The first Negro National League (NNL) was one of the several
Negro leagues
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 ...
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
Andrew "Rube" Foster (September 17, 1879 – December 9, 1930) was an American baseball player, manager, and executive in the Negro leagues. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981.
Foster, considered by historians to have been per ...
as its president.
League history
Founding
Led by
Rube Foster
Andrew "Rube" Foster (September 17, 1879 – December 9, 1930) was an American baseball player, manager, and executive in the Negro leagues. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981.
Foster, considered by historians to have been per ...
, owner and manager of the
Chicago American Giants
The Chicago American Giants were a Chicago-based Negro league baseball team. From 1910 until the mid-1930s, the American Giants were the most dominant team in black baseball. Owned and managed from 1911 to 1926 by player-manager Andrew "Rube" F ...
, the NNL was established on February 13, 1920, by a coalition of team owners at a meeting in a
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more ...
YMCA
YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...
. The new league was the first African-American baseball circuit to achieve stability and last more than one season. At first the league operated mainly in
midwestern
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
cities, ranging from Kansas City in the west to
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
in the east; in 1924 it expanded into the
south
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
, adding franchises in
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Birmingham is the seat of Jefferson County, Alabama's most populous county. As of the 2021 census estimates, Birmingham had a population of 197,575, down 1% fr ...
, and
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...
.
Competition
The two most important east coast clubs, the
Hilldale Club
The Hilldale Athletic Club (informally known as Darby Daisies) were an American professional Negro league baseball, Negro league baseball team based in Darby, Pennsylvania, west of Philadelphia.
Established as a boys team in 1910, the Hilldales we ...
of
Darby, Pennsylvania
Darby is a borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The borough is located along Darby Creek southwest of Center City, Philadelphia, Center City Philadelphia. The borough of Darby is distinct from the near ...
, and the
Bacharach Giants
The Bacharach Giants were a Negro league baseball team that played in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Founding
The club was founded when two African-American politicians moved the Duval Giants of Jacksonville, Florida, to Atlantic City in 1916 an ...
of Atlantic City, were affiliated with the NNL as associate clubs from 1920 to 1922, but did not compete for the championship. In 1923 they and four other eastern teams formed the
Eastern Colored League
The Mutual Association of Eastern Colored Clubs, more commonly known as the Eastern Colored League (ECL), was one of the several Negro leagues, which operated during the time organized baseball was segregated.
League history
Founding
The ECL ...
(ECL) and raided the NNL for many of its top players, including
John Henry Lloyd
John Henry Lloyd (April 25, 1884 – March 19, 1964), 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. Lloy ...
,
Biz Mackey
James Raleigh "Biz" Mackey (July 27, 1897 – September 22, 1965) 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), P ...
,
George Scales
George Louis Scales (August 16, 1900 - April 15, 1976), nicknamed "Tubby", was an American second baseman and manager in Negro league baseball, most notably with the New York Lincoln Giants and Baltimore Elite Giants. Born in Talladega, Alabama, ...
,
George Carr, and
Clint Thomas
Clinton Cyrus Thomas (November 25, 1896 – December 2, 1990), nicknamed "Hawk", was a professional baseball player born in Greenup, Kentucky. He was an outfielder and second baseman in the Negro leagues from 1920 to 1938, where he earned the nic ...
, and signing
Oscar Charleston
Oscar McKinley Charleston (October 14, 1896 – October 5, 1954) was an American center fielder and manager in Negro league baseball. Over his 43-year baseball career, Charleston played or managed with more than a dozen teams, including the Home ...
, and
Rube Curry in 1924. The war between the two leagues came to an end in 1924, when they agreed to respect each other's contracts and arranged for the
Colored World Series
The Negro World Series was a post-season baseball tournament that was held from 1924 to 1927 and from 1942 to 1948 between the champions of the Negro leagues, matching the mid-western winners against their east-coast counterparts. The series was a ...
between their champions.
Difficulties and demise
The NNL survived controversies over umpiring, scheduling, and what some perceived as league president Rube Foster's disproportionate influence and favoritism toward his own team. It also outlasted Foster's decline into mental illness in 1926, and its eastern rival, the ECL, which folded in early 1928. The NNL finally fell apart in 1931 under the economic stress of the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
.
Legacy
The
Negro American League
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.
Negro American League franchises
:''Ann ...
, founded in 1937 and including several of the same teams that played in the original Negro National League, would eventually carry on as the
western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
circuit of black baseball. A
second Negro National League was organized in 1933, but eventually became concentrated on the
east coast
East Coast may refer to:
Entertainment
* East Coast hip hop, a subgenre of hip hop
* East Coast (ASAP Ferg song), "East Coast" (ASAP Ferg song), 2017
* East Coast (Saves the Day song), "East Coast" (Saves the Day song), 2004
* East Coast FM, a ra ...
.
To distinguish between the two unrelated leagues, they are usually referred to as the first Negro National League (NNL I) and the second Negro National League (NNL II).
Negro National League franchises
:''Annual final standings:
1920,
1921,
1922
Events
January
* January 7 – Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic), Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes.
