A Publication of SABR’s Negro Leagues Committee “We are the Ship, All Else the Sea” Editor, Larry Lester December, 2011 In the News Sam Hairston goes into the Hall Soon after, in 1973, Jerry Hairston, Sr., made his debut with the White Sox. The legacy continued The Colorado Sky Sox honor Hairston when Jerry’s sons Scott and Jerry Junior joined n October 25, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox the Arizona Diamondbacks (2004) and the posthumously Baltimore Orioles (1998), Oinducted Sam becoming the fourth & Hairston into the Colorado fifth of the Mississippi Springs Sports Hall of Delta-based family to Fame. Hairston played for play in The Show. the Sky Sox of the old Western League between The Hairston legacy 1950 and 1956. His legacy began, when Samuel to integrate the national Harding Hairston was game was recognized. born on January 20, 1920, in Lowndes Hairston was called up County, near Crawford, from Colorado Springs in Mississippi in the Plum 1951, making him the first African-American player Grove community, where in history. Hairston was the a ball field was named in his honor in 2010. Two Western League MVP in 1953, hitting .310 with years later, the Hairston family moved to eight home runs and 102 RBIs, while leading the Birmingham, Alabama, where Sam later joined the Sky Sox to the league title. In 1955, he won the American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO) League batting title with a .350 average, adding six team, which employed his father, Will. home runs and 91 RBIs. This powerhouse team included such stars as Piper Davis and Artie Wilson. Hairston retired in 1960 from active play and spent the rest of his career as a scout and coach with the Big Sam joined the Black Barons in 1944 as a third parent White Sox organization. baseman, and later played for the Cincinnati- for six seasons, mainly as a The 1993 inductee to . The highlight of his Negro League career the Sky Sox Hall of came in 1950, when he won the Crown in Fame, died in 1997, the Negro (NAL). Slamming leaving as the patriarch Sam compiled a .424 batting average, 17 of a three-generation homers and drove in 71 runs in only 70 games. big-league family. Two of Hairston’s three sons, The leading vote-getter for the 1950 East-West All- Jerry Senior and Sam Star game was immediately signed by John Junior, signed White Donaldson, the first African American scout for the Sox contracts. It might Chicago White Sox, making Hairston ineligible for have been three, but the the classic. Sam’s early departure from the league, drafted allowed Chicago American Giants infielder Jesse John Hairston in 1965. Douglas to be named the NAL’s Most Valuable When John made it to the Cubs for three games in Player, despite Sam’s league leading stats. 1969, the Hairstons became the first African- American father-son combo in the Majors. Congratulations to the Hairston family on another deserving honor and tribute! The Courier, December, 2011 – a SABR publication – Page 1 of 6 Your Daily All-Star Team: Harold Gould Honored • Monday’s Child is fair of face. n November 11, the Centerton Country Club • Tuesday’s child is full of in the Pittsgrove Township of Salem grace. O County, New Jersey • Wednesday’s child is full honored the former of woe. Negro League right- • Thursday’s child handed . Harold has far to go. Gould was inducted • Friday’s child is loving into the New Jersey and giving. Sports Hall of Fame. • Saturday’s child works hard for a living. Their hometown hero • But the child who is pitched two seasons born on the Sabbath Day is bonny and blithe (1947-48) for the and good and gay. Philadelphia Stars. He later played in Canada Top 12 Negro Leaguers born on Thursday: under the name c, Josh Gibson - HOFer Lawrence Morgan. c, Louis Santop - HOFer p, Walter Ball In 1950, he was into drafted the U.S. Army, serving p, David Barnhill in the Korean War. He later worked for the p, Frank Wickware Bridgeton Broad of Education, the Cumberland 1b, George Scales County Broad of Vocational Education and the 2b, Sammy T. Hughes State Department of Institutions and Agencies. He 3b, Judy Johnson - HOFer also worked with former prison inmates as ss, Artie Wilson vocational education director in the New Jersey lf, Larry Doby - HOFer penal system. cf, George Sweatt rf, Cristobal Torriente - HOFer Gould’s recent induction Can you pick a better team? follows the 2001 honor at the South Jersey Hall of Fame Rochester Park is Renamed! and earlier, in 1994, his induction to the New Jersey n September 17, Rochester Park at 3000 Hall of Fame. Additionally, Municipal Street in in 1999, he was named one O Dallas was renamed of Cumberland County’s William Blair, Jr., Park. The “People of the Century”. former Negro League pitcher and founder of The Elite News An everlasting tribute came is a well known activist in the in 2009, when he published Dallas area. Blair established his autobiography titled “He the city’s first parade to honor Came from Gouldtown.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Congratulations to Harold 1986 and Gwendolyn Gould for this deserving honor. The World War II veteran pitched for the Detroit Negro Leaguers who went Stars and the Cincinnati Clowns from 1946 to 1951. directly into the Major Leagues. Currently, the 90 year old serves as a board 1. Dan Bankhead, 1947 member for the Dallas Black Chamber of 2. Ernie Banks, 1953 Commerce, Dallas Urban League, African- 3. Willard Brown, 1947 American Museum, and the Inter-denominational 4. Larry Doby, 1947 Ministerial Alliance. The dedication ceremony was 5. Satchel Paige, 1948 attended by Mayor Mike Rawlings and other City 6. Hank Thompson, 1947 Council members. Bankhead. The Courier, September, 2011 – a SABR publication – Page 2 of 6 Call for Papers

