1
"Minnesota's Black Baseball Players," by Steven R. Hoffbeck.
Researchers should acknowledge that they received information from this web site when using the data in written works.
The purpose of this paper is to track the careers of the greatest African-American baseball players to have played in Minnesota as a part of an on-going and larger effort to research and preserve information about all the African-American ballplayers who played in the state from the 1860 through the 1940s. It will show that the black ballplayers who spent time in Minnesota had connections to other players from their shared experience on other teams in other places. This research paper shows a true "Brotherhood of Black Baseball" as recounted in the book by Steven R. Hoffbeck, Swinging For The Fences: Black Baseball in Minnesota (St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2005). The book is available from the publisher or from Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com (after its release date in February, 2005). If you have questions, please contact Dr. Steve Hoffbeck, see the email and regular mail listings elsewhere on this web page.
Timeline of Black Baseball in Minnesota:
Early Years 1870-1906.
* Bud Fowler. Bud Fowler was the "first black professional player," with Lynn, Massachusetts, International Association ballclub, a white team, in 1878.[1] He played P, C, 2B with the Stillwater, MN, ballclub in 1884, & with .302 batting average.[2] 1892, Lincoln/Kearney team in Nebraska League, BA .273, led the league in stolen bases with 45.[3] 1894, Findlay, OH, team.[4] He organized the Page Fence Giants in Michigan, & spent time in Minnesota touring with his Page Fence Giants in 1895 [team members included William Binga, George Wilson, George Taylor].[5] Great player. Team organizer/manager. Justification for inclusion in Hall of Fame: Fowler was a pioneer and leader in team organization with the Page Fence Giants, paving the way for Rube Foster and others.
George Wilson, Pitcher. St.Cloud, 1903. The son of two former slaves, he grew up in Palmyra, MI; 1894, P, Adrian, MI, Light Guard team.[6] 1895, through July with Page Fence Giants, P; then white Adrian, MI, team, P, record: 29-4 [he played at Adrian with Bud Fowler].[7] With Page Fence Giants, P, 1895 [with teammates William Binga, John W. "Bud" Fowler, George Hopkins, George Taylor, & Billy Holland]; and in 1896 [with teammates William Binga, Billy Holland, George Taylor, and George ["Rat" or "Chappie"] Johnson--the 1896 team won the championship of Black baseball by defeating the Cuban Giants, 9 games to 6 games [Wilson pitched a no-hitter vs. Defiance, OH, in June].[8] Page Fence Giants in 1897 [with teammates William Binga, Billy Holland, George Taylor, and George ["Rat" or "Chappie"] Johnson; and 1898, playing on the same team with Sherman Barton, William Binga, & George ["Rat" or "Chappie"] Johnson. Then in 1899, Chicago Columbia Giants, P, with teammates Sherman Barton, William Binga, George ["Rat" or "Chappie"] Johnson; and in 1900; here he again played baseball with Sherman Barton, William Binga, Billy Holland and George ["Rat" or "Chappie"] Johnson.[9] Chicago Union Giants, 1901-1902; [1904-1905 [?]]. 1902 for Waseca, MN.[10] St. Cloud, MN, 1903.[11] 1905, Chippewa Falls, WI, and Renville, MN.[12] Cuban winter league, 1907. Career: 1895-1905.[13] Sol White wrote that Wilson in his prime was equivalent to Rube Waddell.[14]
William "Billy" Holland. Pitcher. Throws: Left. Perhaps he started playing baseball in 1893, Chicago Union Giants.[15] But listed with the Chicago Unions of 1894 [with teammate George Hopkins].[16] Page Fence Giants, 1895 [with teammates William Binga, John W. "Bud" Fowler, George Hopkins, George Taylor, and George Wilson];[17] and 1896 [with teammates William Binga, George Taylor, George Wilson, and George ["Rat" or "Chappie"] Johnson.[18] Back to the Chicago Unions in 1897 [with teammates Robert Footes, George Hopkins, & Willis Jones]; and 1898 [with teammates Robert Footes, George Hopkins, William Horn, Bert Jones, & Willis Jones]; and 1899 [teammates included Robert Footes, George Hopkins, William Horn, Bert Jones, and Willis Jones].[19] In 1900, he was CF for the Columbia Giants, and his teammates included Sherman Barton, William Binga, George Wilson, and George ["Rat" or "Chappie"] Johnson.