The St. Paul Colored Gophers was a small club of black baseball players formed in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1907.[1] They were not a formal Negro league team, as the commonly referred-to "Negro leagues" were not created until 1920. However, like other barnstorming teams of the time, they put considerable pressure on the desegregation of baseball. Historians rarely mention the Colored Gophers in Negro baseball history, and statistics are hard to find.
The club lasted several seasons, also playing under the name Twin City Gophers and Minneapolis Gophers.
In 1909, the Colored Gophers defeated what was considered to be the most powerful Negro baseball team, the Leland Giants. They were managed that year by Phil "Daddy" Reid and Irving Williams, they managed to land Taylor brothers Candy Jim Taylor and Steel Arm Johnny Taylor. Candy Jim went on to manage the team in 1910.[2]
The Minnesota Twins have honored the club by wearing replica throwback jerseys of the team.
The Twins wore 1909 Gophers uniforms at home against Cleveland on July 13, 1997.
They wore Gophers uniforms on July 10, 2005, in Kansas City against the Royals,[10] and again on both July 21, 2012 and June 23, 2019.[11]
On August 7, 2010, the Twins featured the Gophers uniforms in a game against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. The Indians wore the Negro League's Cleveland Buckeyes 1946 replica jerseys.[12] Announcers carefully referred to the jerseys as the Saint Paul Gophers, leaving out the word colored.[citation needed]
Referencesedit
^"St. Paul Gophers Base Ball Club" The Appeal, St. Paul, Minnesota, August 31, 1907, Page 3, Columns 3 to 5
^"Big Base Ball Battle" St. Paul Appeal, St. Paul, Minnesota, July 10, 1909, Page 3, Columns 5 and 6
^"Colored Gophers Threw Scare Into the Locals" Bemidji Daily Pioneer, Bemidji, Minnesota, Monday Evening, June 28, 1909, Page 1, Columns 6 and 7 and Page 4, Column 1
^"Beach Giants Take Game From Gophers by Narrow Margin" Bismarck Daily Tribune, Bismarck, North Dakota, Tuesday, June 13, 1911, Page 2, Column 3
^"Pickets Won First Scramble" Evening Times, Grand Forks, North Dakota, Monday, June 19, 1911, Page 3, Columns 1 and 2
^"Local Aggregation Lost Game" Aberdeen Daily News, Aberdeen, South Dakota, Thursday, July 10, 1913, Page 8, Column 1
^"Get Best of Colored Gophers" Little Falls Herald, Little Falls, Minnesota, Friday, July 31, 1914, Page 2, Columns 1 and 2
^"Take Two From Gophers" Little Falls Herald, Little Falls, Minnesota, Friday, July 10, 1914, Page 2, Columns 1 and 2
^"Colored Gophers to Play Carrs in South St. Paul" St. Paul Appeal, St. Paul, Minnesota, Saturday, August 5, 1916, Page 3, Column 3
Peterson, Todd, Early Black Baseball in Minnesota: The St. Paul Gophers, Minneapolis Keystones and Other Barnstorming Teams of the Deadball Era. McFarland & Company, 2010. ISBN0-7864-3816-9; ISBN978-0-7864-3816-7
Kirwin, Bill (Fall 2007). "A Glimpse of the St. Paul Colored Gophers (1909) and the Schenectady Mohawk Giants (1913)". NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture. 16 (1): 153–155. doi:10.1353/nin.2007.0045.
LaWell, Matt (2005-07-10). "Notes: Saluting the Negro Leagues: Twins wear replica uniforms of 1909 St. Paul Gophers". MLB.com. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
Whirty, Ryan, "For One Shining Season in 1909, the Eyes of Baseball Were on St. Paul's Black Baseball Team" City Pages, April 1, 2015
External linksedit
"seamheads.com" 1908–1911 St. Paul Colored Gophers team stats
November 08, 2023
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The St Paul Colored Gophers was a small club of black baseball players formed in St Paul Minnesota in 1907 1 They were not a formal Negro league team as the commonly referred to Negro leagues were not created until 1920 However like other barnstorming teams of the time they put considerable pressure on the desegregation of baseball Historians rarely mention the Colored Gophers in Negro baseball history and statistics are hard to find St Paul Colored GophersInformationLeagueIndependentLocationSaint Paul MinnesotaBallparkLexington ParkYear established1907Year disbanded1914Nickname s Twin City Gophers 1911 1907 St Paul Colored Gophers1910 St Paul Gophers Contents 1 History 2 Rosters 2 1 1907 2 2 1908 2 3 1909 2 4 1910 2 5 1911 2 6 1913 2 7 1914 2 8 1916 3 MLB throwback jerseys 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory editThe club lasted several seasons also playing under the name Twin City Gophers and