15th Annual Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference July 19-21, 2012 Cleveland, OH

Theme: “Black Baseball in Ohio”

Black baseball has a strong history in Ohio and especially the city of Cleveland. In the 19th century one of the first African American players in the Majors, Moses Fleetwood Walker, played in Toledo, and with the 1885 Cleveland Whites of the Western League. The city of Cleveland had more Negro League entries (11) than any other city in the Negro Leagues from the 1920s through the 1940s. The crowning success came with the 1945 Cleveland Buckeyes winning the Negro League World Series. Their roster included such key players as Quincy Trouppe, Sam Jethroe, Eugene Bremer and Archie Ware. In 1946 the Buckeyes added Eddie Klep to their squad, making him one of the first white players on a Negro League team. The boasted the first African American player in the AL with the signing of Larry Doby. They later added the legendary Satchel Paige to their roster.

The 15TH ANNUAL JERRY MALLOY NEGRO LEAGUE CONFERENCE will celebrate Ohio’s baseball history. In addition to two days of research presentations and player/author panels, attendees will also enjoy a special presentation about League Park and a game between the Cleveland Indians and .

Presentation Proposals: due March 19th 2012

This interdisciplinary conference welcomes proposals for oral and poster presentations from all research fields. Previous presenters have included college faculty, public school teachers, graduate students, and independent scholars.

Presentations may focus on any topic related to the theme, black baseball in the Midwest, or other Negro Leagues issues. Some possibilities include: Ohio teams and players (including town clubs, early semi-pro teams, and professional teams), the Cleveland Buckeyes championship season, Ohio ballparks, Cleveland Call and Post sports writing, baseball as part of Ohio’s black communities, Moses Fleetwood Walker, barnstorming, or anything else that captures your interest.

Proposals should include a 250-word abstract, plus a brief biographical note with contact information. For oral presentations, please indicate whether you will require any AV equipment. For poster presentations, please indicate the number and size of posters you wish to display.

Please email your proposal as a Word attachment to [email protected]. Or, send it by mail to Leslie Heaphy, Kent State University at Stark 6000 Frank Rd, No. Canton, OH 44720 .

Notifications will go by Day—April 15.

For further conference registration: http://www.larrylester42.com/jerry-malloy-negro-leagues-conference/

We welcome Conference donations in any amount at: Malloy Conference Donation

For conference updates visit: http://www.larrylester42.com/jerry-malloy-negro-leagues-conference/

