Banned from professional baseball in the late 19th century, African-American players were forced to go on the road to make money playing the game they loved. Enduring poor fields and long journeys between games, teams brought their unique and entertaining brand of baseball to towns big and small. Even when they had trouble securing food and lodging because of the color of their skin, these players persevered, opening the door for the ultimate return of African-American athletes to big-league baseball.