ASSOCIATION PARK | On May 29, 1920, these Monarchs played their first league game in the newly formed Negro National League at Association Park, against the Indianapolis ABC's. The Monarchs lost the 14-inning affair, 8 to 5. The old park laid between Prospect Avenue, Olive Street, and 19th Street. Today, an industrial park and Blues Park, a small diamond for youth, and miniature court for a little one-on-one, in-your-face basketball, occupy the space. Pictured, from left to right, are: (front row) Jose Mendez, unidentified, Bartolo Portuondo, Dobie Moore, Otto "Jaybird" Ray, and Hurley McNair; (back row) John Donaldson, Sam Crawford, Rube Currie, Jose Rodriquez, Zack Foreman, unidentified, George Carr, and Bullet Rogan. In their first year of league ball, they finished with a 41-29 won-lost record, good for third place. In 1939, pitcher Mendez was inducted to the Cuban Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in its initial year. Later in 1951, catcher Rodriquez would join him. (Courtesy of NoirTech Research, Inc.)

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