The challenges faced by the 1934 Chatham All-Stars baseball team, on their journey to the Ontario Baseball Association Championship were the focus of a recent virtual visit by author Brock Greenhalgh.  Mr. Greenhalgh was a guest speaker at two virtual sessions for students from Grade 2 to 8 in St. Clair Catholic’s Remote Learning School.

Mr. Greenhalgh read from his book Hard Road to Victory: the Chatham All-Stars Story.  The Chatham All-Stars were the first team of all Black players to win a major championship.  He spoke to students about how the team overcame racial prejudice in their quest to win a provincial baseball championship – a feat that is even more compelling given that it happened 13 years before Jackie Robinson broke the colour barrier in the major leagues.

His goal is to see the team inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. A special baseball game is planned for August 21, 2021, at Rotary Park in Chatham, which will feature descendants of the original players from the 1934 team.

Fifteen classrooms with more than 350 students participated in the author’s two presentations. 

Mr. Greenhalgh was born in Chatham and now resides in Kitchener, Ontario.