[20] Holland came to pitch for Waseca, MN, in 1901 as a teammate of pitcher George Wilson and catcher Robert Woods.[21] In 1902, he again pitched for Waseca.[22] In 1903, he was recruited away from the Waseca team, which had played Algona several times, as a pitcher and 1B for the Algona Brownies; and his teammates included Sherman Barton, Johnny Davis, William Horn, George ["Rat" or "Chappie"] Johnson, Bert Jones, and Willis Jones.[23] 1904=? The 1905 season had him on the Chicago Leland Giants roster as a pitcher [with teammates including Sherman Barton, William Binga, and George Taylor.[24] In 1906 and 1907, OF and P with Brooklyn Royal Giants; in 1906 his teammates included Robert Footes; in 1907 his teammates included George ["Rat" or "Chappie] Johnson and Eugene Milliner.[25]
* George "Rat" [also nicknamed "Chappie"] Johnson. Born 1876 in Bellaire, Ohio [the same hometown as Sol White]. "As a boy he played ball on the 'kid' teams of the city and was early marked as a 'phenom.' He played on white teams in and around Bellaire and other neighboring towns when he was thirteen and fourteen years old and acquired quite a reputation even at this early age. He got into professional ball when eighteen years of age and has made ball playing his business ever since."[26] At about age 20, in 1896, LF with Page Fence Giants, also 1897, 1b; and 1898, C.[27] In 1899 (C or 1B) for Columbia Giants of Chicago,[28] and 1900 for Columbia Giants, 1B; 1901 probably for Columbia Giants.[29] Chicago Union Giants, 1902, first part of the season,[30] then Algona Brownies, mid-summer, 1902; also listed with Philadelphia Giants as C in 1902.[31] Algona [Iowa] Brownies, 1903;[32] and the Cuban X-Giants in 1903--champs of Black baseball.[33] Philadelphia Giants, 1904, champs of Black baseball.[34] Renville, MN, team 1905;[35] and Brooklyn Royal Giants, 1905.[36] 1906 he was recruited by Jess McMahon to play with Philadelphia Quaker Giants.[37] Brooklyn Royal [Giants?] in 1907.[38] St. Paul Colored Gophers, C, 1908, and he was captain of the team.[39] St. Paul Colored Gophers, C, in 1909[40]; and Long Prairie, MN, town team, C, 1909; "[Sherman] Barton of the Gophers has accompanied Johnson ever since he started playing with the Page Fence Giants and [George] Wilson, the colored pitcher, played with him up to within the past three years."[41] Chicago Leland Giants at end of 1909 season.[42] In 1910, with the Chicago Giants, C, [along with Walter Ball, Bobby Marshall, Candy Jim Taylor, Steel Arm Johnny Taylor, Felix Wallace--all former St. Paul Colored Gophers players].[43] St. Louis Giants, C, in 1911, [with former Minnesota teammates Felix Wallace, Candy Jim Taylor, Steel Arm Johnny Taylor, and Ben Taylor.[44] In 1912, again with St. Louis Giants, C, this time with former teammates Walter Ball, Felix Wallace, and Archie Pate.[45] Schenectady Mohawk Giants, C, 1B, along with Walter Ball in 1913; in winter 1913 with Royal Ponciana Hotel team.[46] Listed as C with St. Louis Giants AND Mohawk Giants in 1914;[47] OR C with Chicago American Giants AND Louisville White Sox AND Schenectady Mohawk Giants in 1914.[48] 1915: ? 1916 he was "co-owner and manager of the Dayton Chappies.[49] In 1919, C, with Atlantic City Bacharach Giants [with teammate Steel Arm Johnny Taylor].[50] Playing manager, C, 1B, Norfolk Stars in 1921, (at Norfolk he developed players Nip Winters and Scrip Lee).[51] 1925, manager, Chappie Johnson's Stars team.[52] 1926, Manager, Chappie Johnson's Stars.[53] 1927, he was manager of Chappie Johnson's Stars;[54] and continued as a manager through the 1939 season in later years at Saratoga (mentor to Dick Seay and Ted Page).[55] Great catcher. Coach/Manager/Mentor. Justification for inclusion in the Hall of Fame rests upon the judgment of Sol White [writing in 1907] who listed George ["Rat" or Chappie"] Johnson as being of "Major League calibre:" "of the catchers at present, the veteran, Clarence Williams, is very good, owing to his many years of base ball he would be taken as a good man for young pitchers: George (Chappie) Johnson, Bob Footes; Robinson, of Leland Giants, Petway, of Philadelphia Giants."[56]; his work to develop teams and talent as a catcher/manager was a long-lasting contribution to black baseball.
