Monte Irvin, a New York Giants star player who got his start in the Negro Leagues, pays homage to baseball's unsung heroes and long-forgotten stars by selecting the top five players at each position and the top five managers, owners, pioneers, or organizers from the Negro Leagues.

Monte Irvin is a former player in the Negro Leagues and a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He played in the major leagues for the New York Giants for eight seasons, helping them win two pennants. His finest season in the major leagues was 1951, when he led the National League in RBI and achieved the rare feat of stealing home in the World Series. Phil Pepe is the author of more than 40 books on sports, including collaborations with Yankees legends Mickey Mantle, Billy Martin, and Whitey Ford. He is a former Yankees beat writer for the New York Daily News and a former president of the Baseball Writers Association of America.