by Rob Taylor Jr.
Courier Staff Writer
The legacy of Josh Gibson continues to grow.
Way back on July 24, 1938, Gibson, the Georgia-born, Pittsburgh-raised Negro League Baseball great, hit a home run in Monessen while playing for the Homestead Grays. Word is, that ball, hit against the Memphis Red Sox, traveled an astonishing 538 feet. Reportedly, the ball ricocheted off nearby tin mill buildings and almost landed in the Monongahela River.
THE NEWLY-ERECTED PLAQUE FROM MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL acknowledging Josh Gibson’s 538-foot home run that he hit on July 24, 1938, as a member of the Homestead Grays, in Monessen. (Photo by Rob Taylor Jr.)
On July 22, 2021, Sean Gibson, Josh’s great grandson, and other dignitaries and supporters gathered at the spot near where Page Park (originally called Tin Plate Field) formerly stood, and a plaque was unveiled commemorating Gibson’s achievement. Also, the street next to where the plaque now stands was renamed Josh Gibson Way, throwing Sean Gibson for a surprise.
“It is a privilege to see Josh Gibson’s legacy commemorated in Monessen,” Sean Gibson said in a statement. “I am excited and gratified to know residents of the town, as well as visitors, will learn the rich history and achievements of Josh for many years to come.”
SEAN GIBSON, great grandson of Josh Gibson, with members of a local Monessen youth team, during the July 22, 2021, plaque unveiling along Donner Avenue.
In 2020, Monessen resident Frank Lopresti and Monessen Mayor Matt Shorraw began talking about Gibson’s hit in Monessen. With the help of Lopresti, and Dan Zyglowicz at the Greater Monessen Historical Society, Mayor Shorraw was able to fill in missing pieces and find the exact date the home run took place. Mayor Shorraw contacted Major League Baseball in late 2020, asking if they would be interested in donating a plaque to commemorate Gibson.
Mayor Shorraw said in a release that he was “humbled, honored, and thrilled to be able to honor Josh Gibson in this way, and to commemorate such a unique local historical event. Gibson wasn’t given the respect and accolades he deserved when he was alive and playing ball. I’m glad that we are able to commemorate his achievements now—not just in Monessen, but also throughout the region and beyond.”
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