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The Kansas City Convention & Visitors Association has attempted to address the shortcomings, promoting the museums throughout the city, and touting a trolley service that drops visitors at tourist attractions, including the two museums.
"History is history, and we're no good without our history," said Frank White, a five-time All-Star for the Royals during the 1970s. "I think the Negro Leagues is such an important piece of American history that had vanished, and would have vanished, if not for the museum."
In conjunction with the All-Star game, the museum has put together two free exhibitions, "They Were All Stars" and "Baseball: America's Game," which are on display through Sept. 9. Both portray elements of an era before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 and all the way through 1959, when the Boston Red Sox became the last team to integrate.
On Saturday night, Sen. Roy Blount and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II are hosting "Buck, BBQ and Baseball," a night of entertainment highlighted by an amateur barbecue contest.
The following morning, Hall of Famers Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson will participate in a discussion of the game moderated by fellow Hall of Famer Dave Winfield. A reunion of former Negro Leagues players who became MLB All-Stars will follow -- seven of the 20 are still alive, among them Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, Monte Irvin, Don Newcombe, Minnie Minoso and George Altman.
Phillies slugger Ryan Howard is hosting an invitation-only fundraiser after Monday night's Home Run Derby, and an All-Star game watch party is planned for Tuesday night.
"The timing is absolutely perfect, and sometimes the stars align," Kendrick said on a busy Friday morning. "The museum is started trending in the right direction, we're getting stable, and now you've got this great event that kind of pushes us that much further along.
"And like I've been saying, it's not just the All-Star festivities," he said. "We want to push as many people through the turnstiles as we can, we hope they buy everything off the shelves our of store -- but the impact of this game will be felt for years to come."
[Associated
Press;
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