* January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éirean ...
,
1923,
1924,
1925
Events January
* January 1
** The Syrian Federation is officially dissolved, the State of Aleppo and the State of Damascus having been replaced by the State of Syria.
* January 3 – Benito Mussolini makes a pivotal speech in the Italia ...
,
1926,
1927,
1928,
1929
This year marked the end of a period known in American history as the Roaring Twenties after the Wall Street Crash of 1929 ushered in a worldwide Great Depression. In the Americas, an agreement was brokered to end the Cristero War, a Catholic ...
,
1930,
1931
Events
January
* January 2 – South Dakota native Ernest Lawrence invents the cyclotron, used to accelerate particles to study nuclear physics.
* January 4 – German pilot Elly Beinhorn begins her flight to Africa.
* January 22 – Sir I ...
*
Chicago American Giants
The Chicago American Giants were a Chicago-based Negro league baseball team. From 1910 until the mid-1930s, the American Giants were the most dominant team in black baseball. Owned and managed from 1911 to 1926 by player-manager Andrew "Rube" F ...
(1920–1931) – Known as the Chicago Columbia Giants in 1931; Associate team 1931.
*
Chicago Giants (1920–1921)
*
Cuban Stars (1920–1930) – Known as the Cincinnati Cubans in 1921.
*
Dayton Marcos
The Dayton Marcos were a Negro league baseball team based from Dayton, Ohio that played during the early twentieth century.
Founding and early years
The Dayton Marcos history predates the formal organized leagues of Negro league baseball. As an ...
(1920,
1926)
*
Detroit Stars
The Detroit Stars were an American baseball team in the Negro leagues and played at historic Mack Park. The Stars had winning seasons every year but two, but were never able to secure any championships. Among their best players was Baseball Hall of ...
(1920–1931)
*
Indianapolis ABCs
The Indianapolis ABCs were a Negro league baseball team that played both as an independent club and as a charter member of the first Negro National League (NNL). They claimed the western championship of black baseball in 1915 and 1916, and fini ...
(1920–1924, 1925–1926) – Dropped from league mid-season 1924 but returned the following season.
*
Kansas City Monarchs
The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri, and owned by J. L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 19 ...
(1920–1931) – Associate team 1931.
*
St. Louis Giants (1920–1921) – Replaced by St. Louis Stars in 1922, which was virtually the same team with new owners.
**
St. Louis Stars (1922–1931) – Replaced the St. Louis Giants.
*
Columbus Buckeyes (1921)
*
Cleveland Tate Stars
The Cleveland Tate Stars were a Negro league baseball team from 1919 through 1923. They played as an independent (non-affiliated) team from 1919 through 1921, and joined the Negro National League in 1922. In their only season as a full-fledged le ...
(1922–1923) – Dropped out mid-season 1923.
**
Toledo Tigers
The Toledo Tigers were a Negro National League team that operated during the season, its only season in the league, representing Toledo, Ohio. It played its home games at Toledo's Swayne Field, home of the minor league Mud Hens.
The team was ...
(1923) – Mid-season replacement for Cleveland Tate Stars.
*
Pittsburgh Keystones (1922)
*
Milwaukee Bears
The Milwaukee Bears were a Negro National League team that operated during the 1923 season. It s only season in the league representing Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Founding
The team was one of two (the Toledo Tigers being the other) created to fil ...
(1923)
*
Birmingham Black Barons
The Birmingham Black Barons were a Negro league baseball team that played from 1920 until 1960. They shared their home field of Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, with the white Birmingham Barons, usually drawing larger crowds and equal pr ...
(1924–1925, 1927–1930) – Associate team 1931.
*
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
(1924)
*
Memphis Red Sox
The Memphis Red Sox were an American Negro league baseball team that was active from 1920 to 1959. Originally named the Barber College Baseball Club, the team was initially owned and operated by Arthur P. Martin, a local Memphis barber. In the la ...
(1924–1925, 1927–1930) – Mid-season replacement in 1924 for Indianapolis ABCs.
*
Cleveland Elites The Cleveland Elites were a Negro league baseball team in the Negro National League, based in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1926. In their only season, they failed to finish the second half of the season.
References
African-American history in Clevel ...
(1926) – Closely related to both Cleveland Hornets and Cleveland Tigers.
*
Cleveland Hornets The Cleveland Hornets were a baseball team in the Negro National League, based in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1927. The Hornets played their home games at Hooper Field. Frank Duncan served as player-manager.
Roster
References
African-American ...
(1927) – Closely related to both Cleveland Elites and Cleveland Tigers.
*
Cleveland Tigers (1928) – Closely related to both Cleveland Hornets and Cleveland Elites.
*
Nashville Elite Giants
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
(1930) – Became Cleveland Cubs for 1931 season.
** Cleveland Cubs (1931) – Returned to Nashville in 1932 after NNL folded.
*
Indianapolis ABCs (2nd team) (1931)
*
Louisville White Sox
The Louisville Black Caps were a professional Negro league baseball team based in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisvi ...
(1931)
*
Columbus Blue Birds
The Columbus Blue Birds were a professional Negro league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio in 1931 and 1933.
