birminghamal.gov
Clinton “Tiny” Forge, who played catcher for the Detroit Stars of the Negro American League during the 1950s, died January 25 at 90 years old.
The Negro Southern League Museum was among those who announced the passing of Forge, a former Negro League and Industrial League baseball player whose life and career are an important part of Birmingham’s baseball heritage.
Forge began his baseball journey with the ACIPCO (American Cast Iron Pipe Company) Industrial League team, where he distinguished himself as a passionate and talented player. Affectionately known as “Tiny,” he was soft spoken and small in stature, but a fierce competitor whose love for the game led him from the ACIPCO Junior team to the Industrial League Teams including the legendary Stockham Valves and Fittings Team.
He was recruited to semi-professional teams in Michigan and got his biggest opportunity as catcher for the Negro National League Detroit Stars where he faced baseball giants like Henry “Hank” Aaron and the Indianapolis Clowns. His contributions were made during a time when professional opportunities for gifted black players were limited, yet the level of competition, skill, and pride remained high thanks to company sponsored Industrial League teams like ACIPCO and Negro League Teams like the Detroit Stars.
After a career in baseball, Mr. Forge became an avid golfer around the Birmingham area where he was known to exhibit the same level of gamesmanship and competition he displayed in baseball. He won Mayor Randall Woodfin’s Inaugural Golf Tournament well into his eighties. Mr. Forge was honored on June 24, 2024, along with other trailblazers during MLB’s “A Tribute To The Negro Leagues” at Rickwood Field.
The Negro Southern League Museum is committed to honoring not only nationally recognized figures like Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays, but also the local players whose love for the game sustained the legacy of baseball in our city. Mr. Forge represents that legacy. A public memorial celebrating Forge’s life and legacy was held at at the museum last weekend.
For his 90th birthday, Mr. Forge established the “Forge The Future” Foundation and a grant program to support young athletes interested in baseball and golf.
The grant “supports young athletes who embody that same grit, passion and love for the game (as Forge). It’s designed to uplift youth who bring hustle and sportsmanship to the field no matter their background or financial means because talent and dedication deserve to be recognized and fueled, especially when they come with a legacy worth honoring.”
Memorial contributions to the Forge the Future Foundation can be made online via the foundation’s website.