* Walter Ball, 1893, P, for Young Cyclone team in St. Paul, MN, then pitched for a number of teams, including Occola team in the St. Paul City League through 1898.[57] Grand Forks [ND] team 1899, 1900; 1901, P, for Lakota, ND, and later for York, ND, in 1901.[58] St. Cloud ballclub, P, in 1902, P.[59] 1903, P, for Chicago Union Giants.[60] 1904, P, Cuban X Giants.[61] 1905 started with the Brooklyn Royal Giants as P; then second half of the season back with Chicago Union Giants.[62] 1906, P, New York Quaker Giants until the team disbanded on July 1, then he returned to Chicago with Leland Giants.[63] Chicago Leland Giants, P, 1907 (though he helped organize and pitched for the first St. Paul Colored Gophers team in the early part of the season). In 1908, in the early season, he helped organize and pitched for the new Minneapolis Keystones team, with old teammates William Binga, Eugene Barton, Alex Irwin, Felix Wallace, and Andrew Campbell until June and then he went back to the Chicago Leland Giants for the remainder of the 1908 season.[64]Chicago Leland Giants, P, in 1909.[65] He was with the Chicago Giants [along with Bobby Marshall, George "Rat" Johnson, Candy Jim Taylor, Steel Arm Johnny Taylor, Felix Wallace--all former St. Paul Colored Gophers players) in 1910.[66] In 1911, he pitched for Chicago Leland Giants, P, [along with former teammates from Minnesota-- Sherman Barton and Bill Gatewood].[67] In 1912, he moved to the St. Louis Giants, along with George "Rat" Johnson and Felix Wallace.[68] In 1913, he played for the Brooklyn Royal Giants, P, RF; and the Schenectady Mohawk Giants, P, OF, alongside George ["Rat" or "Chappie"] Johnson.[69] In 1914, he was P with the Lincoln Giants of New York, with Bill Gatewood and Felix Wallace as teammates; and CF for Lincoln Stars of New York.[70] In 1915, he played P for Rube Foster's Chicago American Giants, along with Bill Gatewood and Hurley McNair.[71] 1916=? 1917, P and OF for Chicago Giants [with Archie Pate as teammate].[72] 1918 was a war year=?. 1919, P, Chicago Giants.[73] 1920, P, Chicago Giants, with teammate Steel Arm Johnny Taylor.[74] 1921, P, for Chicago Giants, with teammate Steel Arm Johnny Taylor.[75] Great Pitcher/Coach. Sol White in 1907 listed Walter Ball as one of the nine black pitchers who were of "Major League calibre," and some of his best years were still ahead of him in the years after 1907.[76]
Bert Jones. 1896, P and OF, Atchison in Kansas State League, also 1897 and 1898.[77] 1898, P, Chicago Unions, as a teammate of Billy Holland and Robert Footes.[78] Chicago Unions, P, in 1899 and 1900.[79] He joined the new Chicago Union Giants as P in 1901.[80] In 1902, he was a P for the Algona Brownies, along with Robert Footes.[81] 1903, Algona Brownies, P, with George "Rat" Johnson, Billy Holland, Sherman "Bucky" Barton, and Johnny Davis.[82] I believe he played for Waseca, MN, in 1904, but need to reference this idea. 1905, Renville, MN, team, with teammates George Wilson and George "Rat" Johnson.[83] 1906, probably Brookings, SD. In 1907, most likely Bottineau, ND. In 1908, Bryant, SD.[84] 1909=? In 1910, he possibly was the Bert Jones listed with Watertown, SD, as CF.[85] 1911, CF, 1B, St. Paul Colored Gophers,[86] listed as "formerly of the Algona Brownies."[87] [Jones pitched at least two games for Colored Gophers in 1911.][88] Possibly on 1923 Minneapolis Askin & Marine Red Sox team.[89]
"Burt Jones, the well-known Northwest colored player and former member
of the star Renville, Brookings and Bottineau clubs, is spending a few
days in the Twin Cities with friends. Regarding his plans for this
summer this tricky ball tosser had the following to say: "Yes, sir: I
am still a free man. No hurry about the old boy signing up. I have
several offers under consideration, but think that I will sign up with
the Brandt, N.D. [this should be SD, there is no Brandt in ND, author's note], town."
in "What the Independents Are Doing," Minneapolis Sunday Tribune, April
12, 1908, p. 3, Sports Section.
