2 10 18 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sports Organizations and Institutions A group of individuals cooperating under similar beliefs to reach an agreed-upon goal. Metadata for organizations and institutions provides information for the basis of an investigation into the creation, purpose, beliefs, and actors involved in an organization and institution. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Englewood Madonnas Description An account of the resource Knights of Columbus semi professional baseball team. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sports Event A non-persistent, time-based occurrence. Metadata for an event provides descriptive information that is the basis for discovery of the purpose, location, duration, and responsible agents associated with an event. Examples include an exhibition, webcast, conference, workshop, open day, performance, battle, trial, wedding, tea party, conflagration. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 1961 Englewood Champion Babe Ruth Baseball Team Description An account of the resource The story of Englewood’s 1961 Babe Ruth team is both a remarkable athletic achievement and a revealing episode in the history of race in America at the height of the civil rights era. State Champions In the summer of 1961, Englewood’s Babe Ruth All-Stars won the New Jersey state championship, defeating Pennsauken 1–0 for the title. The team advanced through the Middle Atlantic Regional in Portsmouth, Virginia, where they swept the competition and earned a berth in the Babe Ruth World Series in Glendive, Montana. This alone was historic. Englewood became the first Bergen County team since Lyndhurst in 1957 to reach the World Series—and the first Bergen County team to win the state crown and then capture the Middle Atlantic Regional. The Montana trip would be the longest ever taken by a Bergen County athletic team at that time. But unlike many youth sports stories, this one unfolded in the middle of America’s segregated South. Confronting Segregation in Virginia The regional tournament in Portsmouth, Virginia, exposed Englewood’s players—several of whom were Black—to the daily realities of Southern segregation. According to contemporary coverage in The Record, the boys were: Ordered off the deck of a ferry crossing the Chesapeake Bay. Forced to eat in the kitchen of a restaurant. Barred from an all-white dining room. Subjected to vile and abusive racial language from spectators during games. While the incidents were described as “mild” by Southern standards, they were deeply eye-opening for the New Jersey teenagers. The team had to be housed at the Marine barracks to manage housing restrictions for integrated teams—facilities that were hot, noisy, and restrictive. A columnist reflected that no Northerner truly understood segregation until experiencing it as part of a mixed-race group. For Englewood’s boys, the tournament became not just about baseball, but about dignity. Despite heckling and racist taunts, Englewood rallied in the championship game of the regional tournament, scoring seven runs in the fifth inning to defeat Clifton Forge, Virginia. They proved they could win under pressure—and under hostility. World Series in Montana In late August 1961, Englewood traveled to Glendive, Montana, for the Babe Ruth World Series. They opened against Mobile, Alabama, and continued advancing through the bracket. The team ultimately reached the championship game against San Carlos, California. Englewood lost the title game 9–2, finishing as national runners-up after an exhausting run through the losers’ bracket. Pitcher Willie Hannibal was a standout, throwing 27½ innings over six days and finishing the tournament with a 3–1 record. Kip Gaynor and Jack Grasing also delivered strong performances. Englewood’s thin pitching staff was stretched to its limit. The achievement was extraordinary: seven playoff wins in New Jersey, a sweep of the Middle Atlantic Regional, and a runner-up finish in the national championship. But the story took a dramatic turn. The Arslanian Controversy and Racial Flashpoint Manager Ed Arslanian was removed during the World Series and later barred for life by the National Babe Ruth League. Initially, reports framed his removal as stemming from a dispute over scheduling a team trip to a Montana rodeo before a key game. Arslanian protested what he felt was mistreatment of his team and requested rest time for the players after travel delays. He was replaced mid-tournament by Charles Barlowe Sr. Later reports, however, revealed a more serious charge: Arslanian was accused of directing obscene remarks at a 15-year-old boy in the stands and allegedly telling the boy to meet him after the game. Arslanian defended himself publicly. He claimed that the teenage spectator had fired racial slurs at him and at the Black players on the Englewood team. He admitted yelling at the boy but insisted he was reacting in anger to racist abuse. He maintained that the full facts had not been made public and suggested that members