Founding
Their name appears to have been derived from that of the Columbus Red Birds, the top-level minor league baseball team th ...
– Associate team 1931.
*
Cuban House of David – Associate team 1931.
Member timeline
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bar:KCM # Kansas City Monarchs
bar:STL # St. Louis Stars
bar:COL # Columbus Buckeyes
bar:CTS # Cleveland Tate Stars
bar:TOL # Toledo Tigers
bar:PIT # Pittsburgh Keystones
bar:MIL # Milwaukee Bears
bar:BIR # Birmingham Black Barons
bar:CLB # Cleveland Browns
bar:MEM # Memphis Red Sox
bar:CLE # Cleveland Elites
bar:CLH # Cleveland Hornets
bar:CLT # Cleveland Tigers
bar:NAS # Nashville Elite Giants / Cleveland Cubs
bar:IN2 # Indianapolis ABCs (II)
bar:LOU # Louisville White Sox
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# Note on dates: A team's bar begins with the season that team played its first game, and ends with the season after that team played its last game. For example, the Cleveland Tate Stars played their first game in 1922 and played their last game in 1923. Therefore, their bar goes from 1922 to 1924.
bar:CAG from:1920 till:1932 color:orange text:"Chicago American Giants" $Right2
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bar:LOU from:1931 till:1932 color:vegasgold text:"Louisville White Sox" $Right2
*1920: Formation of NNL consisting of 8 teams – Chicago American Giants, Detroit Stars, Kansas City Monarchs, Indianapolis ABCs, St. Louis Giants, Cuban Stars, Dayton Marcos and Chicago Giants.
*1921: Dropped Dayton Marcos; Added Columbus Buckeyes.
*1922: Dropped Columbus Buckeyes, Chicago Giants; Added Cleveland Tate Stars, Pittsburgh Keystones.
*1923: Dropped Cleveland Tate Stars (mid-season), Pittsburgh Keystones; Added Toledo Tigers (mid-season), Milwaukee Bears.
*1924: Dropped Toledo Tigers, Milwaukee Bears, Indianapolis ABCs (mid-season); Added Cleveland Browns, Birmingham Black Barons, Memphis Red Sox (mid-season).
*1925: Dropped Cleveland Browns; Re-added Indianapolis ABCs.
*1926: Dropped Memphis Red Sox, Birmingham Black Barons; Added Cleveland Elites, re-added Dayton Marcos.
*1927: Dropped Dayton Marcos, Indianapolis ABCs; Re-added Birmingham Black Barons, Memphis Red Sox.
*1929: Dropped Cleveland Tigers.
*1930: Added Nashville Elite Giants.
*1931: Dropped Memphis Red Sox, Birmingham Black Barons, Cuban Stars; Added Louisville White Sox, (new) Indianapolis ABCs. League fell apart before season end.
League champions
Pennant winners
From 1920 through 1924, the team in first place at the end of the season was declared the Pennant winner. Due to the unorthodox nature of the schedule (and little incentive to enforce it), some teams frequently played many more games than others did in any given season. This led to some disputed championships and two teams claiming the title. The 1931 season did not finish all games, which meant that while St. Louis was awarded the title, non-member
Pittsburgh Crawfords
The Pittsburgh Crawfords, popularly known as the Craws, were a professional Negro league baseball team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team, previously known as the Crawford Colored Giants, was named after the Crawford Bath House, a recre ...
disputed their status as champion. From 1924 to 1927, the pennant champion went to play in the
Negro World Series
The Negro World Series was a post-season baseball tournament that was held from 1924 to 1927 and from 1942 to 1948 between the champions of the Negro leagues, matching the mid-western winners against their east-coast counterparts. The series was ...
. Generally, the team with the best
winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...
(with some minimum number of games played) was awarded the Pennant, but other times it was the team with the most victories. The "
games behind
In most North American sports, the phrase games behind or games back (often abbreviated GB) is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division.
Example
In the below standings fr ...
" method of recording standings was uncommon in most black leagues.
† – Pennant was decided via a split-season schedule with the winner of the first half of the season playing the winner of the second half of the season, unless one team won both halves.
League play-offs
From 1925 through 1931, the NNL split the season into two halves. The winner of the first half played the winner of the second half for the league Pennant. As mentioned above, disputes also occurred in the split season finishes. 1929 and 1931 saw Kansas City win both halves.
Colored World Series
For the duration of the league, a Colored World Series took place four times, from 1924 through 1927. The NNL Pennant winner met the champion of the rival
Eastern Colored League
The Mutual Association of Eastern Colored Clubs, more commonly known as the Eastern Colored League (ECL), was one of the several Negro leagues, which operated during the time organized baseball was segregated.
League history
Founding
The ECL ...
. Three out of the four years, the Negro National League team (below in bold) won.
;Legend
* Denotes a
tied game.
Notes
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Negro National League (1920-1931)
Negro baseball leagues
Defunct baseball leagues in the United States
African-American sports history
Sports leagues established in 1920
Sports leagues disestablished in 1931
1920 establishments in the United States
1931 disestablishments in the United States