Bowling Green State University Athletics
BG Athletics Celebrates Black History Month: Jerome Kynard
February 16, 2016 | Baseball, General
Throughout the month of February, BGSUFalcons.com will be highlighting some of those who have impacted the University, the community and the athletics department. From pioneers to more recent members of the department, Matt Markey will be providing the stories of our history. Today's feature story highlights Falcon baseball player Jerome Kynard. Fans can review all previous feature stories through our Black History Month landing page by CLICKING HERE.
Baseball brought Jerome Kynard to Bowling Green, but before ever stepping in the batter's box for the Falcons, Kynard initially experienced some uncertainty about what might transpire during his college career, on and off the field.
"I was the only African-American on the team, so it was a little difficult at first since I wasn't sure how receptive the other guys would be towards me," said Kynard. "But they welcomed me with open arms and I grew very close to many of the guys. It was definitely a brotherhood."
When Kynard graduated from Toledo's Bowsher High School in 1992, he had quite a few options for continuing his baseball career, but the talented outfielder chose BG since it would keep him close to home. He had expected to be in the minority wherever he landed in college, or in the lineup.
"At that time, there were not very many African-Americans playing college baseball – most guys went to play basketball or football," Kynard said. "But I had been playing baseball since I was six or seven years old, so it was just something I gravitated towards. I really wanted to stick with baseball."
Kynard said that once he settled in with the Bowling Green team, he did not feel any additional pressure to prove himself on the field as the Falcons' only black player.
"For me, it's always been about the game, and how you play the game," Kynard said.
And he played the game quite well, helping the Falcons win the Mid-American Conference regular season championship in the 1995 season when the team posted a 34-20 overall record, and a 22-8 mark in MAC play. Kynard was named to the MAC all-tournament team that year after hitting .320 in the season and leading his team with 11 doubles.
The crowning achievement in his college baseball career also came following that 1995 championship season, when Kynard was named the winner of the Moses "Fleetwood" Walker Award as the top black amateur baseball player in Ohio.
"That was a tremendous honor. I'm grateful for that, and thankful to my teammates, our coach Danny Schmitz, and Bowling Green for that. Bowling Green gave me the opportunity to keep playing the game I loved."
Kynard said he looks back on his time at BGSU as a very positive period in his life, and he expressed appreciation to the academic advisors who helped make his educational experience a success.
"They really guided me through," he said.
The only blip on the radar during his college career came on a lone, random, passing encounter away from campus.
"I didn't venture off campus much, but once when I was walking towards downtown, somebody drove by in a vehicle and yelled some racial slurs. That was the end of it, but the initial shock is 'wow' -- but you move on and you get over it," he said.
"To be quite honest, I thought I would maybe experience more of that, but it wasn't the case. I definitely had a great experience at Bowling Green. The guys on the team were very welcoming and we quickly became teammates and friends. That's what stands out for me," said Kynard, who today works as the coordinator for a program that assists at-risk youth and families in Springfield, in central Ohio.
Baseball brought Jerome Kynard to Bowling Green, but before ever stepping in the batter's box for the Falcons, Kynard initially experienced some uncertainty about what might transpire during his college career, on and off the field.
"I was the only African-American on the team, so it was a little difficult at first since I wasn't sure how receptive the other guys would be towards me," said Kynard. "But they welcomed me with open arms and I grew very close to many of the guys. It was definitely a brotherhood."
When Kynard graduated from Toledo's Bowsher High School in 1992, he had quite a few options for continuing his baseball career, but the talented outfielder chose BG since it would keep him close to home. He had expected to be in the minority wherever he landed in college, or in the lineup.
"At that time, there were not very many African-Americans playing college baseball – most guys went to play basketball or football," Kynard said. "But I had been playing baseball since I was six or seven years old, so it was just something I gravitated towards. I really wanted to stick with baseball."
Kynard said that once he settled in with the Bowling Green team, he did not feel any additional pressure to prove himself on the field as the Falcons' only black player.
"For me, it's always been about the game, and how you play the game," Kynard said.
And he played the game quite well, helping the Falcons win the Mid-American Conference regular season championship in the 1995 season when the team posted a 34-20 overall record, and a 22-8 mark in MAC play. Kynard was named to the MAC all-tournament team that year after hitting .320 in the season and leading his team with 11 doubles.
The crowning achievement in his college baseball career also came following that 1995 championship season, when Kynard was named the winner of the Moses "Fleetwood" Walker Award as the top black amateur baseball player in Ohio.
"That was a tremendous honor. I'm grateful for that, and thankful to my teammates, our coach Danny Schmitz, and Bowling Green for that. Bowling Green gave me the opportunity to keep playing the game I loved."
Kynard said he looks back on his time at BGSU as a very positive period in his life, and he expressed appreciation to the academic advisors who helped make his educational experience a success.
"They really guided me through," he said.
The only blip on the radar during his college career came on a lone, random, passing encounter away from campus.
"I didn't venture off campus much, but once when I was walking towards downtown, somebody drove by in a vehicle and yelled some racial slurs. That was the end of it, but the initial shock is 'wow' -- but you move on and you get over it," he said.
"To be quite honest, I thought I would maybe experience more of that, but it wasn't the case. I definitely had a great experience at Bowling Green. The guys on the team were very welcoming and we quickly became teammates and friends. That's what stands out for me," said Kynard, who today works as the coordinator for a program that assists at-risk youth and families in Springfield, in central Ohio.
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