The Southern League of Colored Base Ballists was the first organized Negro baseball league. The league's only year of operation was 1886. Ten teams competed in the league which stretched from Jacksonville, Florida to Memphis, Tennessee with several other southern teams mentioned as possible members in newspaper articles from the period. The league appears to have collapsed in early July.
The first mention of the league was in March 1886 when the following ad ran in several major Southern newspapers: “A call has been issued for the captains of all colored base ball clubs of Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee that have a fair record and desire to enter the Southern League of Colored Base Ballists to send name and address to The Manager of the Southern League of Coloered Base Ballists, Lock Box 298, Jacksonville, Florida.”[1][2] T.T. Harden was the manager of the league,[3] which had a board of twelve directors.[4] An informational circular obtained by The News and Courier said that the board of directors represented “… a capital of nearly $100,000.”[4] Clubs that wanted to join the league were required to submit a five dollar fee to cover the cost of advertising, postage, and telegraph cost.[4] They were also required to pay $1.50 for a subscription to The Southern Leader, a black newspaper based in Jacksonville, Florida.[4][5]The Southern Leader was to be “the official organ of the league”.[4]
The league convention was held on May 22 attended by twenty-two delegates in Jacksonville.[6] During the meeting T. T. Hardin read a prepared report about the league and made recommendations that were adopted by the delegates.[7] It was also decided at the convention that a series of exhibition games would be held May 24 in St. Augustine, Florida. The games would feature the Daisy Cutters, Clippers, Macedonians, Tallapoosas, and Greenleafs.[7][8][6] The delegates left the meeting announcing the league's opening day would be June 7 in Atlanta, Georgia and would feature the Georgia Champions and the Memphis Eclipse.[7] The schedules were left to the team directors and managers to workout by June 1.[7] Although no comprehensive schedule is currently known to exist some local newspapers did publish their teams schedules in early June. The Charleston News and Courier published the Fulton’s schedule on June 6[9] and the Times-Picayune published the New Orleans Unions on June 7.[10]
The first game of the Southern League of Colored Base Ballists was played on June 7, 1886 between the Champions and the Eclipse in Atlanta, Georgia. The Champions won the game 11–10. Pointer pitched and Wood caught for Memphis.[11]
One of the best documented games of the season was in New Orleans on June 16, 1886. The Unions of New Orleans played the Memphis Eclipse. Memphis won the game 3–1.[12]The New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper reported that after watching the game, “…colored clubs will furnish good sport, and the teams can play ball… The Eclipse boys all field well and threw the ball like the best professionals.”[13] Approximately 500 people attended the game. The winning pitcher for Memphis was William Renfroe.[14]
In August the Memphis Appeal newspaper reported that the Eurekas and the Eclipse ball clubs of Memphis were “champion colored clubs.” There is no evidence though that the league lasted long enough to declare a champion.[12]
League Officialsedit
The following were the officials that ran the league.[15]
President - John Jones
Manager - Thomas T. Harden
Treasurer - L. H. Jones
Secretary - M. J. Christopher
Notable playersedit
William Renfroe, a pitcher for the Memphis Eclipses, would pitch for the Binghamton Bingos of the International League in 1887.[16] After being released by the Bingos he returned to Memphis and managed the Eclipses. Later Renfroe would pitch for several different black baseball teams in the Chicago area.[17]
Robert "Bob" Higgins was a pitcher for the Memphis Eurekas.[17] Higgins would pitch for the Syracuse Stars of the International League in 1887 and 1888.[18] His record in 1887 was 20 wins and 7 losses with a batting average of .294 in 41 games.[18] In 1888 Higgins and fellow teammate Moses Fleetwood Walker were the Star's all black battery.[17][19]
Teamsedit
The following teams were listed as having members at the May 22 league convention with the exception of the Fultons.[7][15]
^"THE SOUTHERN LEAGUE OF COLORED BASE BALLISTS". research.sabr.org. Retrieved 2019-01-11.
^"Gossip of the Game". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1 April 1886. p. 5.
^"The Colored League". The Times-Democrat. 26 April 1886. p. 2.
^ abcde"A Colored Base Ball League". The News and Courier. 8 April 1886. p. 8.
^Beatty, B. (1980). John Willis Menard: A Progressive Black in Post-Civil War Florida. The Florida Historical Quarterly,59(2), 123-143. Retrieved from JSTOR 30146099
^ ab"A Colored League". The Atlanta Constitution. 23 May 1886. p. 12.
^ abcde"Colored Base Ballists". Florida Times-Union. 23 May 1886. p. 1.
