Josh Gibson’s Great Grandson Sean Gibson To Appear At Somerset Patriots’ New York Black Yankees Game On August 1

Bridgewater, New Jersey – The Somerset Patriots, the New York Yankees Double-A affiliate, have announced that Sean Gibson, the great grandson of Baseball Hall of Fame legend Josh Gibson, will be a special guest for the team’s tribute to the New York Black Yankees on Saturday, August 1 at TD Bank Ballpark. The Patriots will once again play as the Black Yankees against the Richmond Flying Squirrels (San Francisco Giants) at 7:05 pm.

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Gibson will be in attendance to participate in a pre-game moderated Q&A, throw out a ceremonial first pitch and meet fans on the main concourse during the game.

Gibson, an expert on the Negro Leagues, is the Executive Director of the Josh Gibson Foundation and has dedicated his life to the preservation of his great grandfather’s legacy. The Josh Gibson Foundation was established in 1994 in an effort to keep the memory of the beloved baseball player and the Negro Leagues alive.

The Josh Gibson Foundation has a traveling exhibit that will be at TD Bank Ballpark at the game to help honor Gibson’s legacy and educate fans about the history of the Negro Leagues. The exhibit features banners highlighting Gibson’s career, rare photos and articles, replicas of the uniforms and bats he used, and much more.

Josh Gibson is widely regarded as the greatest Negro Leagues player in history for his time with the Memphis Red Sox (1930), Homestead Grays (1930-1931,1937-1939,1942-1946) and the Pittsburgh Crawfords (1932-1936). Known for his spectacular power, it is believed he hit close to 800 career home runs in his career.

In 1972, he became the second Negro Leagues player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

On May 29, 2024, MLB announced the integration of Negro League statistics into its record books, giving Gibson the highest single-season batting average of .466 in 1943 and highest career batting average at .371.

The New York Black Yankees were a professional Negro Leagues baseball team based in New York City, Paterson, New Jersey, and Rochester, New York from 1932 to 1948. This will be the fourth season the Patriots will pay tribute to the iconic team through their New York Black Yankees initiative.

The event is part of the Patriots commitment to MiLB’s “The Nine” program, a Black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous Black baseball pioneers made on the sport, as well as highlight Black culture and organizations. More details regarding the Tribute to the New York Black Yankees event on August 1 will be coming soon.

*About the Somerset Patriots
The Somerset Patriots are the New York Yankees Double-A Affiliate and develop today’s top minor league talent into the pinstriped superstars of tomorrow for MLB’s winningest team. The Patriots were named Double-A Organization of the Year by Minor League Baseball (2025) and Baseball America (2024). Home games are played at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ, where fans of all ages and levels of baseball fandom get to enjoy the unique experience that is minor league baseball.* To learn more, visit: somersetpatriots.com.

*About The Josh Gibson Foundation
*The Josh Gibson Foundation believes in the endless possibilities for potential in today’s youth. By providing academic and athletic programs that foster leadership and scholarship, we create the skills necessary for tomorrow’s successes today. Our goal is to carry on the legacy of greatness and accomplishment embodied by Josh Gibson, by developing programs that help children of every ability level reach their potential. We also aim to create opportunities that set The Josh Gibson Foundation apart from other organizations and provide value for our communities. Learn more at joshgibson.org.