Florida Historical Markers Near Orlando – Joshua Gibson and Shirley Povich

This page is dedicated to Florida historical markers near Orlando Joshua Gibson and Shirley Povich. There are many historical markers in Florida. This marker in is an excellent example.

Joshua Gibson and Shirley Povich

This Florida Historical Marker is entitled Joshua Gibson and Shirley Povich April 5, 1939 Tinker Field History Plaza, and is located in Orlando in , Florida. The location is 421 S Tampa Ave. Marker is at the intersection of South Tampa Avenue and West South Street, on the right when traveling north on South Tampa Avenue.

Inscription on the Marker

The inscription reads:

Joshua Gibson and Shirley Povich. April 5, 1939. On the last night of Spring Training 1939, The Orlando Inter-Racial Committee hosted a Negro Leagues exhibition game between the Newark Eagles and the Homestead Grays. This is the first known instance that African-Americans played at Tinker Field. Both Black and White fans attended the game in segregated areas of the Stadium. , The lineups for the Eagles and Grays boasted seven future National Baseball Hall of Farmers including Buck Leonard, Ray Brown, “Mule” Suttles, Willie Wells and Josh Gibson, the”Babe Ruth” of Negro baseball. , Beloved Washington sportswriter Shirley Povich and legendary Major League pitcher Walter Johnson sat together in the stands and were so impressed with Josh Gibson and the teams’ superior level of play that Povich used his nationally syndicated column to advocate for the inclusion of African-Americans in Major League Baseball. The game attracted national attention and played a significant role in promoting the idea of integrating Major League Baseball. Josh Gibson is regarded by many as the greatest power hitter of his era and is credited with a 580-foot home run in Yankee Stadium. In 1972, Gibson became the second player from the Negro Leagues Inducted into National Baseball Hall of Fame. , As a sports columnists for the Washington Post for 75 years, Shirley Povich continued advocating for civil rights until he passed away in 1998 at the age of 92.

Marker Sponsor and Install Date for Joshua Gibson and Shirley Povich

Placed by City of Orlando.

Installed in 2018.

Maps & Location Views

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Sometimes you will be able to see the Joshua Gibson and Shirley Povich Marker in Google Maps. A 360-degree view of the area near the marker is available on the link below. You can see the marker or monument and read it in many cases.

The History of Orlando

More than a century before the Pilgrims set foot at Plymouth Rock, in 1513, Florida began its modern-day history, of which Orlando is a part.

During this period, Florida was still part of the United States Territory and not yet a state; therefore, many Native American tribes occupied land throughout Central Florida, including Seminole Indians who had migrated there from Georgia during the First Seminole War (1817-1818).

In 1838, the U.S. Army built Fort Gatlin south of the present-day Orlando City limits to protect settlers from attacks by Indians during the Second Seminole War. During the Civil War, Orlando’s role included supplying the Confederacy with food, cattle, and horses from the vast plantations in the region.

Today Orlando is recognized as a global tourist attraction and entertainment city

About the Florida Historical Marker Program

One of the most well-known and noticeable public history initiatives of the Division of Historical Resources is the Florida Historical Marker Program. It is intended to increase residents’ and visitors’ enjoyment of Florida’s historic places and to increase public knowledge of the state’s rich cultural past.

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