Baseball produced many diamonds, but only one Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson Foundation announces plan to build state-of-the-art sports facility in McKees Rocks
First published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on October 30, 2025 by Saul Berrios Thomas
Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation and Under Armor pitch in to help on facility at former Boys & Girls Club
The next generation of McKees Rocks athletes just got a major boost from the Josh Gibson Foundation.
The foundation announced Thursday the first steps in turning the former Boys & Girls Club of McKees Rocks into the Josh Gibson Champions Club and Sports Matter Center.
The state-of-the-art facility will help the community through a variety of programs, including athletics, academics, mentorship and community support.
It will include a Miracle Field, which is designed to allow people of all abilities to participate in athletics, and a cafeteria, ensuring that no child in the community need go hungry.
“This isn’t just a renovation, it’s a complete transformation,” said Sean Gibson, executive director of the Josh Gibson Foundation. “It will become a vibrant sports center designed for the youth.…
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Equality was never the goal
Josh Gibson dominated. He was 6’ 1” 210 pounds of athleticism, agility and had a cannon for an arm. He froze opposing base runners as a catcher, but his best work didn’t come behind the plate. .371 batting average. 12x all-star. 2x Negro World Series champion (1943, 1944), 3x Negro National League batting champion. 2x Triple Crown. 831 hits. 171 home runs including an absolute rocket that left Yankee Stadium. Baseball’s most well-known legends regard Josh Gibson in a class of his own.
His Legacy Lives On
Every winning clubhouse has a veteran teaching younger players how to win. That inspired us to mentor young males in Langley both one-on-one and in a group setting. The Boys to Men Mentoring Program empowers at-risk youth and steers them toward positive life choices to maximize their potential.
We’re expanding educational and career opportunities for youth and families from communities of color. The Chuck Cooper and Josh Gibson Center for Equity and Education at Point Park University offers workshops, mentoring, and connections with community, business, and faculty leaders.
Sparking curiosity through hands-on learning. The Josh Gibson Foundation’s STEAM program provides Pittsburgh Classical Academy boys in grades 6–8 with opportunities to build essential skills in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
You look legendary
IYKYK. And when you sport anything from our collection, you can help us enlighten other people about Josh’s legacy too.
May the best one win
Major League Baseball’s MVP award celebrates its most valuable player in the American League and the National League. Not the most valuable left handed player. Not the most valuable player with blue eyes. The most valuable player. Period. Full stop. Our foundation seeks to rename this award after Josh Gibson who was a legendary player excluded from competing in the major leagues. This change would honor the legacy of all Negro League players.
They left their mark on the game.
Now it’s our turn
We’re on a mission to honor the memory of 25 late Pittsburgh-area Negro Leagues players buried in unmarked graves. To date, we’ve rallied enough support to properly identify the graves of 13 players. Five more are in process. We’re close to making this goal a reality, but there’s still work to be done.