The Courier, September, 2011 – a SABR publication – Page 3 of 6

Research Requests Dugout Reading . . . . . BOOK PROJECTS CATALOGUED. At the suggestion of newsletter editor Ron Kaplan, A Level Playing Field: African American SABR’s Bibliography Committee is beginning an Athletes and the Republic of Sports by Gerald L. effort to catalog all book projects which are being Early. As Americans, done by SABR members. Notices could cover we believe there ought anything from a book which is on the cusp of to be a level playing field publication to, at the other end of the spectrum, a for everyone. Even if we book where a substantial amount of research has don’t expect to finish been done. They will run 100-word synopses of the first, we do expect a fair projects in this newsletter and keep a catalog of start. Only in sports what they have received. Authors can update the have information when they get a publisher and when a actually found that publication date is set. This should give authors exclusive level ground. some nice advance publicity and create an archive But at the same time, members can use to find others working on similar black players offer an material. Please send all submissions to ironic perspective on the [email protected] AND athlete-hero, for they [email protected].! represent a group historically held to be BOX SCORES WANTED without social honor. The Negro League's research team has come across several references to the Homestead Grays Gerald Early, noted cultural critic, avid baseball fan, playing as a semi-pro team in the 1920s. The and historian investigates these contradictions as newspapers reported that they played upwards to they play out in the sports world and in our deeper 160 games a year, sometimes winning 85% of their attitudes toward the athletes we glorify. Dr. Early, a contests. Professor of English, African and African-American Studies, and American Cultural Studies at We are looking for researchers to find game Washington University in St. Louis, addresses accounts of this early-day Grays team before they some of the early-day heated cultural issues in became a dynasty in the late 30s and 1940s, chapter two; “Curt Flood, Gratitude and the featuring the likes of Ray Brown, Buck Leonard Image of Baseball,” “American Integration, and Josh Gibson. Questions and Information Black Heroism and the Meaning of Jackie found can be sent to: Wayne Stivers at Robinson,” and “Where Have You Gone, Mr. [email protected] Robinson?” FIRST GAME BETWEEN ALL-BLACK TEAMS? My favorite is a non-baseball article, “Donovan John Zinn found the following clip in the October McNabb, Rush Limbaugh and the Making of the 24, 1855 issue of the Newark Daily Mercury: Black Quarterback,” an exhilarating read. "BASE BALL - A match game of Base Ball was The essays in this book circle around two perennial played between the St. John's and Union Clubs questions: What other, invisible contests unfold (colored) yesterday afternoon. Two were when we watch a sporting event? What desires and played when it commenced to rain. The St. John's anxieties are encoded in our worship of (or disdain Club made ten runs and the Union Club only two. for) high-performance athletes. The game is to be played again on Friday at 2 o'clock, on the ground of the St. John's Club, foot of “A Level Playing Field” is a must-have book in Chestnut Street." any sports library, barbershop, or sports bar. Get your copy from the Harvard University Press: There was no account of the replay in either the http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?recid=311 Daily Mercury or the Newark Daily Advertiser. Any 07 accounts of this game can be sent to: [email protected] & [email protected] The Courier, September, 2011 – a SABR publication – Page 4 of 6

Sunrises! Sunsets . . . . SEND YOUR FAVORITE NEGRO LEAGUER A BIRTHDAY CARD. DECEMBER JOSEPH CLIFFORD “RABBIT” CAFFIE, 80, ND 2 - HENRY ELMORE - 70 died August 1, 2011, at his home in Warren, Ohio. The RD - 3 - BILL HAYDEN - 87 Ramer, Alabama native made his major league debut TH 4 – TED TOLES - 86 with the Cleveland Indians in 1956. TH 6 – BILL LITTLE - 77 The outfielder played two seasons TH 7 – ENRIQUE MAROTO - 79 with the Indians batting .291 in 44 TH 9 – QUACK BROWN – 81 games and 139 at bats. In 1957, TH 14 - HENRY SAVERSON - 82 with the Buffalo Bisons, he was the TH 16 – FRANK EVANS – 90, JOE MARBURY - 73 International League batting TH 20 – MAL DUCKETT - 89 champion, hitting .330. After his ST 21 – CHARLES WELLS – 80, PAUL CASANOVA – 70 baseball career, Caffie worked 37 RD 23 – MAYNARD JORDAN - 83 TH years at Thomas Steel Strip in 25 – JOHN MITCHELL - 74 TH Warren. 26 – ORLANDO O’FARRILL - 89 TH 27 – JIM COBBIN - 77 WILLIE “CURLEY” WILLIAMS, 86, died August 23, 2011, at Sarasota Hospice House in Sarasota, JANUARY Florida. Williams was a shortstop TH 8 – DAVEY WHITNEY - 82 from 1945 to 1954 with the TH 9 – FRANK MARSH – 81 Newark Eagles, Houston Eagles, ST 21 – PORTER REED – 89, JIM ROBINSON - 82 New Orleans Eagles, and TH 26 – RON TEASLEY – 85 . He TH 27 – SAM TAYLOR – 83 was a member of the 1950 West TH 28 – TOMMY TAYLOR – 74 team in the East-West All-Star TH 30 – LONNIE HARRIS – 81 game. Upon retirement from ST 31 – ERNIE BANKS - 81 baseball, he worked 27 years as a crime scene investigator for the FEBRUARY coroner’s office in Sarasota. TH 4 – ERNIE NIMMONS – 82 TH 5 – - 78 TH WILLIAM WALKER “BILL, READY” CASH, 91, 9 – MIKE HOULEMARD - 79 TH died September 12, 2011, at Roxborough Memorial 12 – BILL DUMPSON - 82 TH Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. One 20 – WALTER MCCOY - 89 RD 23 – WILLIE SHEELOR - 84 of the games outstanding , 25TH – - 93 Cash started his pro career with the TH 26 – MICKEY STUBBLEFIELD – 86 Philadelphia Stars in 1943, hitting over .300 in his rookie season. He NOTE: Congratulations to Nonagenarians: MONTE played for the Stars until 1950, was IRVIN & FRANK EVANS. selected to the East-West All-Star squads in 1948 (twice) and 1949, getting two hits in seven at bats. $$$ When you RENEW your SABR membership for Cash also starred in the Mexican, 2012, please consider earmarking extra funds for the Canadian, Dominic Republican and JERRY MALLOY NEGRO LEAGUE CONFERENCE and/or Venezuelan Leagues. Jeremy Krock’s HEADSTONE RESTORATION PROJECT for unmarked graves. GEORGE E. “SONNY” SMITH, 84 died October 1, 2011, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Smith was an outfielder Go to: Grave Marker Project and enter your tax- for the Chicago American Giants and the Harlem deductible gift, along with a brief description for allocation of your funds. Globetrotters baseball team from 1948 to 1952. Smith also performed and starred in the magic circle for the We also welcome donations in any amount to hardwood Globetrotters. He attended the Jerry Malloy support our efforts in providing scholarships, library Negro League Conference this past summer in grants and honoring black baseball history. $$$ Indianapolis at the J.W. Marriott. The Courier, September, 2011 – a SABR publication – Page 5 of 6

