Buck Leonard Baseball, Jazz & All That Swing Induction Ceremony Weekend

Welcome to the induction ceremony weekend for Buck Leonard Baseball, Jazz & All That Swing Weekend . Get ready to celebrate on September 12-13, 2025!

Main Event - Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: Saturday, September 13, 2025 - Buck Leonard Hall of Fame Induction & Gala - Location: Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences 270 Gay Street, Rocky Mount, NC 27801.

Schedule of Events: 5:00 PM |Induction Reception 6:30 PM | Induction Ceremony 7:45 PM | Induction Supper Club Revue Dress Code ~ Cocktail Attire (3o’s & 40's).

Concurrent Tours - Friday, September 12, 2025

Baseball, Ice Cream & Books Project Excursion (10:30am - 12:30pm)| Hosted by the Grandma Brigade and youth participants, this tour showcases the Stan & Donna Colson Collection, featuring baseball research materials, as well as a diverse selection of books for all interests and ages. Location: Rocky Mount Mills Campus - 1151 Falls Road, Suite 1033, Rocky Mount, NC.

The Buck Leonard Home Tour (10:30am - 12:30pm) | Historian Jonathan Fox Hunter leads a guided tour of Buck Leonard’s home, including his Baseball Den and Real Estate Office, where he reflected and worked after his baseball career.

Swinging Beyond Boarders Symposium Friday, September 12, 2025 (5:00pm - 8:30pm) |How Negro Leagues Baseball and Jazz Globalized American Culture" We are excited to present a unique event– taking place in the birthplace of Buck Leonard, Bo Thorpe, Kay Kyser, and Thelonious Monk in Rocky Mount, NC - to celebrate the globalization of baseball alongside the rich cultural history of jazz and swing. Symposium Moderator: Dr. Earl Ijames, Curator & Historic Preservation, NC Museum of History, with a panelist of sports, music historians and enthusiast. Location: Powers Recital Hall, North Carolina Wesleyan University, Rocky Mount, NC 27804

Buck Leonard 2025 Hall of Fame Inductee - Rube Foster (ctr) 1879–1930 was an influential figure in baseball, known as the "father of Black baseball" for founding the Negro National League in 1920, the first successful professional league for African American players. He was a talented pitcher, manager, and executive, leading the Chicago American Giants to prominence. Foster was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981 for his contributions to the sport.

Buck Leonard Hall of Fame 2025 Inductee - Norman "Turkey" Stearnes (1901–1979) was an American baseball center fielder who played in the Negro leagues for nearly two decades. Known for his powerful hitting, he won multiple batting titles and led the league in home runs several times. Stearnes was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000 for his outstanding contributions to the sport.

Buck Leonard 2025 Hall of Fame Inductee - Josh Gibson (1911–1947) was an American baseball catcher, widely regarded as one of the greatest power hitters in the sport's history. Playing primarily in the Negro leagues for teams like the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords, he was often called the "Black Babe Ruth" for his incredible batting prowess. Gibson was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, becoming one of the first Negro league players to receive the honor.

Buck Leonard 2025 Hall of Fame Inductee - Jackie Robinson (1919–1972) was an American baseball player who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier when he debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. His courage and talent helped end racial segregation in professional baseball, paving the way for future generations of Black athletes. Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 and remains a symbol of perseverance and equality in sports.

Special Guest - Thelonius Monk Family

Thelonious Monk (1917–1982) was an American jazz pianist and composer, known for his unique improvisational style and contributions to bebop. His compositions, including 'Round Midnight and Blue Monk, became jazz standards, and he remains one of the most influential figures in modern jazz. Monk was one of the few jazz musicians to appear on the cover of Time magazine, cementing his legacy as a pioneer of the genre.

Dr. Earl Ijames - Curator of African American, Agriculture, and Community History at the North Carolina Museum of History. Before joining the museum in 2008, he worked as a reference archivist and photograph archivist for the North Carolina Office of Archives and History. Ijames is also a farmer and owner of Towne and Country Book and Coffee in Wendell, North Carolina.

Info: “Baseball, Ice Cream & Books Project” Excursion
Hosted by the Grandma Brigade and a few youth participants, this tour showcases the Stan & Donna Colson Collection, featuring baseball research materials, as well as a diverse selection of books for all interest and ages.
Location: Rocky Mount Mills Campus - 1151 Falls Rd., Suite 1033, Rocky Mount, NC

Info: A guided tour of Buck Leonard’s home, including his Baseball Den and Real Estate Office where he reflected and worked after his baseball career. Location: 605 Atlantic Avenue, Rocky Mount, NC

Info: "Swinging Beyond Borders: How Negro Leagues Baseball and Jazz Globalized American
Culture"
We are excited to present a unique event– taking place in the birthplace of Buck Leonard, Bo Thorpe, Kay Kyser, and Thelonious Monk in Rocky Mount, NC - to celebrate the globalization of baseball alongside the rich cultural history of jazz and swing.
Symposium Moderator: Dr. Earl Ijames, Curator & Historic Preservation, NC Museum of History, with a panelist of sports, music historians and enthusiast.
Location: Powers Recital Hall, North Carolina Wesleyan University, Rocky Mount, NC 27804

Info: Main Event: Saturday, September 13th Buck
Leonard Hall of Fame Induction & Gala - Location:
Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences 270 Gay
Street, Rocky Mount, NC 27804
Schedule of Events:
5:00 PM |Induction Reception
6:30 PM | Induction Ceremony
7:45 PM | Induction Supper Club Revue
Dress Code ~ Cocktail Attire (30’s & 40's)

Host or Publisher BUCK LEONARD ASSOCIATION FOR SPORTS & HUMAN ENRICHMENT, INC