BIO Page Rayner Banks

Ray Banks, The Negro League Goodwill Ambassador

Ray Banks, born and educated in Baltimore, Maryland, has dedicated his present and his future to telling the stories of the many pioneers of Negro Leagues baseball.  Through his extensive collection of a treasure of relics from a bygone era, Ray lives and re-lives the hundreds of untold historic events that lay the grounds for baseball today.

For a number of years Ray has acquired a tremendous collection of Negro Leagues baseball memorabilia. He spends his time sharing the history of Negro League baseball players who played for the love of the game.  

In the late 80's he joined with his buddy, Hubert 'Bert' Simmons (a former Baltimore Elite Giants baseball player) to establish a non-profit organization for the development of a museum to house their extensive collection of memorabilia.  

Ray and Bert and Audrey formed the Hubert V. Simmons Negro Leagues Museum, Inc. in the year 2008. It was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization. In 2013 the name was changed to The Hubert V. Simmons Museum of Negro Leagues Baseball. Inc.  And in 2014, the museum opened its doors in the Owings Mills Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library with the support of the 12th County Executive, Kevin Kamenetz.

Bert Simmons passed away in July of 2009, and Ray promised him that he would continue to dedicate his energies to telling the story of the Negro Leagues. Ray’s dedication and commitment to the museum continue to this day.

Sports Enthusiast Ray Banks Serves Up Some African American History

Negro Leagues Museum A Big Hit at the Owings Mills Public Library

Black Athletes Lost Legends Assoc. Inc. Website by Tonya Thomas