Negro Baseball League (NBL) legend Larry LeGrande reached many milestones over the course of his career.

For three consecutive years, 1957 to 1959, he had a .300 batting average, led the NBL in outfield assists in 1958 and served as one of the sports greatest ambassadors. On Thursday, August 9, Legrande was honored at the Mountain View Center in Southwest Roanoke in a new way – with Mayor Sherman Lea awarding him his own calendar day.

Towards the end of the celebration, Mayor Sherman Lea gave Larry a proclamation. In part, it read: “Larry was mostly a catcher during his career, but sometimes he played right field. In 1964, he put down his baseball glove for a job at General Electric (GE) in Salem where he worked for more than 32 years.

He often looks back at his days in the Negro League with amazement as baseball took him from a cow pasture to Yankees Stadium. That’s progression. I, Sherman P. Lea. Sr., Mayor of the City of Roanoke, in honor of the career for Mr. Larry Legrande, the last member of the Satchel Paige All-Stars, do hereby proclaim Thursday, August 9, as Larry LeGrande Day.” Born on May 25, 1939, in Roanoke County, Larry grew up the youngest of nine children on a small farm. As a child, he often played baseball on the weekends from sun up to sun down. Larry graduated from the Carver School in Salem.

“I enjoyed other sports, but baseball was the one that I fell in love with as a kid,” LeGrande said. “Some of my most cherished memories as a youth consists of playing baseball in the neighborhood with my friends. Some of my most cherished memories as an adult consists of spending time with my wife Mary.” During the spring of 1957, the Memphis Red Sox and the Birmingham Black Barons played a game in Salem, Virginia. After the contest, Larry asked a scout if he could try out for the team once he completed high school. Later that year, Larry joined the Detroit Stars organization, which was founded by fellow NBL legend Ted Rasberry. LeGrande would go on to play catcher for several other organizations – the Memphis Red Sox, Kansas City Monarchs and Satchel Paige All-Stars – before calling it a career. He also played in the New York Yankees minor league system.

“Mr. LeGrande is an inspiring individual who is full of life and humor. His story is worth telling, and he does so with such enthusiasm. His words paint a picture in your mind every time you sit down to discuss what it was like playing in the American Negro League,” said Sharon Hicks who helped organize the community gathering.

“I love history. Recently, I began reading more books about the American Negro League, including Mr. LeGrande’s biography, ‘I Found Someone to Play With’ by M.M. Angelo. It’s a great read.” Said Dr. Marylen Harmon, who has known Larry since they were both students at the Carver School, “the term ‘Living Legend’ gets thrown around too loosely in my opinion. Larry is worthy of such a title. He is still the same great guy that he was in school. I’m glad that I was present to witness him receive such a well-deserved honor. In a nutshell, Larry is an ordinary person who went on to do some extraordinary things.”