Pete Willett

Not to be confused with Peter Willett.

James R. "Pete" Willett^[1] was an American athlete who played baseball as an infielder in the Negro leagues and basketball. He played baseball with several teams from 1923 to 1928.^[2]

Pete Willett
Infielder
Batted: Right Threw: Right
Negro league baseball debut
1923, for the Buffalo Colored Giants
Last appearance
1928, for the Cleveland Tigers
Teams
Buffalo Colored Giants (1923) Lincoln Giants (1923) Dayton Marcos (1924) Cleveland Browns (1924) Homestead Grays (1925) Pullman Colored Giants (1925) Brown's Stars of Youngstown (1926) Cleveland Elites (1926) Cleveland Oaks (1928) Cleveland Pyramids (1928) Cleveland Tigers (1928)

Athletic career

Willett attended Central High School in Cleveland, Ohio, and also played football, basketball and ran track for Wilberforce University in 1922 to 1924.^{[3][4][5][6][7]}

In 1923, Willett played baseball with the Buffalo Colored Giants,^[8] and also played with the Lincoln Giants of the Eastern Colored League.^[9] He spent time with the independent Dayton Marcos in 1924, before playing with the Cleveland Browns.^[2] In June 1925, he was acquired by the Homestead Grays to fill in for injured players.^[10] In September 1925, he played with the Pullman Colored Giants of Buffalo.^[11] In 1926, he saw time with the Brown's Stars of Youngstown, Ohio,^[12] and the Cleveland Elites.^[13] Willett later played in 25 recorded games with the Cleveland Tigers of the Negro National League in 1928.^[14] He also appeared with the Cleveland Oaks and Cleveland Pyramids in 1928.^[15][16]

Outside of baseball, he captained and coached the Benjee Drugs basketball team in 1925 and 1926.^[1][7] Willett also played with the Cleveland Elks in 1926 and 1927,^[17][18] and the Loendi Big Five in 1927 and 1928.^[19]

On February 10, 1927, Willett dislocated his knee and two other Elks players were seriously injured after their car went into a ditch and overturned multiple times near London, Ohio.^[20]

References

1. C. W. Moorehead (4 February 1926). "Sport News". The Buffalo American. p. 3. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
2. Riley, James A. (1994). The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues. New York: Carroll & Graf. ISBN 0-7867-0959-6.
3. "Wilberforce Ready for Simmons Tilt". Dayton Daily News. October 20, 1922. p. 44. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Three "Triple Threat" Men at Wilberforce". The New York Age. October 13, 1923. p. 7. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "West Va. Institute Five Defeats Wilberforce Team". Pittsburgh Courier. March 15, 1924. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Baseball, Track and Football Men Report". Pittsburgh Courier. April 5, 1924. p. 11. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Cleveland to Have Speedy Floor Team". Pittsburgh Courier. October 17, 1925. p. 12. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Baseball Tonight". The Buffalo Commercial. July 19, 1923. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "8,000 Howling Fans See Lincoln Giants Take Two Games From Hilldale Nine". The New York Age. August 11, 1923. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Homestead Grays Obtain Infielder". Pittsburgh Courier. June 27, 1925. p. 12. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Good Twirlers of Colored Giants to Face Bisons". Buffalo Courier. September 3, 1925. p. 11. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
12. William G. Nunn (28 August 1926). "Diamond Dope". Pittsburgh Courier. p. 15. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
13. "Cleveland Team To Play Four Games at Stadium" (PDF). Buffalo Evening News. Fultonhistory.com. July 2, 1926. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
14. "Pete Willett". seamheads.com. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
15. "Cleveland Oaks Look Good Now" (PDF). Pittsburgh Courier. Fultonhistory.com. March 10, 1928. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
16. "Cleveland Pyramids Open to Good Clubs" (PDF). Pittsburgh Courier. Fultonhistory.com. April 21, 1928. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
17. "Cleveland Elks Beat Midlands". Pittsburgh Courier. December 11, 1926. p. 14. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Basketball Players Injured". The Daily Advocate. February 10, 1927. p. 9. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
19. Cumberland Posey (11 February 1928). "The Sportive Realm". Pittsburgh Courier. p. 17. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
20. "Three Players Injured". The Lima News. February 11, 1927. p. 22. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference and Seamheads