Preserving stories untold.

That’s how I view this project. This collection barely scratches the surface of former players, umpires, coaches, and announcers who the world has for too long ignored. While many resources exist that summarize what these forgotten leagues were like, few exist that simply share what the players themselves want shared. The Forgotten Past Project attempts to fill that void by being a website upon which all you will find are the cards and words the players deemed important to share.

The Forgotten Past began on my bedroom floor. A budding autograph collector, eleven-year-old me learned I could mail players their cards and ask for their autographs. As any kid would do, I sent letters to Derek Jeter, Mike Trout, Randy Johnson, and other superstars. After finding some initial success, my passion grew, and I began to spend hours upon hours writing letters to any and every player whose baseball card I had on hand.

Then I came across cards of players from the Negro Leagues and All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL).

Many former players’ family members wrote back saying their loved ones were too ill to sign or no longer with us, but many players did write back. These players shared newspaper clippings, personal photographs, rare baseball cards, and anecdotes from their playing days; the players eagerly shared their stories.

The former players made it clear that they were thrilled by the fact a young fan had taken an interest in their long-over careers. The Forgotten Past Project aims to preserve and highlight these untold stories.