Josh: The Black Babe Ruth

Josh: The Black Babe Ruth is playing at the Theater for the New City located at 155 First Avenue. It runs two hours with one intermission. The play closes on February 25, 2018.

Josh Gibson was born in Georgia in 1911. His family moved to Pittsburgh when he was young. That is where he started playing baseball. He died on January 20, 1947 in Pittsburgh at the age of 36 from a stroke.

He played baseball in the United States, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Mexico. The last team he played for was the Homestead Grays (1942-1946).

Josh had the reputation of being the best power hitter and catcher in history.

Three months after his death Jackie Robinson broke the Major League baseball’s color barrier.

In 1972 he became the second African American to be inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The first was Satchel Page.

The show opens with the Guitar Man (Percival James Prince) playing the guitar and singing.

When the lights come on Josh (David Roberts) is in bed. He is surrounded by his wife Hattie (Daphne Danielle) and his best friend Satchel Paige (Daniel Danielson). We get the idea he is dying.

Josh is thrilled when his dad tells him they are moving to Pittsburgh. He says now I can go to New York.

The play revolves around his desire to be part of the major league baseball, his best friend and rival Satchel and his mistress Grace (Charletta Rozzell). From time to time we meet his wife Hattie.

Josh is thrilled when he goes for an interview to be part of the major league. He leaves with the impression he is in only to find out later he is not.

The cast does an outstanding performance. They are so impressive you can feel their emotions as if they are your own.

The actors will approach a member of the audience with a question or make a comment as if they know you. This was a nice touch.

Even if you not a baseball fan this is a history lesson we should never forget.

Josh: The Black Babe Ruth is a must see show.

The only thing I did not like, even though it was interesting was they flash pictures on the stage wall. The pictures were of baseball players, entertainers and events that happen to African Americans during that time period. I would have liked to know who the people were, year and where it took place. It still was interesting and would have been more intriguing if they did.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to photos. Click on photos for this and other shows.