of the World Series committee had witnessed the exchange. Whether Arslanian crossed a line in his response became secondary to a larger reality: the Englewood team was competing in racially tense environments where racial slurs were openly shouted from the stands. The controversy overshadowed the team’s final games and led to Arslanian being barred from participation in the Babe Ruth League. Homecoming and Recognition Despite the turmoil, Englewood’s players were celebrated upon returning home. The Mayor and City Council honored the team at the Municipal Building, awarding certificates and praising them for bringing distinction to the city. Notably, Arslanian was absent from the celebration. The Broader Meaning The 1961 Englewood Babe Ruth team’s story sits squarely in the early civil rights era: The Freedom Rides had begun that spring. Segregation battles were escalating across the South. Northern communities were confronting their own racial tensions. Englewood’s integrated team carried Northern ideals of integration into segregated spaces. In doing so, they experienced firsthand the hostility embedded in Jim Crow culture. The boys endured housing restrictions, restaurant segregation, and verbal racial abuse—yet still won. Their run to the national championship was a triumph of talent and resilience. But it was also a moment when youth sports collided with the racial realities of America in 1961. In the end, the team’s journey from New Jersey state champions to national runners-up in Montana was more than a baseball story. It was a civil rights story—played out on ballfields from Portsmouth to Glendive—where teenage athletes bore witness to, and pushed back against, the everyday enforcement of racial hierarchy. For Englewood, the 1961 Babe Ruth All-Stars became symbols not only of athletic excellence, but of dignity under pressure during one of the most turbulent racial periods in modern American history. Partly written by OpenAI. (2026, February, 11). ChatGPT (GPT-5.2.) [Large Language Model] https://chat.openai.com/chat. https://archive.englewoodmakeshistory.org/files/original/f050dcbeea2d464117b2d17f3136386b.png 4dbb7ac19043b1eb15d4317c42df5633 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sports People An individual. Metadata for a person provides detailed biographical information to describe the life of a historical figure. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Richardson, Michael Ray Description An account of the resource Michael Ray “Sugar” Richardson (born April 11, 1955) is a former professional basketball player known for his dynamic, fast-paced style as an NBA point guard in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Born in Lubbock, Texas, Richardson spent his formative years growing up in Texas and Denver, Colorado, where he developed the speed, flair, and defensive instincts that later defined his game. He emerged as a standout high school player before continuing his basketball career at the University of Montana. Selected fourth overall by the New York Knicks in the 1978 NBA Draft, Richardson quickly became one of the league’s most electrifying guards. He reached the peak of his career with the New Jersey Nets, earning two NBA All-Star selections (1980, 1981) and leading the NBA in steals during the 1979–80 season. Nicknamed “Sugar” for his smooth and creative play, Richardson’s NBA career was cut short by substance-abuse issues, but he later found success as a professional player overseas and as a coach, most notably leading the Albany Patroons to a championship. Richardson lived in Englewood for a time and was a regular client of Ben Peters at his legendary barber shop Ben's Barber Shop. In 2006, Sports Illustrated did a photo shoot with Richardson in Englewood. In one photo he is shown playing basketball at Mackay Park. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource unknown Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available wikipedia Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988, Michael Ray Richardson with Virtus Bologna Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Colman, David Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public Domain https://archive.englewoodmakeshistory.org/files/original/51e25447c3ecc6e7f13b5d5330fe0d0b.png 5008cb7d514f98e91449d64326d6c750 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sports People An individual. Metadata for a person provides detailed biographical information to describe the life of a historical figure. