The Blue Birds (pictured here) were one of eight African American baseball teams in the boys Asheville Varsity Club It was founded in 1957 by George Bishop (top row, left).

They played on an all-dirt field in Murray Hill Park in East Riverside (the area is now grassed over on Bartlett Arms Apartments property.)

The league disbanded around 1969, with integration. Bishop went on to work for Job Corps in Brevard, where he coached basketball.
He passed away in 2003.

Photo: Citizen Times Newspaper, Courtesy Of Rob Neufeld.
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