The
West Michigan Whitecaps announced a special partnership with
The Delta Project, a local non-profit dedicated to empowering youth of color, for their Black Sox Appreciation Night on Wednesday, July 9, at LMCU Ballpark.
This event will honor the rich history of Black baseball in West Michigan while
supporting The Delta Project's work in the community. It aims to bridge the past and
present, celebrating historical figures like Johnnie Walker, Dan Groce, and Minnie Forbes while investing in the future of Grand Rapids youth.
The Grand Rapids Black Sox were a significant part of West Michigan's baseball history, owned by Ted Rasberry, who purchased the team in 1946. Rasberry, born in West Point, Mississippi, was a multi-sport athlete who graduated with a teaching degree before moving to Grand Rapids in 1935 to play semi-professional baseball with Elster’s Colored Athletics.
Rasberry, a respected Black community leader, established the first racially integrated Little League program in Grand Rapids in 1965, which served more than 350 young athletes until it disbanded in 1974. Black Sox players faced discrimination while simultaneously being appreciated on the field for their athletic gifts. Off the field, racial and structural barriers prevented their advancement and ignored proper acknowledgment for their achievements.
“In many ways, this dynamic still exists today for young Black people and their families who are navigating the juvenile justice system and the systemic barriers in our present society,” said Cole Williams, executive director of the Delta Project.
Continuing the work
A 501(c)(3) non-profit, the Delta Project's mission aligns with Rasberry's legacy
of community empowerment and youth development, particularly his pioneering efforts in creating an integrated Little League program. Its focus is on investing in "at-potential" – rather than “at-risk” – youth involved with or at risk of engaging with the juvenile justice system.
Programs such as "Boys to Men-tors" and "Young Fathers Initiative" help kids construct a positive identity and break the generational cycle of incarceration.
According to national data released in 2021, Black youth were 4.7 times more likely to be placed in juvenile facilities than their white peers, underscoring that incarceration disparities between Black and white youth have remained stubbornly high.
A portion of the proceeds from tickets purchased at this link will support The Delta Project. A 50/50 raffle will be held during the game, and the Black Sox replica jerseys the Whitecaps players will wear that evening will be sold in an online auction.
Those funds will directly support The Delta Project's programs, helping it continue its work of supporting young people of color who are disproportionately represented in the juvenile justice system.
Joel Van Kuiken is the co-founder of The Delta Project. The organization uses storytelling to help people see their circumstances from a different perspective, working to break the generational cycle of incarceration by reconnecting youth of color and their families to community relationships through mentorship, coaching, and storytelling. For more information, visit thedeltaproject.co.
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