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem Description An account of the resource Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. on April 16, 1947, in New York City, is one of the most accomplished and influential basketball players in history. Standing 7 feet 2 inches tall, Abdul-Jabbar’s dominance on the court was unmatched during his 20-year NBA career, primarily with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. Known for his signature “skyhook” shot—one of the most unstoppable moves in basketball—he became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, a record he held for nearly four decades. Over his career, he won six NBA championships and six Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards, more than any other player in league history. Beyond his athletic achievements, Abdul-Jabbar is renowned for his intellect, activism, and cultural influence. A scholar of history and religion, he converted to Islam in 1971 and changed his name to reflect his faith. He has been an outspoken advocate for civil rights, education, and social justice, using his platform to address issues of race, inequality, and identity in America. After retiring from basketball in 1989, he became a celebrated author, historian, and public speaker, writing books and essays that highlight African American history and culture. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, recognizing his contributions both on and off the court. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s legacy endures as a model of excellence, intellect, and integrity—a towering figure in sports and society alike. Kareem used to play basketball at Mackay Park in High School. He played with Englewood basketball star John Nottingham, Dwight-Morrow All County star player. According to Englewood lore, Nottingham who later became a bank robber, once tried to recruit Abdul-Jabbar as an accomplice. Thankfully Abdul-Jabbar declined the offer. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sports Event A non-persistent, time-based occurrence. Metadata for an event provides descriptive information that is the basis for discovery of the purpose, location, duration, and responsible agents associated with an event. Examples include an exhibition, webcast, conference, workshop, open day, performance, battle, trial, wedding, tea party, conflagration. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Joe Louis Comes to Englewood Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Jersey Journal, September 6, 1940 https://archive.englewoodmakeshistory.org/files/original/32890a2b94cfb63ca25484c91a43c1de.jpg dacfe4d4bd171eb68b374057d8f936e5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sports Organizations and Institutions A group of individuals cooperating under similar beliefs to reach an agreed-upon goal. Metadata for organizations and institutions provides information for the basis of an investigation into the creation, purpose, beliefs, and actors involved in an organization and institution. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Englewood Colored Cubs https://archive.englewoodmakeshistory.org/files/original/509d133b6a72158b803f291e5f378ae1.jpg ce4b8aeb098477f2af12f40bbbdb9d88 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sports Organizations and Institutions A group of individuals cooperating under similar beliefs to reach an agreed-upon goal. Metadata for organizations and institutions provides information for the basis of an investigation into the creation, purpose, beliefs, and actors involved in an organization and institution. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lone Stars Description An account of the resource The first "colored" baseball team in Englewood. https://archive.englewoodmakeshistory.org/files/original/f957777344370cbe2d455454c35f5b0b.jpg a12f06a1fa271fc68dcd94e612c9f34c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sports Places A fixed location. Metadata for a place provides descriptive information that is the basis of discovery of the creation, purpose, and agents associated with a place. Type of Place Parks Source of File Attached "Good Card of Boxing Bouts is Offered Fans at Madonna Park, Englewood, Tonight." <em>The Record</em>, 29 Aug. 1923, p.11. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Madonna Park Description An account of the resource <div class="flex flex-col text-sm pb-25"> <div class="text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)"> <div class="[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn"> <div class="flex max-w-full flex-col grow"> <div class="min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1"> <div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]"> <div class="markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full wrap-break-word light markdown-new-styling"> <p><strong>Madonna Field</strong>—also known as Madonna Park—located near Forest Avenue and Williams Street in Englewood, became one of New Jersey’s most active and visible boxing and baseball venues during the 1920s. Owned by the <strong><span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline"><span class="whitespace-normal">Knights of Columbus</span></span></strong> through Madonna Council No. 520, the grounds were developed into a structured athletic complex with a grandstand seating approximately 2,000 spectators. From the outset, it was built to host organized, ticketed competition rather than informal recreation.</p> <p>During its peak years, Madonna Field placed Englewood firmly within the metropolitan sporting world of northern New Jersey and New York.