Minneapolis Gophers In 1909 the Colored Gophers defeated what was considered to be the most powerful Negro baseball team the Leland Giants They were managed that year by Phil Daddy Reid and Irving Williams they managed to land Taylor brothers Candy Jim Taylor and Steel Arm Johnny Taylor Candy Jim went on to manage the team in 1910 2 Rosters edit1907 edit Sherman Barton Sammie Ransom Johnny Davis Clarence Lytle Bunch Davis Tom Means George Taylor Captain Jesse Schaeffer Willis Jones Fred Roberts 1908 edit Dick Wallace Bill Gatewood Chappie Johnson Clarence Lytle Sherman Barton Bunch Davis Willis Jones Will McMurray Haywood Rose 1909 edit Candy Jim Taylor Dick Wallace Will McMurray Sherman Barton Bobby Marshall Eugene Milliner William Binga Chappie Johnson Steel Arm Johnny Taylor Johnny Davis Julius London Jimmy Smith Rabbit McDougall Garrison 3 1910 edit nbsp 1910 St Paul GophersRabbit McDougall Candy Jim Taylor Captain William Binga Mule Armstrong Sherman Barton Bobby Marshall George Bowman Harry Brown Lefty Pangburn Dicta Johnson Johnny Davis Wesley Ford 1911 edit Played as the Twin City Gophers 4 William Binga Bobby Marshall 5 Harry Brown Mule Armstrong Bert Jones Thompson Clarence Lytle Bee Selden Hardeman Lefty Pangburn Dicta Johnson Walter Stallard McDougal Erwin Davis 1913 edit Played as the St Paul Gophers 6 Irving Williams Bobby Marshall Bing 1914 edit Played as the Minneapolis Gophers 7 8 Cy Olsen Manager William Binga K Jones Clarke Nelson John Davis Ivertson Chick Jones C Jones not Chick Jones Kenneson Lee Davis Kay 1916 edit Played as the Minneapolis Gophers 9 Bobby Marshall Cannonball JacksonMLB throwback jerseys editThe Minnesota Twins have honored the club by wearing replica throwback jerseys of the team The Twins wore 1909 Gophers uniforms at home against Cleveland on July 13 1997 They wore Gophers uniforms on July 10 2005 in Kansas City against the Royals 10 and again on both July 21 2012 and June 23 2019 11 On August 7 2010 the Twins featured the Gophers uniforms in a game against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field The Indians wore the Negro League s Cleveland Buckeyes 1946 replica jerseys 12 Announcers carefully referred to the jerseys as the Saint Paul Gophers leaving out the word colored citation needed References edit St Paul Gophers Base Ball Club The Appeal St Paul Minnesota August 31 1907 Page 3 Columns 3 to 5 Big Base Ball Battle St Paul Appeal St Paul Minnesota July 10 1909 Page 3 Columns 5 and 6 Colored Gophers Threw Scare Into the Locals Bemidji Daily Pioneer Bemidji Minnesota Monday Evening June 28 1909 Page 1 Columns 6 and 7 and Page 4 Column 1 Beach Giants Take Game From Gophers by Narrow Margin Bismarck Daily Tribune Bismarck North Dakota Tuesday June 13 1911 Page 2 Column 3 Pickets Won First Scramble Evening Times Grand Forks North Dakota Monday June 19 1911 Page 3 Columns 1 and 2 Local Aggregation Lost Game Aberdeen Daily News Aberdeen South Dakota Thursday July 10 1913 Page 8 Column 1 Get Best of Colored Gophers Little Falls Herald Little Falls Minnesota Friday July 31 1914 Page 2 Columns 1 and 2 Take Two From Gophers Little Falls Herald Little Falls Minnesota Friday July 10 1914 Page 2 Columns 1 and 2 Colored Gophers to Play Carrs in South St Paul St Paul Appeal St Paul Minnesota Saturday August 5 1916 Page 3 Column 3 Associated Press 2005 07 10 Twins 3 Royals 2 12 innings CBSSports com Retrieved 2009 05 12 What was up with the Twins throwback uniforms Sunday WCCO 2019 06 24 Retrieved 2019 08 23 Major League Baseball 2010 08 07 Twins 7 Indians 2 9 innings MLB com Retrieved 2010 08 07 Further reading editPeterson Todd Early Black Baseball in Minnesota The St Paul Gophers Minneapolis Keystones and Other Barnstorming Teams of the Deadball Era McFarland amp Company 2010 ISBN 0 7864 3816 9 ISBN 978 0 7864 3816 7 Kirwin Bill Fall 2007 A Glimpse of the St Paul Colored Gophers 1909 and the Schenectady Mohawk Giants 1913 NINE A Journal of Baseball History and Culture 16 1 153 155 doi 10 1353 nin 2007 0045 LaWell Matt 2005 07 10 Notes Saluting the Negro Leagues Twins wear replica uniforms of 1909 St Paul Gophers MLB com Retrieved 2009 05 12 Whirty Ryan For One Shining Season in 1909 the Eyes of Baseball Were on St Paul s Black Baseball Team City Pages April 1 2015External links edit seamheads com 1908 1911 St Paul Colored Gophers team stats Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title St Paul Colored Gophers amp oldid 1178639861, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
