In response to the exclusion of black players from white professional baseball, several Negro Leagues were formed across the United States in the 19th and 20th century. Clubs called the Onwards, Giants, Nine Devils, Pirates, Light Crust Dough Boys, Clowns, Arthur Giants and Pepsi-Cola Stars all played to large crowds of both black and white fans in the Pensacola area.

Perhaps best known were the Pensacola Seagulls, who played at Legion Field as a feeder team for the Negro Southern League in the 1940s and continued as a semipro integrated team until the 1970s. Since 2021, the Blue Wahoos have honored the Seagulls with alternate “turn back the clock” replica uniforms.