</p> <p>Baseball anchored Madonna Field’s early prominence. The Englewood City Club and other strong local teams used the park as their home ground, hosting important Tri-County League contests and inter-city matchups that drew crowds from across Bergen and Hudson Counties.</p> <p>Significantly, Madonna Park also hosted Negro League baseball. Englewood’s own Cubs regularly played there, and other Black professional teams appeared on the grounds during the era of racial segregation in organized baseball. At a time when Major League Baseball excluded African American players, Madonna Field served as a competitive stage for Black professional athletes and brought Negro League–level play before Englewood audiences.</p> <p>The presence of the Englewood Cubs underscores the park’s importance not only in local baseball but within the broader independent Black baseball circuit that thrived in the 1920s.</p> <p>If baseball established Madonna Field, boxing elevated it.</p> <p>By the mid-1920s, the baseball diamond was frequently transformed into an outdoor prizefighting arena. A professional ring was erected at center field, and full fight cards—complete with preliminary bouts and ten-round main events—were staged before large crowds.</p> <p>The venue attracted:</p> <ul> <li> <p>State champions</p> </li> <li> <p>Prominent lightweights and welterweights</p> </li> <li> <p>Recognized regional contenders</p> </li> <li> <p>Wrestling champions in special feature attractions</p> </li> </ul> <p>Fight nights drew hundreds—sometimes thousands—of spectators from Bergen, Hudson, and neighboring counties. Madonna Field became known as a reliable stop on the North Jersey fight circuit and one of the most active suburban boxing venues in the state.</p> <p>Its stature was further underscored by the attendance of legendary heavyweight champion <strong><span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline"><span class="whitespace-normal">Jack Dempsey</span></span></strong>, who was reported to have attended matches at the park. Dempsey’s presence connected Madonna Field to the highest echelon of boxing celebrity during the sport’s golden age.</p> <p>As an outdoor arena, Madonna Field was vulnerable to rain and weather disruptions. Fight cards were occasionally postponed, requiring promoters to renegotiate bouts and re-sign fighters. Despite these financial risks, major events continued to be scheduled there—evidence of strong regional demand and the park’s drawing power.</p> <p>The regular staging of championship-level contests demonstrates that Madonna Field functioned not as a minor local ground, but as a serious athletic venue integrated into the broader New Jersey–New York sports network.</p> <p>By 1930, Madonna Park entered a new phase and became known as the Englewood Arena, operated by the Bergen County Sportsmen Club. The change in name reflected its established identity as a formal athletic arena rather than simply a fraternal field.</p> <p>While operational control shifted, the site’s reputation as a boxing and baseball center endured. The new branding acknowledged what the 1920s had already proven: the grounds near Forest Avenue and Williams Street were a regional sports destination.</p> <p>For roughly a decade—from the early 1920s through the onset of the Great Depression—Madonna Field stood as one of Bergen County’s premier athletic venues. It was:</p> <ul> <li> <p>A competitive Tri-County League baseball ground</p> </li> <li> <p>A Negro League venue featuring Englewood’s Cubs</p> </li> <li> <p>A recurring site for championship-level boxing</p> </li> <li> <p>A destination attended by figures such as Jack Dempsey</p> </li> <li> <p>A structured arena capable of drawing thousands</p> </li> </ul> <p>Madonna Field was more than a neighborhood park. It was Englewood’s arena—a place where semi-professional baseball, Negro League competition, prizefighting, and civic pride converged during one of the most vibrant eras in American sports history.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mt-3 w-full empty:hidden"> <div class="text-center"> <p>The Record (Hackensack, NJ), “Dorando and Britt Clash This Evening,” August 18, 1926.</p> <p>The Record (Hackensack, NJ), “Walter Ketzer, Brilliant Youngster to Meet Joey Silvers in Star Bout at Englewood Madonna Park Tonight,” September 8, 1926.</p> <p>The Record (Hackensack, NJ), “Englewood City Club to Face Tri-County Leaders at Madonna Park Sunday,” September 13, 1926.</p> <p>The Jersey Journal (Jersey City, NJ), “Sam Grimstad Defends Middleweight Mat Title Tomorrow at Madonna Park,” July 22, 1927.</p> <p>The Record (Hackensack, NJ), “Championship Bout Prices Revealed,” June 15, 1928.</p> <p>The Record (Hackensack, NJ), “In Fast Ten Round Englewood Final Before Smallest Crowd of the Year,” September 11, 1929.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Subject The topic of the resource Sports, Basketball Sports, Baseball Parks and Recreation Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Colman, David Ludder, Rachelle Recreation Sports