The average baseball fan can probably name a few Negro league teams. The Kansas City Monarchs, the Homestead Grays, and Indianapolis Clowns are the most well known, but dozens of cities had them, including Cincinnati.
As soon as organized baseball started taking shape in the late 1800s, so did the ridiculous notion that the leagues being formed be whites-only. That didn’t stop African Americans, and other players of color, from forming teams. However, instead of playing in organized leagues like the whites-only teams, the Negro teams took to barnstorming or simply traveling from city to city, playing local and regional opponents.
The first organized Negro league didn’t appear until 1920, though there was one brief attempt to set one up in 1887, two years after the formation in Trenton, New Jersey of the Cuban Giants, the first professional Negro team.
Cincinnati Browns
The National Colored Base Ball League (base and ball two words on purpose), which did not include the Giants, lasted only two weeks. One of the cities represented, though, was Cincinnati which had a team called the Browns. That squad never played a league game but continued as a barnstorming team.
Cincinnati Cuban Stars
A professional Negro league team wouldn’t call Cincinnati home until 1921 when the Cuban Stars (West), members of the Negro National League, arrived in the Queen City. There was another similarly named team known as the Cuban Stars (East). The West team changed its name to the Cincinnati Stars and spent one season playing in the Reds' ballpark, Redland Field, before returning to their previous status as a road team.
1920 Cuban Stars (West) who became the Cincinnati Stars in 1921
Cincinnati Tigers
In 1934, Olympic track star DeHart Hubbard formed the Cincinnati Tigers using many players from the semi-pro club Excelsior, which Hubbard had also run. The Tigers became a minor league affiliate of the powerful Homestead Grays, who were based in Pittsburgh. Playing home games at Crosley Field, the team joined the Negro American League in 1937 for that circuit's inaugural season. They finished in second place, seven games behind the league champion Kansas City Monarchs. Despite the strong showing, and crowds of up to 15,000, the team folded at the end of that campaign.
Cincinnati Buckeyes
In 1942, Cincinnati was again represented in the Negro National League with the formation of the Buckeyes. The team played seven home games in Cincinnati and nine in Cleveland, making them the Cincinnati-Cleveland Buckeyes. In 1943, Cleveland became their sole home.
Cincinnati Clowns
However, that same year a team known as the Ethiopian Clowns, a barnstorming team formed in the late 1920s in Florida as the Miami Giants, moved into Crosley Field, joined the Negor American League, and became the Cincinnati Clowns. The team’s reputation for silly antics and top-notch baseball skills was well known. A 1942 newspaper article stated: “The Ethiopian Clowns, who appear in clown suits only during their preliminary workout...display one of the flashiest teams in the world.”
The Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns
That same year, the Clowns played, and won, exhibition games against white-only minor league teams including the Baltimore Orioles, Minneapolis Millers, and Newark Bears, as well as the Philadelphia Athletics and St. Louis Browns from Major League Baseball.
Starting in 1944, the team split time between Cincinnati and Indianapolis, before permanently settling in Indy for the 1947 season, the Nego American League’s last as a major league. When the league dissolved in 1955, The Clowns became a barnstorming team and played until 1962.
Cincinnati Manggrums
Another Cincinnati Negro baseball team of note was the semi-pro Cincinnati Manggrums, sponsored by Walnut Hills drugstore owner William Manggrum. They played in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The team was managed by Tom “Lefty” McCracken, who also played and was one of the team’s leading hitters. He had also played in the Negro American League. The team also featured a talented second baseman named Tex Conley as well as slugging outfielder Glen Smith. Pitching aces included “Speedball” Davis and Dave McClean.
The Cincinnati Manggrums
In 1947, the color barrier was finally broken, first by Jackie Robinson in the National League, then, 11 weeks later, by Larry Doby in the American League. As more Major League teams signed Black and Latin ballplayers, the quality of the Negro Leagues quickly declined. The first African-American player signed by the Reds was Chuck Harmon, who made his Major League debut on April 17, 1954, against the Braves in Milwaukee’s County Stadium.