Billy Williams. First baseman. In 1903, he played for the ChippewaFalls, WI, team, "the undisputed champion of Wisconsin."[90] 1907, 1B, with Chaska, MN, team.[91]
1910, 1B, with Phil Dellar's semi-pro white team, then with the Sauk Rapids, MN, team, and he was with the Twin City All-Stars, a touring team that played in ND and SD for 10 days that summer.[92]
All-Black Teams. 1907-1942.
William Binga. Born February 26, 1869, in Michigan; died October 14, 1950; Father's name: Joshua Binga; Mother's name: Lucy Binga.[93] In 1895 [at age 26], he played three games as Catcher for Adrian, Michigan, team at the same time as George Wilson;[94] then Page Fence Giants, 1895,[95]1896.[96]Columbia Giants, 3B, 1899, 1900, 1901.[97] 1902, 3B for Chicago Union Giants.[98] In 1903, he went East, recruited by Sol White, with Philadelphia Giants, 3B.[99] 1904 listed as C for Chicago Union Giants.[100] 3B for Chicago Leland Giants in 1905.[101] 1906: unknown. 1907, RF, played again for Sol White, for champion Philadelphia Giants.[102] He joined the new Minneapolis Keystones team in 1908, 3B, joining old teammates Walter Ball, Eugene Barton, Andrew Campbell, Alex Irwin.[103] He switched teams and played for the St. Paul Colored Gophers in 1909, 3B in the early season, then he switched to RF after James "Candy Jim" Taylor joined the team in June, 1909, except for a series with the Chicago Leland Giants, when James Taylor played SS or 3B; and Binga played 3B or RF [this team won the Championship of Black baseball in 1909}.[104] In 1910, with the St. Paul Colored Gophers in the early season, at SS, then at usual 3B position;[105] listed later in the year at 3B, with Kansas City [KS] Giants.[106] 1911, St. Paul Colored Gophers, RF.[107] In 1912, he stayed in Minnesota and played for the Twin Cities black team, Hennepin Clothing Compnay, C, 1B, alongside Bobby Marshall and Johnny Davis.[108] 1913, Hennepin Negro Giants, RF, batting lead-off, [this team had Bobby Marshall, Johnny Davis, and Alex Irwin on it].[109] 1914-1920, unknown. In 1921, he played 1B and RF for Willmar, MN, team.[110] 1926, Willmar, MN, team, manager & catcher, at age 58.[111] Great player (Third Baseman).
*George "Rat" [also nicknamed "Chappie"] Johnson. [same as listed in the previous category.]
*Walter Ball. Chicago Leland Giants, 1909. [same as listed in the previous category.]
