According to the Negro League Baseball Museum’s official website, African American athletes started playing baseball with military, collegiate and business teams. Passion that the athletes and spectators had for the sport grew. In 1887, players and organizers formed the League of Colored Base Ball Clubs. Although the league remained in existence for only a week, it set a precedent.
Andrew “Rube” Foster as the Father of Black Baseball
In 1920 Andrew “Rube” Foster founded the Negro National League. Andrew Foster was born on September 17, 1879 in Calvert, Texas. Prior to founding the Negro National League, he managed the Leland Giants from 1907-1910. Later he managed the Chicago American Giants from 1911-1926.
Teams that made up the Negro National League during its initial season included the Chicago American Giants, Chicago Giants, Cuban Stars, Dayton Marcos, Indianapolis ABCs, Kansas City Monarchs and St. Louis Giants. Under Andrew “Rube” Foster’s guidance and leadership, the Negro National League flourished.
Four years after the Negro National League was founded, the first Negro World Series was played. The Kansas City Monarchs and the Hilldale Club were the competing teams. Kansas City took the crown during that first Negro World Series.
Depressions Impact on the Diamond Game
The League played popular games against major league teams. It was a boom time then came the Great Depression. Under the strain of financial pressures, the Negro National League disbanded in 1931. Several years would pass before the baseball league would reorganize and take to the diamond field again. Gus Greenlee was at the helm when the league reorganized and resumed play in 1933.
Other successful Negro baseball leagues were the Negro Southern League, the Negro American League, the Texas Negro League and the West Coast Professional Baseball League. The Birmingham Black Barons, Michigan Detroit Stars, Brooklyn Royal Giants, Jacksonville Red Caps, Pittsburgh Crawfords, Memphis Red Sox and the Dayton Macros are a few of the teams that participated in the leagues.
1935 Pittsburgh Crawfords and Other Legendary All Stars
Notably the 1935 Pittsburgh Crawfords were widely considered the best Negro baseball team. Legendary baseball players like Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston, Judy Johnson and James Bell helped to comprise the Pittsburgh Crawfords. Other legendary baseball players who competed in the Negro Leagues were first baseman Ben Taylor, shortstop Ernie Banks, pitcher Harold Gould, center fielder Willie Mays, Jr., pitcher (and country music legend) Charley Pride and first baseman Ron Teasley.
Eddie Klepp, a pitcher, was the first Caucasian baseball player to be signed to play with a Negro league team. Eddie Klepp played for the Cleveland Buckeyes the same year that Jackie Robinson integrated baseball’s major leagues. Klepp remained with the Buckeyes until the 1946 season. Due to Jim Crow laws, he was prohibited by local officials from taking the field with his teammates when the Buckeyes played the Birmingham Black Barons in Alabama.
After professional baseball began to become increasingly integrated, the Negro leagues started to fold. Its historic recounting remains strong and rich. Major League Baseball, Negro League official websites and the national Negro Leagues Baseball Museum located in Kansas City, Missouri highlight achievements made by commissioners, team owners, managers and the baseball players. Talented players from the Negro leagues who went on to excel in Major League Baseball include Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Roy Campanella and Satchel Paige.
Sports fans who are searching for Negro League Baseball memorabilia can find jackets, jerseys, caps and custom apparel from vendors like All American Negro League Apparel, Official Negro League Memorabilia or Sports Artifacts. All American Negro League and Negro League Baseball Museum store also sell books and calendars. Each of these vendors has an online presence.
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