The staffs of Black College Nines website and The Boys on the Hill podcast series announced a partnership Wednesday that will further expand each entity’s reach and common goal of promoting Historically Black College and University (HBCU) baseball.
Moving forward, the partnership hopes to be a positive step forward for HBCU baseball. We hope to have an impact on the future of college athletics and hopefully create a more equal, sustainable landscape where athletes feel supported and invested in as they grow in their college careers. It builds upon our shared ambition to empower the next generation of HBCU baseball players in life and sport.
The progress we at Black College Nines have made is satisfying, but it’s time to focus on expanding our national reach. The Boys on the Hill insightful podcasts, which in its own right is helping to promote HBCU baseball, provides that opportunity.
What began as conversations between friends on how to best provide an outlet to share their passion for HBCU baseball, eventually developed into an ambitious online content endeavor called The Boys On The Hill Podcast.
Created in 2022 by the late Ralph Johnson, The Boys On The Hill Podcast features weekly commentary, opinion, and analysis of Black college baseball.
The Boys On The Hill Podcast team:
Thomas Browne (“Ah-mad”)
Co-host/executive producer
Thomas Browne is the show’s playful curmudgeon who is not afraid to express bold opinions and go out on limbs that few will. Prior to jumping in the hot take business, Browne played collegiate baseball at Columbia State Community College in Tennessee during the 2001 and 2002 seasons before transferring to Jackson State University in 2003 where he was an infielder and middle-of-the-order slugger. After earning a marketing degree in 2005, Browne worked as a youth baseball umpire for 10 years before transitioning to Glo House Marketing, a media company, where he has worked since 2016. Currently, Browne is the CEO of All Hands on Deck, a non-profit organization that nurtures Tennessee youths in leadership, teamwork and community service.
Kendrick Marshall (“Slim”)
Co-host
Kendrick Marshall is a light-hearted and witty contributor who brings deep baseball knowledge and nuance to the conversation. Marshall was a pitcher and reserve infielder at Jackson State University from 2001-2005. While at JSU, he earned a degree in mass communications and forged himself as an accomplished newspaper journalist in the Chicago suburbs, Tulsa, Oklahoma and Charlotte, North Carolina. Marshall also is a contributor to HBCUSports.com, one of the leading websites that specialize in coverage of Black college athletics.
Chris Watts (“5000 Watts”)
Co-host
If you want stats with your baseball talk, Chris Watts has all the data you can stand. The Columbus, Georgia native has more than three decades of playing, coaching, training, and analyzing baseball experience at the youth, high school, and collegiate levels. Watts began his college baseball career at Morris Brown College (2000 – 2001) and finished his playing career at Jackson State University (2002 – 2005). After college, Watts began his career in clinical and public health research/surveillance. He is currently a senior epidemiologist with the CDC. Watts resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife (Naomi) and three children (Preslee, Callie, and Cassie).