^"Double Plays". The Boston Globe. 25 May 1886. p. 2.
^"The Colored Games". News and Courier. 6 June 1886.
^"A Southern Colored League". Times-Picayune. 7 June 1886. p. 2.
^"Base Ball Notes". Memphis Daily Appeal. 8 June 1886. p. 5.
^ abMcBee, Kurt (August 2001). They Also Played the Game: A Historical Examination of the Memphis Red Sox Baseball Organization, 1922-1959 (PhD Dissertation). The University of Memphis.
^Ribowsky, Mark (1995). A Complete History of the Negro Leagues, 1884 to 1955. New York, New York: Birch Lane Press. pp. 20-21. ISBN1-55972-283-5.
^"Games Played Yesterday". The Times-Democrat. 17 June 1886. p. 2.
^ abThe Negro leagues were major leagues historians reappraise black baseball. Peterson, Todd, 1963-. Jefferson, North Carolina. 6 December 2019. ISBN978-1-4766-3642-9. OCLC 1134444493.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
^Dixon, Phil. (1992). The Negro Baseball Leagues book : a photographic history. Amereon Ltd. ISBN0848804252. OCLC 436300864.
^ abcBrunson, James E. (James Edward), 1954- (8 April 2019). Black baseball, 1858-1900 : a comprehensive record of the teams, players, managers, owners and umpires. Jefferson, North Carolina. ISBN9780786494170. OCLC 1060179344.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ abHeaphy, Leslie A., author. (2013). The Negro Leagues, 1869-1960. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ISBN9781476603056. OCLC 963364404. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Fleet Walker | Society for American Baseball Research". sabr.org. Retrieved 2019-07-09.
External linksedit
Baseball-Reference (Minors)
SABR
January 01, 1970
southern, league, colored, base, ballists, first, organized, negro, baseball, league, league, only, year, operation, 1886, teams, competed, league, which, stretched, from, jacksonville, florida, memphis, tennessee, with, several, other, southern, teams, mentio. The Southern League of Colored Base Ballists was the first organized Negro baseball league The league s only year of operation was 1886 Ten teams competed in the league which stretched from Jacksonville Florida to Memphis Tennessee with several other southern teams mentioned as possible members in newspaper articles from the period The league appears to have collapsed in early July Southern League of Colored Base BallistsSportBaseballFounded1886Ceased1886PresidentJohn W JonesNo of teams10CountryUnited States Contents 1 History 2 League Officials 3 Notable players 4 Teams 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe first mention of the league was in March 1886 when the following ad ran in several major Southern newspapers A call has been issued for the captains of all colored base ball clubs of Georgia Florida South Carolina Alabama and Tennessee that have a fair record and desire to enter the Southern League of Colored Base Ballists to send name and address to The Manager of the Southern League of Coloered Base Ballists Lock Box 298 Jacksonville Florida 1 2 T T Harden was the manager of the league 3 which had a board of twelve directors 4 An informational circular obtained by The News and Courier said that the board of directors represented a capital of nearly 100 000 4 Clubs that wanted to join the league were required to submit a five dollar fee to cover the cost of advertising postage and telegraph cost 4 They were also required to pay 1 50 for a subscription to The Southern Leader a black newspaper based in Jacksonville Florida 4 5 The Southern Leader was to be the official organ of the league 4 The league convention was held on May 22 attended by twenty two delegates in Jacksonville 6 During the meeting T T Hardin read a prepared report about the league and made recommendations that were adopted by the delegates 7 It was also decided at the convention that a series of exhibition games would be held May 24 in St Augustine Florida The games would feature the Daisy Cutters Clippers Macedonians Tallapoosas and Greenleafs 7 8 6 The delegates left the meeting announcing the league s opening day would be June 7 in Atlanta Georgia and would feature the Georgia Champions and the Memphis Eclipse 7 The schedules were left to the team directors and managers to workout by June 1 7 Although no comprehensive schedule is currently known to exist some local newspapers did publish their teams schedules in early June The Charleston News and Courier published the Fulton s schedule on June 6 9 and the Times Picayune published the New Orleans Unions on June 7 10 The first game of the Southern League of Colored Base Ballists was played on June 7 1886 between the Champions and the Eclipse in Atlanta Georgia The Champions won the game 11 10 Pointer pitched and Wood caught for Memphis 11 One of the best documented games of the season was in