Joshua Gibson was an American baseball catcher primarily in the Negro leagues. Baseball historians consider Gibson among the best power hitters and catchers in baseball history. In 1972,he became the second Negro league player to be inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Monford Merrill "Monte" Irvin was an American left fielder and right fielder in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball (MLB) who played with the Newark Eagles,New York Giants (1949–1955) and Chicago Cubs (1956). He grew up in New Jersey and was a standout football player at Lincoln University. Irvin left Lincoln to spend several seasons in Negro league baseball. His career was interrupted by military service from 1943 to 1945.
The Negro American League was one of the several Negro leagues created during the time organized American baseball was segregated. The league was established in 1937,and disbanded after its 1962 season.
The second Negro National League 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 founded in 1933 by businessman Gus Greenlee of Pittsburgh.
Walter Fenner "Buck" Leonard was an American first baseman in Negro league baseball and in the Mexican League. After growing up in North Carolina,he played for the Homestead Grays between 1934 and 1950,batting fourth behind Josh Gibson for many years. The Grays teams of the 1930s and 1940s were considered some of the best teams in Negro league history. Leonard and Gibson are two of only nine players in league history to win multiple batting titles.
Willie James Wells,nicknamed "The Devil," was an American baseball player. He was a shortstop who played from 1924 to 1948 for various teams in the Negro leagues and in Latin America.
Willard Jessie Brown,nicknamed "Home Run" Brown,was an American baseball player who played outfielder in the Negro leagues for the Kansas City Monarchs and in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Browns. For the Monarchs,he led the Negro American League in hits for eight seasons and runs batted in (RBI) seven times during his career. His eight times leading a league in hits is tied with Ty Cobb for most in baseball history while his seven times leading in RBI for a league is tied for second-most in baseball history with Josh Gibson;Gibson and Brown also finished in the top two in batting average in five seasons each,most in Negro league history. He is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Adolfo Domingo De Guzmán "Dolf" Luque was a Cuban starting pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1914 to 1935. Luque was enshrined in the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957 and the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1967,as well as in the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985. Luque was not only the first Latino pitcher in MLB,but also the first to win a World Series victory,and the first to lead the Leagues in wins and shutouts.
Cumberland Willis "Cum" Posey Jr. was an American baseball player,manager,and team owner in the Negro leagues,as well as a professional basketball player and team owner.
Raymond Brown was an American right-handed pitcher in Negro league baseball,almost exclusively for the Homestead Grays.
Andrew Lewis Cooper,nicknamed "Lefty",was an American left-handed pitcher in baseball's Negro leagues. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. An alumnus of Paul Quinn College,Cooper played nine seasons for the Detroit Stars and ten seasons for the Kansas City Monarchs,and briefly played for the Chicago American Giants. The Texan was 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) tall and weighed 220 pounds.
Walter Kirby Higbe was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1937 to 1950. Best known for his time with the Brooklyn Dodgers,he was a two-time National League (NL) All-Star.
George Cornelius Smith was a second baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1963 through 1966 for the Detroit Tigers (1963–1965) and Boston Red Sox (1966). Listed at 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m),170 lb.,Smith batted and threw right-handed. A native of St. Petersburg,Florida,he attended Michigan State University.
Samuel Howard Bankhead was an American baseball player in the Negro leagues. He played from 1931 to 1951. He also played for the Dragones de Ciudad Trujillo along with Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson. In 1951,he became the first black coach in Minor League Baseball when he was a player-manager for the Farnham Pirates of the Provincial League. He played in several East-West all-star games from 1933 to 1946.
Jerry Charles Benjamin was an American Negro league baseball center fielder who played from 1931 to 1948. He played for the Knoxville Giants,Memphis Red Sox,Indianapolis ABCs/Detroit Stars,Birmingham Black Barons,Homestead Grays,Newark Eagles,and New York Cubans. Benjamin was part of the famous Grays that won nine pennants in eleven years,for which Benjamin was part of eight Negro National League pennant teams along with two Negro World Series championships in four Series appearances. In those contests,he batted .220 with five total runs batted in (RBI) while stealing five bases in eighteen hits. A three-time East-West All-Star,he had a .372 batting average in 1943. He led the league in a variety of categories over his sixteen season career. He led the league in triples twice. In 1937,he led the league in walks (thirty),stolen bases (thirteen),games (52). He led the league in stolen bases (thirteen) in 1930. He led the league in at-bats four times. In center field,he led the league six times in games played,twice in putouts,three times in assists,and two times each in errors committed and double plays.
Leonard Curtis Pearson,nicknamed "Hoss",was an American baseball first baseman in the Negro leagues. He played from 1937 to 1949,playing mostly with the Newark Eagles.
Marshall Lewis "Jit" Riddle was an American baseball infielder in the Negro leagues. He played from 1937 to 1943,playing mostly with the St. Louis Stars.
Lloyd Benjamon Davenport was an American baseball outfielder who played for several clubs of the Negro and Minor leagues during 17 seasons spanning 1934–1953. Listed at 5' 4" (1.65 m),150 lb. (68 kg),Davenport batted and threw left-handed. Born in New Orleans,Louisiana,he was nicknamed Ducky.