134 comments
Evelyn Dawson
I was reading through Facebook when I saw a post about the legit spell caster called Dr Kachi who has helped people in winning the lottery ticket. I’m a woman who’s addicted playing the lottery and always put all my faith in buying the ticket I lost all my money of all time and my effort trying to win my game, until I met my old friend who told me the Secret of her wealth that Dr Kachi who cast lottery spell winning number for her to play the Powerball ticket that change her life, it was she that directed me to Dr Kachi. i explained to him i want to win the Mega millions, Dr Kachi instructed me on what to do which i did and he told me to wait 24hours for him to cast the winning numbers, i went to buy my ticket and play the numbers which Dr Kachi gave to me and it was surprise when i find out i won the sum of ($109.9 Million Dollars Cash Value) for Friday night’s drawing Mega Million Jackpot and than the whole thing looks wonderful, That’s the most amazing thing i have ever experience with winning the lottery spell. i believed him and today i am glad to let you all know that this spell caster have the power to help you win big amount in lottery game, because i am now happy with my life. words Ain’t enough to say thank you Sir. and from the deepest part of my heart, i will show my gratitude by sharing this testimony all over the world let people seek for your help to win the Lotto Game, and be happy like me today: Text Number and Call: +1 (209) 893-8075 Email: drkachispellcast@gmail.com his Website: https://drkachispellcast.wixsite.com/my-site
Thomas Gibson
I want to use this opportunity to tell the whole world on how I become rich and famous. I’m 93 years old. I was passing through difficulty in business and there was no hope of me coming out of my debt. I borrow money in my bank to do my business and I run at lost on the business I got frustrated and decided to be playing lottery to see if I can win and make my business grow and I have played for years now nothing good is coming my way on till I meet someone online talking about Dr Ayoola on the internet. He was taking about how this Dr Ayoola help him to win mega million lottery game. I said to myself if this is true and decide to contact him and told him to help me as well I later read more about this man and see how he has been helping people all over the world. I have faith in him and choose to work with him. After working with him he told me what I need to do for the number to be given to me which I did after he finish working he said I will have a dream and the number will be review to me in the dream. That night has I was sleeping I dream a number immediately he call me and gave me the same number I dream of and ask me to go and play the number. Today I’m here testifying of the good work he did for me I played the number and I won the sum of 1, 000,000 million dollars in a lotto max. You can contact Dr Ayoola for help if you want to win big in lottery game he has the gift of giving right number contact him today and thank me email him today Via email: drayoolasolutionhome@gmail. com or https://www.facebook.com/Dr-Ayoola-105640401516053/ text or call +14809032128
Laura Hobson
I was really stressed by Acid reflux issues with my newborn and had consulted Chief Dr Lucky. He gave us a thorough consultation and the medicines were equally effective. In a couple of weeks there was big improvement in my son and we are very pleased with the progress. We cannot thank Chief Dr Lucky enough. Highly recommended.
Email chiefdrlucky@gmail.com
WhatsApp +2348132777335
Facebook page http://facebook.com/chiefdrlucky
Aira
Your work is very good and I appreciate all your effort in sharing this. Hoping for some more informative posts in future as well. Thank you for sharing great information with us.
카지노 보증 업체 제이나인
제이나인 먹튀 없는 사이트
사설 먹튀 검증 제이나인
제이나인 검증 카지노
마닐라 카지노 제이나인
https://www.j9korea.com/
Albert Walker
Good day to all viewer online, my name is Albert Walker I am so overwhelmed sharing this great testimony on how i was checking for solution in the internet while miraculously i came across Dr Kachi who brought my ex Girlfriend back to me, This is the reason why i have taken it upon myself to thank this great spell caster called Dr Kachi, because through his help my life became more filled with love and i am happy to say that my ex Girlfriend who has been separated from me for the past 2years came back to me pleading for me to accept her back, This was a shocking to me my partner is very stable, faithful and closer to me than before, because before i contacted Dr Kachi i was the one begging my ex Girlfriend to come back to me but through the assistance of Dr Kachi, I now have my relationship restored. You can also have a better relationship only if you Contact Dr Kachi Website, https://drkachispellcast.wixsite.com/my-site OR Email: drkachispellcast@gmail.com You can reach him Call and Text Number:+1 (209) 893-8075
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.