When he first went college at Grambling State, Ralph Garr wasn’t on a baseball scholarship and he had to take a summer job to pay for school.
“It so happened that summer, I made the baseball team and I was granted a scholarship to go to Grambling,” said Garr. “And the rest of it is history.”
Garr went on to play 13 years in the major leagues – eight of them with the Braves. He led the National League in hitting in 1974 and made the All-Star team that year.
Historically Black colleges and universities have produced at least two important figures in Atlanta Braves history – Garr and longtime executive Bill Lucas.
The HBCU Baseball Classic, which took place over the weekend, honored Garr and Lucas and is presented by the Braves and Truist. It’s the second year for the event.
Both years have featured Grambling State and Florida A&M.
‘The next level’
Standing behind home plate at Coolray Field in Gwinnett County on Friday, Garr was dressed in a gold Grambling sweater and a navy blue Braves cap.
“I’m so glad to be a part of a wonderful organization that is doing what the Braves are doing now – giving these young men an opportunity to play baseball and help make better men, and that helps make a better world,” Garr said.
While Garr went to Grambling State, it was Florida A&M where Lucas played college ball before becoming baseball’s first Black general manager in 1976. Lucas was a member of the Braves organization for more than 20 years before his death in 1979.
HBCUs helped Lucas and Garr find careers in pro baseball. And part of the point of the HBCU Classic is to make sure today’s HBCU athletes get the same chance.
Jamey Shouppe coaches at Florida A&M. He took the job after decades as an assistant at Florida State.
“The funding at HBCUs is not what it should be from scholarship allotment to facilities and all,” said Shouppe. “But I tell you what, the quality of play is getting very, very close to what I remember from big-time D-1 baseball.”
Davin Pierre, Grambling’s coach, says a weekend series on a big stage could help open some doors.
“There’s going to be a lot of people watching this game and our kids have the opportunity and a platform to go out and show that they can play at a high level and have the exposure to be able to get seen and maybe have a chance to get drafted and play at the next level,” Pierre said.
