In homage of Pittsburgh Black history and Black History Month, New Horizon Theater continued its 25th season with “Josh: The Black Babe Ruth.” The production ran Feb. 3-12 at the Falk School/ University of Pittsburgh.
“Josh Gibson was an amazing historical figure and any time I get to take on a role like that it’s an honor and an opportunity for me to learn and educate others,” said Jonathan Berry, who portrayed Gibson with fervor and conviction. “I wanted to showcase his raw talent and drive in his pursuit of his goal.”
Gibson, a member of the Pittsburgh-based teams the Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawfords, had an unheard of .354 average, 962 home-runs throughout his 17-year career and a single-season record of .517 and 84.
Despite his impressive record, he was never able to break into Major League Baseball because of the color of his skin. As a result, that sad, but true, fact haunted Gibson until the day he died at the age of 35 in 1947, months before fellow Negro Leaguer Jackie Robinson was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers.
“He wanted to suit up just like the rest of the players. It’s a struggle we all know too well even today and the struggle continues,” said Berry who has performed in several New Horizon Theater productions, including “Black Angels Over Tuskegee” and “The Old Settler.”
In the play, Gibson travels between time periods with heated and heartfelt conversations with friend and Pittsburgh Crawford’s player Satchel Paige.
“Satch had a big personality and he was the best at what he did,” explained Lamar K. Cheston, who portrayed Page expertly. “Josh and Satchel were both on the Crawford’s together and they also played against each other. When you’ve got two of the best they’re going to know each other. There’s so many great things about African American history and these two players set the precedent to break down the color barrier.”
In addition to the conversations between Paige and Gibson, there were also photos showcasing big events of the times and songs, which ranged from Negro spirituals to jook-joint jumping, finger-popping ditties provided by The Music Man, who was portrayed beautifully by seasoned actor Kevin Brown.
The character of Hattie, who was portrayed by the fantastic Jaquea Olday, was a mysterious woman who flitted in and out of the story looking for Gibson. It was unclear if she was one of his many lovers, or his mother or aunt. Another mystery in the production is the way Gibson died. The play seemed to say he died from a broken heart and/or a heart attack.
Gibson was posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.
Despite the inconsistencies in “Josh: The Black Babe Ruth,” the production brought Gibson’s life and struggle to younger generations.
“I’ve been writing plays off and on for eight years now,” said New York-based actor and playwright Michael A. Jones. “I wanted to share African American history because I think history answers a lot of questions to current issues that we’re dealing with. There was a real struggle then and there’s still a real struggle now.”
And that’s why New Horizon Theater chairperson Joyce Meggerson-Moore chose the play as part of its 25th season cycle of plays.
“We chose it because it show’s both sides of what was happening then and what’s happening now,” Meggerson-Moore said. “There’s a lot going on in our society and it’s up to all of us to make things move forward in a positive light.”
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