[HOF] Rube Foster. In 1908, he played a game for the St. Paul Colored Gophers against the Hibbing, MN, team, winning 5 to 0, and pitching a no-hitter.[112]
William "Big Bill" Gatewood. Chicago Leland Giants, 1906, P.[113] Chicago Leland Giants, 1907, P.[114] St. Paul Colored Gophers, 1908, P.[115] Chicago Leland Giants, 1909, P;[116] and he pitched one game for the Minneapolis Keystones near the end of the 1909 season.[117] Chicago Leland Giants, P, 1911 [along with former Minnesota teammate Sherman Barton].[118] Chicago American Giants, P, 1912.[119] Chicago American Giants, 1913, P, along with Louis ["Dicta"] Johnson, Candy Jim Taylor, Steel Arm Johnny Taylor.[120] Chicago American Giants, 1915, P, 1B, along with Walter Ball and Hurley McNair; and listed with St. Louis Giants, P, OF, along with Felix Wallace.[121] 1916, P, St. Louis Giants [with Felix Wallace].[122] In 1917, P, Indianapolis ABCs, with teammates Candy Jim Taylor and Louis "Dicta" Johnson; also St. Louis Giants, P."[123] 1918, St. Louis Giants, P, with Felix Wallace as teammate.[124] 1919, St. Louis Giants, P, with Felix Wallace as teammate.[125] 1920, P, (17 W, 5 L; ERA of 3.28), Detroit Stars, with teammates Louis "Dicta" Johnson and Webster McDonald.[126] 1921, P, Detroit Stars.[127] 1922, P, St. Louis Stars.[128] 1923, P, Milwaukee Bears, with teammates Louis "Dicta" Johnson & Sylvester "Hooks" Foreman.[129] 1923, P, Toledo Tigers [teammates: Louis "Dicta" Johnson and Candy Jim Taylor].[130] 1924: ?. 1925, P, Memphis Red Sox.[131] 1926: ?. 1927, St. Louis Stars, P, with teammate Candy Jim Taylor; Birmingham Black Barons, p, [teammate: Satchel Paige];[132] Gatewood taught Satchel Paige the "hesitation pitch."[133] 1928, P, Manager, St. Louis Giants.[134]
Johnny Davis. Pitcher. He was listed with the Chicago Union Giants, 1903, P, probably near the end of the season; he played from May and onward with Algona Brownies, P.[135] 1905 Chicago Leland Giants, P.[136] Chicago Leland Giants, P, 1906.[137] 1907 St. Paul Colored Gophers, P, RF.[138] 1908 St. Paul Colored Gophers, P.[139] He re-joined the St. Paul Colored Gophers on July 16, 1909, as P.[140] 1910, P, for St. Paul Colored Gophers.[141] In 1911, P, St. Paul Colored Gophers.[142] In 1912, he stayed in Minnesota after the dissolution of the St. Paul Colored Gophers, playing [P] for the black Twin Cities team, the Hennepin Clothing Company team, along with Bobby Marshall, William Binga, and Alex Irwin.[143] 1913, P, with Hennepin Colored Giants, along with Bobby Marshall, Alex Irwin, and William Binga.[144] 1923, St. Paul Uptowns, P, Manager, with teammate Bobby Marshall [he had formerly played with an International Harvester team].[145] 1925, Manager, St. Paul Uptown Sanitary team [in the Golden Valley League with white teams].[146] 1927, Manager, St. Paul Colored All-Stars [the former St. Paul Uptown Sanitary team].[147]
* James B. "Candy Jim" Taylor. Born 1884; died 1948. Third Baseman. Brother of Johnny "Steel Arm" Taylor. Anderson, SC, amateur team, 1901, C; Birmingham, Alabama, team, 3B, 1904-1908.[148] Joined the St Paul Colored Gophers, 3B, 1909, from the Birmingham, Alabama, team.[149] In 1910, he started the season with the Chicago Giants, 3B, [along with Bobby Marshall, George "Rat" Johnson, Steel Arm Johnny Taylor, Felix Wallace--all former St. Paul Colored Gophers players];[150] then he re-joined the St. Paul Colored Gophers in early June, 1910, 3B.[151] In 1911 he left Minnesota for the St. Louis Giants, 3B, .211 BA; along with brother Steel Arm Johnny Taylor, Ben Taylor, Felix Wallace, and George ["Rat" or "Chappie"] Johnson.[152] In 1912, he played for the West Baden, Indiana, Sprudels, 3B, .278 BA; with brothers Steel Arm Johnny Taylor, and C.I. Taylor; and with William McMurray [he also played for Rube Foster's Chicago American Giants at some time in the 1912 season also, .238 BA].