The first successful organized Negro League in baseball was established on February 13, 1920 at a YMCA in
Andrew "Rube" Foster was the driving force behind the organization of this league and served as its first president. As a result of his leadership role in the early years of the leagues, Foster is known as "the father of Black baseball." This first league was known as the Negro National League (NNL) with teams in the South and
In 1924, the very first Negro World Series was played between the ECL and the NNL champions. The ECL collapsed in the spring of 1928 but the member teams reemerged in 1929 as the American Negro League. The depression years were especially difficult times for black baseball. The NNL operated successfully until 1931. In 1932, the East-West League was formed, but folded before the season ended. The Negro Southern League (NSL) was the only Black professional league to survive the 1932 season. The NSL was a minor league before and after the 1932 season.
In 1933, a second Negro National League was formed, and was the only Black professional league operating until 1937. This new NNL included teams from the East and the
Champions from the second NNL and the NAL competed from 1942 through 1948. Also in 1933, the Black teams began all-star game competition. The game was known as the East-West game and was played each summer at