Plaque Dedication for fallen Congressional Gold Medal Honor he U.S. Senate recently joined the House of Philadelphia Police Detective: Representatives in approving the awarding of George L. Williams Tthe Congressional Gold Medal, our Nation’s ecently on June 29, in Philadelphia, outside 16th highest civilian honor, to the Montford Point and South Street, a Police Hero Plaque was Marines. More than 19,000 African Americans Runveiled honoring Detective George L. trained at Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Williams, who was killed in the line of duty on Carolina. Wednesday, January 9, 1918. Today, about 120 of these men are living. One of The Plaque for Detective Williams was the 98th tribute to these men saw combat action on Iwo Jima is a fallen Philadelphian officer, and the sixth dedication in former Negro League, and Major League pitcher, 2011. He was 44 years old, and a 12-year veteran of the Rev. Bill Greason. force. Williams was survived by his wife and five children. U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, of Alabama’s 6th Congressional District, is working on the timing to Detective Williams was shot and killed in a gun battle present this significant award to Rev. Greason. with five men outside a saloon at the above location. He Other players Dan Bankhead and William was the first African American detective in Philly’s McNeely were also Montford Point Marines but Police Department. with reported duty assignments stateside.

One of the original members recruited by Frank P. Information provided by Bryan Steverson. Thompson to play on the Cuban Giants at Argyle Hotel in Babylon, New York, Williams played second base, Opportunities . . . . first base and third base. Two $2,500 scholarships for the best Essay If you are a High School Senior go to: http://www.larrylester42.com/assets/Images/Ev ents/2012-scholarship.pdf and download your application for the 1,000 word essay writing contest. The deadline is February 22, 2012, so hurry!

Two $1,000 Library Grants available. Go to: http://www.larrylester42.com/assets/Images/Ev ents/2012-Library-Grant.pdf and download your application. The deadline is March 19, 2012. ======SABR’s Negro Leagues Committee His career from 1885 to 1902 also included assignments Larry Lester Co-chair, [email protected] with the New York Gorhams, Philadelphia Giants, Dick Clark Co-chair,[email protected] Colored Monarchs, and the Cuban X-Giants. As a member of the Cuban Giants, they were crowned the The Courier is a quarterly newsletter published by the colored champions in 1887 and 1888. Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); in March, June, September and December. Inquiries, Local sponsorship of the George submissions and research requests can be sent to Larry Williams’ plaque included the Lester. Buffalo Soldiers organization, and To receive your personal copies of this newsletter join historian Frank Carelli. SABR by clicking here. For more information about SABR’s Negro Leagues Committee click here. Copyright © 2011 SABR. All Rights Reserved. The Courier, September, 2011 – a SABR publication – Page 6 of 6