‘Cornfield Boys’: New Historical Marker Honors Hertford County’s Black Baseball Teams

MURFREESBORO, NC – Once a hub of community pride and spirited competition, Murfreesboro’s Riverside Park now stands as a testament to Hertford County’s rich legacy of Black baseball. On Saturday, Nov. 9, a new historical marker commemorating the local teams and players of the mid-20th century was unveiled, bringing generations together to celebrate this cherished past.

The unveiling, hosted by the Hertford County African American History Coalition, marks the group’s third historical tribute. Previous markers recognized the Ruffin Brothers Store and African American education at Riverview Elementary. The marker, funded by private donations, celebrates the vibrant baseball league that thrived from the 1930s through the 1960s, showcasing teams like the Como Eagles, Murfreesboro Tigers, Murfreesboro Red Sox, Chowan Bees, the Ahoskie War Hawks, and others.

Among the league’s many highlights was the participation of future Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays, who played games in Hertford County while stationed at Fort Eustis, VA, in the early 1950s.

Stories From the Diamond

Speakers at the event shared memories of a bygone era when the games were the week’s social event. Murfreesboro Town Council member Berna Stephens recalled, “When you came into Murfreesboro, you could see the cars lined up. Families would be here. They enjoyed watching the ‘cornfield boys.’” Black men from Murfreesboro, Como, Ahoskie, Winton, and other parts of the county formed the teams.

Curtis Jordan, who played on a Murfreesboro team in the 1960s, shared humorous and heartfelt stories about his experiences. “We played in jeans, a white shirt, and a pair of tennis shoes,” he said, recounting how visiting teams often laughed at their lack of uniforms. “But when they went back home, they had tears coming out the exhaust of the bus,” he added with a grin, recalling a victorious game.

Jordan also spoke about the older players who mentored younger ones like him, keeping them off the streets and fostering a sense of discipline and camaraderie. “They took care of us. We’d practice every day out here at this field. This is a precious place for me.”

Preserving History and Inspiring the Future

The event was also an opportunity to encourage a renewed focus on community engagement. Stephens emphasized the importance of reviving activities like local baseball leagues to provide meaningful opportunities for today’s youth. “We need to revitalize many things that we used to do,” she said. “It would be a light for the youth in this area.”

The history of Hertford County’s Black baseball teams is documented in the book They Called Us the Cornfield Boys, co-written by Raymond Whitehead and E. Frank Stephenson. Coalition member Brandon Vaughan credited the book’s authors for making the marker possible by preserving these stories for future generations.

The unveiling concluded with refreshments and fellowship near the park’s baseball field, a space that continues to symbolize unity and community spirit. Attendees left with a renewed sense of pride in Hertford County’s history and a shared hope to inspire the next generation through the lessons of the past.