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Lourdes athletic trainer to work with ex-MLB stars in All-Star game honoring Negro League

stephen haynes, poughkeepsie journal
·3 min read

Miles Hansen hadn’t been to Cooperstown before and he, admittedly, had only “surface knowledge” about the history of Negro League baseball. But when the Poughkeepsie native received a phone call from the president of the Baseball Hall of Fame earlier this year, he immediately was captivated.

And how could be not have been?

The Our Last of Lourdes High School athletic trainer would be a guest of honor, helping debut a Hall of Fame exhibit dedicated to the Negro Leagues, and spend Memorial Day Weekend rubbing shoulders with former big-league stars like Ken Griffey Jr. and CC Sabathia.

Poughkeepsie native Miles Hansen, the Lourdes' athletic trainer, was invited by the National Baseball Hall of Fame to work as a trainer during its East-West Classic game on May 25, 2024, which is a tribute to the old Negro League All-Star game.
Poughkeepsie native Miles Hansen, the Lourdes' athletic trainer, was invited by the National Baseball Hall of Fame to work as a trainer during its East-West Classic game on May 25, 2024, which is a tribute to the old Negro League All-Star game.

The invitation was for Hansen to work as an athletic trainer, helping tend to more than two dozen former MLB players competing Saturday in the Hall of Fame East-West Classic game.

“I’m always gonna be professional and focus on doing the job to the best of my abilities,” Hansen said. “But at the end of the day, it’s absolutely a cool experience.”

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Hansen and James I. O’Neill High School athletic trainer, Jabari Moseley, were invited as the Hall of Fame sought also to recognize African American trainers. Both men were contacted by Josh Rawitch, president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Lourdes athletic trainer Miles Hansen, left, offers a congratulatory high five to Simone Pelish during the final seconds of the Class AAA girls basketball state final, which Lourdes won on March 17, 2024.
Lourdes athletic trainer Miles Hansen, left, offers a congratulatory high five to Simone Pelish during the final seconds of the Class AAA girls basketball state final, which Lourdes won on March 17, 2024.

Hansen traveled to Cooperstown on Friday with his wife, Danielle, and two sons.

“It means a lot to me, from the standpoint of being a sports fan and appreciating the significance of the Hall of Fame,” he said. “And, as an athletic trainer, it’s a positive light being shed on our field. I also think it’s important for kids to see Black people as professionals in the sports world, and not just as athletes. There are other opportunities within sports, besides being a ball player.”

The game was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., preceded by a home run derby at noon. Tickets to the events at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown were sold out.

The Baseball Hall of Fame this weekend is highlighting the legacy of the Negro Leagues, an organization that formed in the late 19th century as an alternative for Black athletes who weren’t allowed in Major League Baseball. The league produced several standouts, some of whom became big league stars — like Jackie Robinson and Satchel Paige — after MLB began its integration in the late 1940s.

Former Major League Baseball pitcher CC Sabathia waves to the crowd during Game 2 of the second round playoff series between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on May 8.
Former Major League Baseball pitcher CC Sabathia waves to the crowd during Game 2 of the second round playoff series between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on May 8.

As part of that celebration, the Hall of Fame is opening an exhibit in its museum titled “The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball,” which delves into the history of Black baseball, dating to the decades before the Negro Leagues, and leading into the present day.

The East-West game is a callback to the old Negro League All-Star game and will feature 27 former major leaguers, including Sabathia, Ryan Howard, Curtis Granderson, Prince Fielder and David Price. Griffey and legendary shortstop Ozzie Smith will be among the coaches.

“They’re retired, but these guys are probably still active and in good shape,” Hansen said of treating the former pros, many of whom are in their 40s. “I’m sure everyone will need ice afterwards, though.”

Hansen said he’d pay close attention to the athletes’ pre-game routines and pick up pointers to bring back to the kids he works with at Lourdes.

The 36-year-old was at first influenced by his grandfather, Gilbert Johnson, whose affinity for the Mets got him into sports as a kid. Hansen played football and basketball at Arlington High School.

It was in high school that his interest in sports medicine first was piqued, taking an introductory athletic training class with Dave Gatta. Hansen went on to play football at King’s College in Pennsylvania but, after suffering an injury, he became enamored with “sports and medicine being woven together.”

Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4

This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Lourdes athletic trainer to work Hall of Fame's East-West Classic game