New Orleans on June 16 1886 The Unions of New Orleans played the Memphis Eclipse Memphis won the game 3 1 12 The New Orleans Times Picayune newspaper reported that after watching the game colored clubs will furnish good sport and the teams can play ball The Eclipse boys all field well and threw the ball like the best professionals 13 Approximately 500 people attended the game The winning pitcher for Memphis was William Renfroe 14 In August the Memphis Appeal newspaper reported that the Eurekas and the Eclipse ball clubs of Memphis were champion colored clubs There is no evidence though that the league lasted long enough to declare a champion 12 League Officials editThe following were the officials that ran the league 15 President John Jones Manager Thomas T Harden Treasurer L H Jones Secretary M J ChristopherNotable players editWilliam Renfroe a pitcher for the Memphis Eclipses would pitch for the Binghamton Bingos of the International League in 1887 16 After being released by the Bingos he returned to Memphis and managed the Eclipses Later Renfroe would pitch for several different black baseball teams in the Chicago area 17 Robert Bob Higgins was a pitcher for the Memphis Eurekas 17 Higgins would pitch for the Syracuse Stars of the International League in 1887 and 1888 18 His record in 1887 was 20 wins and 7 losses with a batting average of 294 in 41 games 18 In 1888 Higgins and fellow teammate Moses Fleetwood Walker were the Star s all black battery 17 19 Teams editThe following teams were listed as having members at the May 22 league convention with the exception of the Fultons 7 15 Daisy Cutter Baseball Club Fernandina FL Athletic Baseball Club Jacksonville FL Roman Cities Baseball Club LaVilla FL Clipper Baseball Club Jacksonville FL Macedonia Baseball Club Jacksonville FL Eclipse Baseball Club Memphis TN Eureka Baseball Club Memphis TN Garden Lilies Baseball Club Palatka FL Tallapoosa Baseball Club St Augustine FL Lafayette Baseball Club Savannah GA Boardways or Boards Baseball Club Savannah GA Fox Hunter Baseball Club Macon GA The Georgia Champions Baseball Club Atlanta GA Union Baseball Club New Orleans LA Callathumpians Baseball Club Tallahassee FL Chattanooga Baseball Club Chattanooga TN Montgomery Baseball Club Montgomery AL Pensacola Baseball Club Pensacola FL Fultons Baseball Club Charleston SCReferences edit THE SOUTHERN LEAGUE OF COLORED BASE BALLISTS research sabr org Retrieved 2019 01 11 Gossip of the Game St Louis Post Dispatch 1 April 1886 p 5 The Colored League The Times Democrat 26 April 1886 p 2 a b c d e A Colored Base Ball League The News and Courier 8 April 1886 p 8 Beatty B 1980 John Willis Menard A Progressive Black in Post Civil War Florida The Florida Historical Quarterly 59 2 123 143 Retrieved from JSTOR 30146099 a b A Colored League The Atlanta Constitution 23 May 1886 p 12 a b c d e Colored Base Ballists Florida Times Union 23 May 1886 p 1 Double Plays The Boston Globe 25 May 1886 p 2 The Colored Games News and Courier 6 June 1886 A Southern Colored League Times Picayune 7 June 1886 p 2 Base Ball Notes Memphis Daily Appeal 8 June 1886 p 5 a b McBee Kurt August 2001 They Also Played the Game A Historical Examination of the Memphis Red Sox Baseball Organization 1922 1959 PhD Dissertation The University of Memphis Ribowsky Mark 1995 A Complete History of the Negro Leagues 1884 to 1955 New York New York Birch Lane Press pp 20 21 ISBN 1 55972 283 5 Games Played Yesterday The Times Democrat 17 June 1886 p 2 a b The Negro leagues were major leagues historians reappraise black baseball Peterson Todd 1963 Jefferson North Carolina 6 December 2019 ISBN 978 1 4766 3642 9 OCLC 1134444493 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link CS1 maint others link Dixon Phil 1992 The Negro Baseball Leagues book a photographic history Amereon Ltd ISBN 0848804252 OCLC 436300864 a b c Brunson James E James Edward 1954 8 April 2019 Black baseball 1858 1900 a comprehensive record of the teams players managers owners and umpires Jefferson North Carolina ISBN 9780786494170 OCLC 1060179344 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link CS1 maint multiple names authors list link CS1 maint numeric names authors list link a b Heaphy Leslie A author 2013 The Negro Leagues 1869 1960 McFarland amp Company Inc Publishers ISBN 9781476603056 OCLC 963364404 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a last has generic name help CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Fleet Walker Society for American Baseball Research sabr org Retrieved 2019 07 09 External links editBaseball Reference Minors SABR Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Southern League of Colored Base Ballists amp oldid 1162958432, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
