The Big Ten Network and the University of Illinois examine the history of Latinos in baseball in a new documentary, "Playing America's Game," which premieres Saturday, 6 p.m CT / 7 p.m. ET May 21 on BTN. The program will air immediately following the Illinois-Michigan college baseball game. The documentary profiles University of Illinois history professor Adrian Burgos Jr., whose work discusses the trials faced by Latin players in the days of baseball segregation. Darker skinned Latinos such as famed Chicago White Sox player Minnie Minoso were forced to start their careers in the Negro Leagues. "His story was of black Latinos breaking into professional baseball in the United States," Burgos said. "And Orlando Cepeda said it himself, 'Minoso is our Jackie Robinson.'"
MLB Footage Courtesy of MLB.com
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