Saturday, 02 May 2026

Cum Posey

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Contributors 2026
See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Sport(s): Baseball
Statistics & Accolades: Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
Member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Member of the Washington Nationals Ring of Honor
Cumberland "Cum" Posey was a legendary athlete and executive who built the Homestead Grays into one of the most dominant franchises in baseball history. He began his career in 1911 as a centerfielder for the team, then a local sandlot club known as the Murdock Grays. Posey quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the team’s captain in 1916, field manager in 1917, and principal owner by the early 1920s. A fierce competitor known for his "iron fist" management style and "fiery personality," he was a master talent evaluator who famously raided other rosters to sign stars like Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard.

As a pioneering executive and the chief architect of the Negro National League, Posey transformed the Grays into a national powerhouse that won nine consecutive pennants from 1937 to 1945. He was a shrewd businessman who utilized innovative tactics, such as staging night games with portable lighting and securing the use of Major League venues like Forbes Field and Griffith Stadium to maximize revenue. Posey’s influence extended beyond the front office; he was a vocal advocate for Black baseball through his regular column, "Posey's Points," in the Pittsburgh Courier. Posthumously inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006, he remains the only person ever enshrined in both the Baseball and Naismith Basketball Halls of Fame, as he was an incredible basketball player who won five Colored World Basketball Championships.

We are proud to nominate Cum Posey for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

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