In 1955, the Pensacola Jaycees and Orlando Kiwanis broke Florida’s color barrier in youth baseball on Optimist Park Field at Lake Lorna Doone. The coaches, players, and their families stepped beyond the segregated patterns of the day and lived into the reality that America is better united than divided. By taking the field together, these courageous youth removed a long-held barrier in the State of Florida and the Deep South, leading toward a better future for all.
