"Josh: The Black Babe Ruth" at Theater for the New City

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2. "Josh: The Black Babe Ruth"

The play dramatizes the life, loves and ultimately the tragic decline of Josh Gibson, who was perhaps the greatest slugger of the Negro leagues and who, some say, died of a broken heart in 1947, a short step from his prime as a player.
The play, based on real events, shows Gibson struggling heroically to make it into the Big Leagues with emotional support from his good friend, the legendary pitcher Satchel Paige, and from the two women who are rivals for his heart--his common law wife and his mistress. Despite his majestic on-field performance, there are immovable obstacles, including resistance to Black players by Major League club owners and Gibson's own personal demons, which suffocate his chances. Performances every Thursday - Saturday at 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 3:00 pm.