Barnstorming Tour

Written By Justin Merriman
Members of the Josh Gibson All-Stars stand on the field prior to their game against the Anderson Monarchs on Friday at Manchester Field in Manchester.  The game was part of the Monarchs Barnstorming Tour, a 20-city tour to pay tribute to Jackie Robinson, the Negro League, and the Civil Rights Movement.  The teams wore Negro League uniforms with the Josh Gibson All-Stars wearing the Homestead Grays uniform and the Monarchs in their Philadelphia Star uniforms.
 Former Pittsburgh Crawfords player, Ted Toles, 89, of Warren, Ohio, poses for a portrait prior to the Josh Gibson All-Stars game against the Anderson Monarchs.
 Mo'ne Davis, the first girl to earn a win and also pitch a shutout in the Little League World Series history, a member of the Anderson Monarchs warms up prior to their game.
 The Josh Gibson All-Stars pose for a portrait before their game.
 Josh Gibson All-Stars Ben Gamboa, 13, right, and Derrick Tomlin, 13, left, sit on the bench prior to their game.
 Former Pittsburgh Crawfords player, Ted Toles, 89, of Warren, Ohio, talks with members of the Anderson Monarchs in front of their 1947 Clipper touring bus on Friday at Manchester Field.
 Josh Gibson All-Stars Isaiah Aeschbacher, 11, watches on during their game.
 Sean Gibson, executive director of the Josh Gibson Foundation and great-grandson of Josh Gibson, stands on the field prior to the Josh Gibson All-Stars game against the Anderson Monarchs.
 Marcus Dixon, 10, left, and Devaughn McClinton, 10, right, both of Manchester, watch the Josh Gibson All-Stars face the Anderson Monarchs on Friday at Manchester Field in Manchester. The boys came to the game to see Mo'ne Davis, the first girl to earn a win and also pitch a shutout in the Little League World Series history, who plays on the Anderson Monarchs.
 The Josh Gibson All-Stars join together for a team talk prior to their game against the Anderson Monarchs.
 Mo'ne Davis, the first girl to earn a win and also pitch a shutout in the Little League World Series history, a member of the Anderson Monarchs warms up prior to their game against the Josh Gibson All-Stars.
 Johnathan Washington, 2, of Manchester, cheers on his cousin who plays for the Josh Gibson All-Stars.
 The Josh Gibson All-Stars Raymond Jackson talks to fans during their game.
 The Josh Gibson All-Stars Noah Wijnen-Riems pitches against the Anderson Monarchs.
 Marquis Cobb, 4, of Manchester, watches the Josh Gibson All-Stars in their game against the Anderson Monarchs.
The Anderson Monarchs first baseman is silhouetted as the lights turn on and the sun begins to set during their game against the Josh Gibson All-Stars on Friday at Manchester Field in Manchester.
To read more about the game check out Kevin Gorman's column in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Justin Merriman

Justin Merriman is a freelance photojournalist, commercial photographer, licensed drone pilot, and filmmaker based in Pittsburgh. His career began in Southwestern Pennsylvania, where he worked as a newspaper photographer dedicated to community storytelling and politics. Since then, his work has been recognized with regional, national, and international awards and has appeared in publications around the world.

After covering the crash of United Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2001, Merriman committed to documenting the U.S. military’s War on Terror, reporting from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and across the United States. His international assignments have also included life in Fidel Castro’s Cuba, India’s campaign to eradicate polio, the aftermath of Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Cuba in 2012, the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis in Rome, the second anniversary of Egypt’s revolution, Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea, and the uncertain future of Guantanamo Bay in 2015. That same year, he traveled the full U.S.–Mexico border to document immigration issues.

In addition to photography, Merriman works as a director and filmmaker, creating recent films on refugees in Turkey, Jordan, India, and South Africa.

Closer to home, he frequently covers stories across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, focusing on the intersections of economic, environmental, and political life. Most recently, he reported on the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and its impact on the community.

Born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Merriman graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg with a B.A. in English Writing. In 2009, the university awarded him its prestigious Alumnus of Distinction award. He is a founding member of Argo Collective, a group of photographers sharing diverse visions of America. He lives outside Pittsburgh with his wife, Stephanie Strasburg, a photojournalist with PublicSource.

http://www.justinmerriman.com
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