Gamethread: Civil Rights Game

Ceremony information from the Whtie Sox:

MLB Beacon Award recipients Bo Jackson and Aretha Franklin will be recognized on the field, with four-time All-Star Willie Horton accepting Franklin’s MLB Beacon of Change Award on her behalf.

Tonight’s first pitch will consist of a generational "passing of the ball" representing baseball’s critical role in the civil rights movement and the enduring spirit of this important era that lives on today. The ceremony features Ernie Westfield, former Negro Leagues pitcher for the Birmingham Black Barons; Minnie Miñoso, former Negro Leaguer, White Sox legend and the first professional athlete of color in Chicago; Sharon Robinson, daughter of Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson and MLB Educational Programming Consultant; Larry Doby, Jr., son of Hall of Famer Larry Doby; Jamal Martin, member of the White Sox Amateur City Elite (ACE) team; and Joseph Debrah, participant in MLB’s Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program. Six-time All-Star and Assistant Hitting Coach for the Chicago White Sox Harold Baines will catch the first pitch.

Platinum-selling, international recording sensation Charice, who is also performing at the MLB Beacon Awards Luncheon, will sing the National Anthem. "America the Beautiful" will be performed by local schoolteacher Gerald Chaney during the 7th inning stretch. Other highlights of pre-game ceremonies include a special recognition of the new commemorative stamp by the U.S. Postal Service to honor the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, and a check presentation to the Chicago Urban League and La Rabida Children’s Hospital by Hall of Famer and MLB Executive Vice President of Baseball Development Frank Robinson and Chicago White Sox Executive Vice President Ken Williams.