938, with a virtual visit to where home plate would be located today
• Rare maps and photos, including historic clips featuring news stories and courtroom dramas

Afterward, we’ll have a Q&A session with Don — any and all questions about the Dyckman Oval are welcomed and encouraged!

Can’t make it live? Don’t worry, you’ll have access to the full replay for one week!

See you there, virtually!