Press Announcement: The Black Sox Memorial Project Artist Selected for the New Westport Waterfront ParkAmy Cavanaugh, Maryland Art Place October, 8, 2026 – In late 2025 Maryland Art Place (MAP) launched a RFQ/RFP on behalf of Parks & People, South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP), and the Reimagine Middle Branch (RMB) initiative, offering an exciting opportunity to Baltimore regional artists (MD, DC, PA, DE, VA) working in large-scale sculpture to create figurative, life sized works of historical Baltimore Black Sox baseball players, champions of the Negro Leagues. This local Baltimore team included seven Hall-of-Fame players and they were winners of the 1929 championship. MAP is pleased to announce that Maryland sculptor, Toby Mendez has been offered this groundbreaking commission. The Baltimore Black Sox Memorial supports the need for figurative sculptures that authentically represent and uplift the incredible history of Black athletes in public art—addressing a historic imbalance where such representation has been largely reserved for white figures in the U.S. The Black Sox have an incredible legacy not just in the baseball hall of fame, but also in local Baltimore history and the larger Civil Rights movement. The initial candidate pool consisted of 21 submitting artists. The artist pool was narrowed to six qualified candidates, over six months, who presented their concepts to the community both physically and virtually, followed by a public feedback survey. Three artists were ultimately selected for one-on-one interviews based on their ability to convey the richness of humanity of the players through representational artistry and historical context. “It is such an honor to have been selected for this project memorializing the Baltimore Black Sox. So much of my career has been dedicated to honoring leaders in the Civil Rights Movement like the Thurgood Marshall Memorial that I created for the State of Maryland. I am known in Baltimore for the six sculptures I created for the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. This project brings both of those two interests together and brings it together in Baltimore. The Baltimore Black Sox legacy is an important chapter in the city’s history and needs to be told. I am looking forward to working with the community to create a sculpture that honors these players, honors the community, the team and their humanity.” Antonio Tobias Mendez (Toby) Three initial sculptures will be placed within a larger $30 million public park on the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River in the Westport neighborhood as part of a phased project public art initiative slated for 2028. An additional sculpture will be added each subsequent year until there are a total of ten sculptures memorializing the important history and significance of the Baltimore Black Sox baseball team and Negro Leagues as a whole. This site is an important facet of the Reimagine Middle Branch Plan’s framework for Equitable Development to honor, celebrate, and uplift African American cultural achievements in Baltimore. The Black Sox Sculpture Project is the very first phase of future public artworks to be placed throughout the park over years to come, with an annual nomination process where the public can submit input on sculpture subjects. “As our nation reflects on its history and baseball celebrates its own legacy, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to ensure that the story of the Negro Leagues is fully recognized. This memorial honors players whose achievements helped shape Baltimore and American baseball, yet whose contributions were too often overlooked. Through this project, we are helping restore those stories to their rightful place in our shared history.” – Frank Lance, President & CEO, Parks & People The park design created by Field Operations (PA) aims to reconnect the Westport community with their waterfront along the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River. A shoreline trail runs along the length of the 10.5 acre park space connecting several community resources, including fishing piers, picnic areas, gathering lawns, seating areas, and a nature play space. The park centers on an ecological approach with a restored shoreline and native planting that evoke the greater Chesapeake Bay, as part of the Middle Branch Resiliency Initiative. Maryland Art Place (MAP) inspires people throughout the region by championing creatives and cultivating engagement between artists and the public. MAP envisions a world where the arts are universally respected, freely expressed, and culturally fundamental. MAP has served as a critical resource for contemporary art in the Mid-Atlantic since 1981. |