SCREENTALK NJ |CENTURY OF CHANGE

SCREENTALK NJ (s3e3)

SCREETALK NJ | "CENTURY OF CHANGE" FILM SCREENING & CHAT

presented by the SOMERSET PATRIOTS, The City of Plainfield & Union County Board of County Commissioners & Queen City Film & Television Workshop

________________________

Hear from leaders black in the Black Basebeall community including the president of the Negro Leagues Museum, Bob Kendrick, author Larry Lester, and more as they discuss the importance of the league in the national context but more importantly in the lives of the black community that thrived around 18th and Vine. Introductory meetings to form the league began on February 13th, 1920 and in the 100 years following Kansas City saw the greatest athletes play at Municipal Stadium, integrate Major League Baseball, create a thriving community in redlined neighborhoods, and carry on a historical legacy in the middle of America. The documentary will begin at these talks and weave through the success of the African American community between the 1920s and 1930s, with the sparks of BBQ and Jazz, economic development of 18th and Vine, the issues of redlining, the prestige of the Kansas City Monarchs, and end at the efforts to preserve and restore the legacy with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

A Q&A featuring the Negro League Legends James Cobbin and Dennis Biddle will immediately follow screening.

ABOUT JAMES COBBIN

James Cobbin began his baseball career playing in the Youngstown, Ohio area for the Nebo Indians. During his high school years he also played for the Buckeye Elks, Southside Lions and North Side High School. When he graduated from high school in 1953, he turned down contract offers to play for the St. Louis Browns and Cincinnati Reds in order to accept a college scholarship to Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina. In 1956 he signed with the Indianapolis Clowns. During the 1956 season he played for both the Indianapolis Clowns and their traveling team, the New York Black Yankees. Cobbin’s play with the Clowns was recognized by the Pittsburgh Pirates who signed him to a contract in 1957. After spending spring training with the Pirates in New Brunswick, Georgia, he was resigned by the Clowns to enable him to play on a daily basis. In 1958 he was offered a contract with the Milwaukee Braves but got drafted into the U.S. Army instead. He had an outstanding military baseball career, winning several military baseball championships and being selected to numerous military all-star teams.

When he got out of the military in late 1959, he played for the Clowns for a short period of time in 1960 before retiring from professional baseball.

ABOUT DENNIS BIDDLE

Dennis Biddle (born June 24, 1935) is an American former Negro leagues professional baseball player for the Chicago American Giants. Biddle is most known for making his debut in 1953 as the Giants' pitcher when he was only 17 years old.

Biddle injured his ankle the next year; this ultimately ended his playing career. In 1996, Biddle founded Yesterday's Negro League Baseball Players, LLC.[1]

Biddle appeared in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 24, 2021 before a regular season MLB game at American Family Field in support of the Milwaukee Brewers. Biddle conducted an interview prior to the opening pitch.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Lamar Mackson is a Producer and Assistant Director from Plainfield, NJ, and a member of the Director's Guild of America. His credits include; Damages starring Glenn Close, Kitchen Nightmares, Extreme Home Makeover, The Montel Williams Show, The Phil Donahue Show & Spike Lee's Summer of Sam. Mackson also served with director Tony Goldwyn on the Prolia commercial campaign. Lamar currently runs an indie focused production co., Nonstop Show Group, is the founder of the Queen City Film Festival, the Film Future Club and currently serves as Chairman of the Union County, NJ Motion Picture & Television Advisory Board.

______________

Saturday , August 2, 2025

724 Park Ave

Plainfield, NJ 07060

12- 2pm

__________

Also check out other Entertainment events in Plainfield, Workshops in Plainfield, Sports events in Plainfield.