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Setting the scene
Historians and families had long argued that segregated Black leagues produced major-league talent barred by the color line, yet official MLB record books treated those statistics separately.
What happened
In December 2020, Major League Baseball announced it was reclassifying seven Negro Leagues (1920–1948) as major leagues, elevating stars like Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston, and Satchel Paige into the official historical canon.
Why it still matters
The decision forced record books, Hall of Fame debates, and statistics sites to reconcile a century of exclusion with belated recognition. Memorable detail: Gibson's career batting average, once invisible in MLB leaderboards, suddenly ranked among the highest ever recorded.
Background
The move honored stars like Josh Gibson and Oscar Charleston.