The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans and,to a lesser extent,Latin Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in 1920 that are sometimes termed "Negro Major Leagues".
The first Negro National League (NNL) was one of the several Negro leagues that were established during the period in the United States when organized baseball was segregated. The league was formed in 1920 with former player Rube Foster as its president.
John Henry Lloyd,nicknamed "Pop" and "El Cuchara",was an American baseball shortstop and manager in the Negro leagues. During his 27-year career,he played for many teams and had a .343 batting average. Lloyd is considered to be the greatest shortstop in Negro league history,and he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.
Theodore Roosevelt "Double Duty" Radcliffe was a professional baseball player in the Negro leagues. An accomplished two-way player,he played as a pitcher and a catcher,became a manager,and in his old age became a popular ambassador for the game. He is one of only a handful of professional baseball players who lived past their 100th birthdays. When he died,he was thought to be the oldest living professional baseball player,but it was later discovered that Silas Simmons was born seven years earlier,in 1895. Red Hoff died at 107.
John Wesley Donaldson was an American baseball pitcher in Pre-Negro league and Negro league baseball. In a career that spanned over 30 years,he played for many different Negro league and semi-professional teams,including the All Nations team and the Kansas City Monarchs. Researchers so far have discovered 667 games in which Donaldson is known to have pitched. Out of those games,Donaldson had over 400 wins and 5,081 strikeouts as a baseball pitcher. According to some sources,he was the greatest pitcher of his era.
August Rodney Mancuso,nicknamed "Blackie",was an American professional baseball player,coach,scout and radio sports commentator. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals,New York Giants,Chicago Cubs (1939),Brooklyn Dodgers (1940) and Philadelphia Phillies (1945).
The following are the baseball events of the year 1981 throughout the world.
Cristóbal Torriente called Babe Ruth of Cuba,was a Cuban outfielder in Negro league baseball with multiple teams. He played from 1912 to 1932 and was primarily a pull hitter,though he could hit with power to all fields. He had a stocky and slightly bowlegged build,but was known for deceptive power and a strong,accurate arm from center field. Indianapolis ABC's manager C.I. Taylor stated,"If I see Torriente walking up the other side of the street,I would say,'There walks a ballclub.'" Torriente was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.
George C. Gibson,nicknamed Mooney,was a Canadian professional baseball player,coach,scout,and manager. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1905 to 1918 during a period in baseball history known as the Dead-ball era. Gibson spent the majority of his athletic career with the Pittsburgh Pirates before serving as a player-coach for the New York Giants for his final two seasons. He later became a minor league manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs before returning to the major leagues as a manager for the Pirates and the Chicago Cubs.
James Raleigh "Biz" Mackey was an American catcher and manager in Negro league baseball. He played for the Indianapolis ABCs (1920–1922),New York Lincoln Giants (1920),Hilldale Daisies (1923–1931),Philadelphia Royal Giants (1925),Philadelphia Stars (1933–1935),Washington and Baltimore Elite Giants (1936–1939),and Newark Dodgers/Eagles.
Louis Santop Loftin was an American baseball catcher in the Negro leagues. He became "one of the earliest superstars" and "black baseball's first legitimate home-run slugger" (Riley),and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Clarence James "Bubber" Jonnard was a Major League Baseball catcher. He played for the Chicago White Sox in 1920,the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1922,the Philadelphia Phillies in 1926,1927 and 1935,and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1929. He played 103 Major League games with 235 at bats,54 hits,no home runs and 20 RBIs. His lifetime batting average was .230,with a .267 on-base percentage and a .268 slugging percentage. As a fielder,he caught 86 games with a fielding percentage of .960. On December 13,1927,he was part of a trade in which the Phillies received pitcher Jimmy Ring and catcher Johnny Schulte from the Cardinals in exchange for Jonnard,infielder Jimmy Cooney and outfielder Johnny Mokan.
George Walter Ball was an American baseball pitcher in the Negro leagues. Born in Detroit,Michigan,from 1893 he played ten years as the only black player on minor white teams in Minnesota and North Dakota. For more than a decade beginning 1903,he played for major teams,mainly in the Chicago region. Sources say he was given the nickname "The Georgia Rabbit" and "Diamond."
Frank Lee Duncan Jr was a baseball player in the Negro leagues from 1920 to 1948. He was primarily a catcher for the Kansas City Monarchs,handling their pitching staff from 1921 through 1934 as the team won five pennants between 1923 and 1931. While playing part-time,he managed the Monarchs to two pennants in 1942 and 1946. He caught two no-hitters with the Monarchs,in 1923 and 1929.
Cornelius Randall Robinson was a professional baseball player in the Negro leagues. Cornelius was also known by his nicknames Neil,Neal,and Shadow. He primarily played centerfield,but also played short stop,left field,and third base. He played from 1930 to 1952,mostly for the Memphis Red Sox. He also played with the Homestead Grays and Cincinnati Tigers. He was best known as a power hitter. Robinson had several seasons with a batting average greater than .300,and in 1939 and 1940,he won back-to-back Negro American League home run titles.
George "Chappie" Johnson Jr. was an American baseball catcher and field manager in the Negro leagues. He played for many successful teams from 1895 to 1920 and he crossed racial boundaries as a teacher and coach.
Carroll Ray "Dink" Mothell,often known as "Dink" Mothell was a catcher and utility player who played for 15 years in the Negro leagues. Known for his versatility,Mothell played every position. It was said you could use him "most any place,any time."
William H. Binga was an American third baseman,catcher and manager in the pre-Negro league baseball era. Born in Michigan,Binga played most of his career in Chicago,Illinois,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,and Minneapolis,Minnesota.
William Thomas Pettus was an American baseball first baseman in the Cuban League and Negro leagues. He played from 1902 to 1921 with several teams.
