February 1, 2026
Seattle Mariners are honoring Negro Leagues’ 1946 Steelheads by wearing replica uniforms on Sundays.
Major League Baseball organizations in Kansas City and Seattle are spotlighting the legacy of the Negro Leagues through expanded access, historic tributes and new community investments tied to Black History Month.
In Kansas City, the Royals Foundation will again cover admission costs to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) for the entire month of February. The program marks the fifth straight year the foundation has sponsored free entry, an effort originally launched to honor Black History Month and increase public engagement with the museum.
The NLBM, founded in 1990, is the nation’s only museum dedicated exclusively to preserving and celebrating the history of African-American baseball and its broader influence on American society. Located in Kansas City’s historic 18th and Vine Jazz District, the museum sits just blocks from the Paseo YMCA, where Andrew “Rube” Foster formed the Negro National League in 1920.
“We can’t thank the Kansas City Royals and The Royals Foundation enough for once again opening the doors of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum free of charge for the entire month of February and we look forward to seeing the turnstiles spinning,” said NLBM president Bob Kendrick. He noted that the initiative makes the museum more accessible, especially for students from underserved communities, while encouraging visitors to learn from athletes who overcame “tremendous social adversity to play the game they loved.”
Since the program began in 2022, more than 50,000 people have visited the museum during Free February, according to the Royals. The foundation’s total contribution tied to the initiative now exceeds $435,000.
Royals chairman and CEO John Sherman called the effort a natural fit for the organization. “That institution – we think it’s an important story that needs to be told, far and wide,” Sherman said. “It’s a pretty simple thing for us to do.” He added that the Royals’ broader investments in the surrounding neighborhood and support for the museum’s expansion made driving attendance “the right thing to do.”
The museum will extend its hours throughout February, opening daily with earlier and weekend access to accommodate increased attendance.
On the West Coast, the Seattle Mariners announced a separate but complementary tribute. Beginning in the 2026 season, the club will wear replica uniforms honoring the 1946 Seattle Steelheads for Sunday home games. The change replaces the cream-colored Sunday uniforms the team has worn since 2015 and makes Seattle the first MLB franchise to incorporate a Negro Leagues uniform into its regular rotation.
The Mariners are also launching the Steelheads Community Fund, committing $500,000 to support Black-led baseball and softball programs and related community initiatives.
“We are proud to honor our game’s history and invest in the future of our community with Steelheads Sundays at T-Mobile Park,” said Kevin Martinez, the Mariners’ president of business operations. “Through the Steelheads Community Fund, we will celebrate the legacy of the Steelheads, while continuing our long-standing effort to advance access to baseball and softball and well-being for underserved communities in our region.”
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