Cameron Learns From History

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Cameron learns from history

By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- Search the Internet for information on Black History Month and thousands of articles and photos are instantly at your fingertips.

Even with oodles of information to read, it's apparent quickly that sports in general, baseball in particular, has played a critical role in the celebration of Black History Month. Almost every article or photo array includes Jackie Robinson and the story of how he broke the color barrier in baseball.

It is stories like these that capture the imagination of Mike Cameron, the Mets' new center fielder. Cameron, who was born in Georgia nearly five years after Martin Luther King was assassinated, wants to know about the players that came before him, wants to know how the path he is traveling was paved. He believes it's important for players to know from where they came, something many in the game today don't appreciate.

"I definitely try to learn about all the history of the game," Cameron said. "One of the things I'm going to miss about being in the American League is not getting the chance to go to the Negro Leagues Museum anymore. Obviously that's a very big factor in things that went on.

"To learn about those guys and then guys like Paul Blair and Curt Flood and the things that happened with them as far as this opportunity I have now with free agency and everything. It's definitely big. All those things are definitely very big."

Actually, Cameron will have a chance to see the Negro Leagues Museum, which is located in Kansas City, at least once this season. The Mets will play the American League Central Division this year as part of Interleague Play and will be in Kansas City from June 11-13.

Growing up near Atlanta, Cameron heard all the stories about Hank Aaron. But he was just over a year old when Aaron broke Babe Ruth's all-time home run mark. And when Aaron left Atlanta and went back to Milwaukee to finish his career, Cameron was still too young to know about him. That doesn't mean he hasn't learned.

"Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson, all those guys," Cameron said. "Admin Doby, too. I'm getting the opportunity to do all the things we didn't have the opportunity to do in the past."

While Cameron never got to see Aaron play, he had a whole crop of players that he watched and admired.

"My era was kind of like Dave Winfield," Cameron said. "I loved Dave Winfield. I loved Devon White, Don Baylor, even Reggie Jackson. That's my era. Those are the guys I grew up watching and saw playing. And Mickey Rivers, the center fielder with the Yankees, him too.

"Those are the guys I remember. And now I think of the Mets and they had great players, too, like Mookie Wilson and Darryl Strawberry. Then the Reds had Barry Larkin [whom Cameron played with in 1999]. I got the chance to see them when I was growing up."

Cameron was in New York recently as part of the Mets Winter Caravan. It's an annual charity junket the club puts together to give the players a chance to get involved in the community and give something back.

The chance to interact with everyone in New York was significant for Cameron, especially since most of the people with whom he came in contact were children. To see Cameron at a bowling alley or on a basketball court with children of all ethnicities showed just how much society has progressed, a point that Cameron was quick to emphasize.

"Really, history is history, no matter where you are from," he said. "Everyone has a chance to experience it and learn things from it, whether it's black history in sports or black history economically or any kind of adventure, whatever it may be. At some point in time it affects all our lives."

It certainly has affected Cameron's life. And it's something about which he is aware every day.

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I find it amazing that he grew up following players like Devon White and Barry Larkin and actually got the oppurtunity to play with or against them.

I also think its cool he went to visit the negro league museum when he played in Kansas City. Imagine just being there and all of the sudden Mike Cameron walks in!

I hope he does well at Shea and I hope you enjoyed reading this article!