[153] In 1913, Chicago American Giants of Rube Foster, 3B, BA .375; along with Bill Gatewood, Louis "Dicta" Johnson, Steel Arm Johnny Taylor, Ben Taylor; he was listed on the West All-Star Team of 1913.[154] 1914, change of teams to Indianapolis ABCs, 3B, .353 BA: and a teammate of Louis "Dicta" Johnson; & brothers Steel Arm Johnny Taylor, Ben Taylor, & C.I. Taylor [Manager].[155] In 1915, 3B, .333 BA, Louisville Sox, along with brother Johnny Steel Arm Taylor; AND with Chicago Black Sox, .167 BA; with brother Steel Arm Johnny Taylor; AND listed with West Baden, Indiana, Sprudels, .250 BA.[156] 1916, 3B, Indianapolis ABCs, .282 BA, [with brother Steel Arm Johnny Taylor] and a member of West All-Star team; led both teams in batting with .529 BA in Western championship series victory against American Giants.[157] 1917, 3B, 2B, Indianapolis ABCs, .241 BA, with Bill Gatewood and Louis "Dicta" Johnson as teammates; again he was a member of the West All-Star team.[158] 1918, Candy Jim Taylor, 3B, 2B, .194 BA, Manager, Indianapolis ABCs [with John Donaldson as teammate].[159] 1919, Manager, Dayton Marcos, .077 BA.[160] 1920, 3B, 2B, P, Manager, Dayton Marcos, .232 BA.[161] 1922, Manager, 3B, .268 BA, P, Cleveland Tate Stars.[162] 1923, Manager, 3B, SS, .309 BA, St. Louis Stars, on West All-Star team; and Toledo Tigers, Manager [teammates: Louis "Dicta" Johnson & Bill Gatewood].[163] 1924, manager, St. Louis Stars, record: 36 W, 31 L, Utility, .347 BA.[164] 1925, manager, St. Louis Stars, record: 69 W, 26 L, winners of second-half title in West; 3B, RF, P.[165] 1926, Manager, 3B, .329 BA, P, Cleveland Elite Giants; and Manager, 3B, P, Detroit Stars.[166] 1927, Manager, record: 60 W, 35 L, 3B, OF, P, St. Louis Stars, with teammate Bill Gatewood.[167] 1928, 3B, P, Manager, record: 68 W, 25 L, regular season West champions, and playoff champ, West, with St. Louis Stars.[168] 1929, P, Manager, St. Louis Stars, record: 60 W, 28 L, 2nd in West; with Clarence "Spoony" Palm as C on the team.[169] 1930, 3B, P, Manager, Memphis Red Sox.[170] 1931, 3B, .222 BA, P, Manager, Indianapolis ABCs; manager, Louisville White Sox.[171] 1932, 3B, Manager, record: 34W, 27 L, Indianapolis ABCs.[172] 1933, P, Manager, Detroit Stars, with Clarence "Spoony" Palm and Ray Dandridge on the team; also Nashville Elite Giants, Manager, with Ray Dandridge on the team.[173] 1934, Nashville Elite Giants, 3B, Manager, record: 20 W, 28 L; 3B, Wilson's Elite Giants, winter ball.[174] 1935, Manager of Columbus/Detroit/Nashville Elite Giants; Royal Giants, winter season, Manager, with players Chet Brewer & Satchel Paige.[175] 1936, Manager, Washington Elite Giants; and manager of Negro All-Star team that won the Denver Post tournament.[176] Manager of Chicago American Giants, 1937 (record: 25 W, 14 L; finished 2nd in Negro League West).[177] Manager, Chicago American Giants, 1938, record: 25 W, 20 L, finished 4th in Negro League West.[178] 1939, unclear. 1940, Manager, Birmingham Black Barons; also listed as Manager of Chicago American Giants.[179] Manager, Chicago American Giants, 1941, record: 7 W, 13 L.[180] 1942, Chicago American Giants, Manager, record: 2 W, 16 L.[181] 1943, Manager Homestead Grays, he managed them to the Black World Series Championship.[182] 1944, Manager [replacing Vic Harris], Washington Homestead Grays [record: 27 W, 12 L; 1st-place finish Negro League East; winner of Black World Series].[183] 1945, Manager, Chicago American Giants [record: 39 W, 35 L, 3rd-place finish, Negro American League (West).[184] 1946, Manager, Chicago American Giants, record: 27 W, 45 L.[185] 1947, Manager, Chicago American Giants.[186] He died in 1948. Candy Jim succeeded in getting Ray Dandridge to play ball with the Detroit Stars where he was manager.[187] His eligibility for the Hall of Fame rests upon his playing ability, his tenure as a manager, and his longevity--he played in the era of the establishment of black teams, played and managed in the Negro Leagues, and, before he died, he witnessed the breaking of the color line by Jackie Robinson in 1946-1947.