Napoleon Gulley (August 29, 1924 – August 21, 1999) was an American

Negro league 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 ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

in the 1940s.

Early life

Napoleon Gulley was born on August 29, 1924, in

Huttig, Arkansas Huttig is a city in Union County, Arkansas, Union County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 597 at the United States Census 2010, 2010 census. Geography Huttig is located at (33.038999, -92.183797). According to the United States Censu ...

, to parents Roland G. Gulley and Cinderella Fountain. He attended

Vashon High School Vashon High School is a high school of the St. Louis Public Schools in St. Louis, Missouri. When it opened in 1927, it was the second high school for black students in St. Louis. History Designed by Rockwell M. Milligan, the school opened on Sep ...

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

, where he played baseball, basketball, and football.

Playing career

Major Leagues

Kansas City Monarchs

At the age of 16 while playing for local semi pro teams in Missouri, Gulley was signed by

Dizzy Dismukes William "Dizzy" Dismukes (March 15, 1890 – June 30, 1961) was an American pitcher and manager in Negro league baseball and during the pre-Negro league years. Career Dismukes was a right-handed submariner, who is considered by many historians t ...

, then general manager of the

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 ...

. Gulley briefly joined the Monarchs in spring training before he was traded to the

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 ...

Birmingham Black Barons

Gulley was a member of the Black Barons pitching staff in 1941 and 1942, though he did not make any recorded appearances in league play.

Cleveland Buckeyes

Gulley joined the

Cleveland Buckeyes The Cleveland Buckeyes were a Negro league baseball team that played from 1942 to 1950 in the Negro American League. The Buckeyes played in two Negro World Series, defeating the Washington Homestead Grays in 1945, and losing to the New York Cub ...

in 1943 and remained on the pitching staff through 1945. Gulley is credited with a single league appearance (a complete game loss) with Cleveland, though he often pitched in spring training and exhibitions for the club. In 1943, Gulley suffered an unspecified injury and was sidelined by July. Unhappy with limited playing time in 1945, Gulley asked for and received his unconditional release. Shortly after, he then joined former Black Barons teammate

Ted Radcliffe Theodore Roosevelt "Double Duty" Radcliffe (July 7, 1902 – August 11, 2005) 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 ...

on Abe Saperstein's Harlem Globetrotters baseball team.

Chicago American Giants

Gulley joined the American Giants late in the 1946 season for a barnstorming tour with the Chicago Brown Bombers, but did not appear in any league games with the club.

Newark Eagles

Gulley joined the

Newark Eagles The Newark Eagles were a professional Negro league baseball team which played in the Negro National League from 1936 to 1948. They were owned by Abe and Effa Manley. History Formation The Newark Eagles were formed in 1936 when the Newark Do ...

in 1947. In Newark, Gulley appeared in 3 recorded league contests, losing 2 of them.

Minor Leagues

Seattle Steelheads

Following his release from the Buckeyes, Gulley pitched for the Globetrotters. When the Globetrotters rebranded as the

Seattle Steelheads The Seattle Steelheads were a Negro league baseball team from Seattle, Washington. Owned by Abe Saperstein, they were also known as the Harlem Globetrotters and Cincinnati Crescents, though occasionally the teams split and played each other. F ...

in the

West Coast Negro Baseball Association The West Coast Negro Baseball Association (WCNBA) was one of the several Negro baseball leagues created during the time organized baseball was segregated. The WCNBA was organized as a minor league in 1946 by Abe Saperstein and Jesse Owens as a m ...

in 1946, Gulley remained with the club.

Barnstorming

After leaving the Steelheads for the Chicago American Giants a month into the 1946 season, he would later reappear with the Cincinnati Crescents, the next evolution of the Steelheads after their league folded. Gulley continued to appear sporadically with numerous teams including the Detroit Senators, Kansas City Royals, and the (rebranded again) Globetrotters. He also teamed up with other Black major leaguers and prospects in 1948, touring the country with the Jackie Robinson All-Stars. While barnstorming, Gulley played outfield on days he wasn't pitching.

= Car accident

= While on the road with the Senators in 1947, Gulley was injured along with 5 teammates when their bus experienced a brake system failure collided with a shed in Covington, Kentucky. Gulley was treated and released at a local hospital for lacerations on his hands and legs.

Mexican League

In 1948, Gulley was recruited with a number of Americans to play in the integrated Mexican League. He spent 1948 with the Alijadores de Tampico. In 1949, Gulley split time between Tuneros de San Luis Potosi and

Diablos Rojos del Mexico The Diablos Motorcycle Club, or Diablos MC for short, is a " one-percenter" outlaw motorcycle club that has chapters in cities across the United States. John E. Irvin, president of the Diablos' San Fernando Valley chapter, and Thomas E. Pastor, ...

Canada

Following his time in Mexico, Gulley moved North to the independent

Provincial League Provincial League (formerly known as Professional League) also known as Pro League was the old regional Football league in Thailand in 1999–2008. It was founded in 1999 under the name "Provincial League" organized by Sports Authority of Thailan ...

in 1949, splitting the season between the Farmham Pirates and St. Jean Braves.

Chicago American Giants

in addition to his time in Mexico and Canada, Gulley rejoined 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 ...

in 1949, now considered a minor league level team.

Brooklyn Dodgers organization

In 1950, Gulley caught the eye of the Brooklyn Dodgers and was signed to a minor league contract. He was assigned to the Class C

Santa Barbara Dodgers The Santa Barbara Dodgers was the main nickname of minor league baseball teams in the Class A California League based in the Pacific Ocean coastal resort city of Santa Barbara, California. History The Santa Barbara Dodgers were an affiliate of th ...

of the California League but never played a game with them due to alleged verbal abuse by manager Bill Hart. He then retired for 90 days on the recommendation of minor league president

George Trautman George M. "Red" Trautman (January 11, 1890 – June 25, 1963) was an American baseball executive and college men's basketball coach. Ohio State As an undergraduate at the Ohio State University, Trautman was a three-sport letterwinner in footbal ...

, making him free to sign with any club he wanted.

Visalia Cubs

Gulley then signed with the Visalia Cubs, also in the California League. With Visalia, he transitioned to the outfield full time and hit .292 in his first season. Gulley became a mainstay and fan favorite and remained with the Cubs through 1952, then rejoining them in 1954.

Victoria Tyees

In 1953, Gulley moved up to the Class A

Victoria Tyees The Victoria Tyees were a minor league baseball team based in Victoria, British Columbia. They originally played in the Class B (baseball), Class B level Northwest International League in 1919. From 1952 to 1954, a team of the same name played in th ...

, hitting .270 in only 28 games.

Spokane Indians

In 1955 he joined the Class B

Spokane Indians The Spokane Indians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Spokane Valley, the city immediately east of Spokane, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest. The Indians are members of the High-A Northwest League (NWL) as an affiliate of the Color ...

of the Northwest League, hitting .361 and driving in 126 RBI.

Salinas Packers

Gulley returned to California and played with the

Salinas Packers Salinas may refer to: People *Salinas (surname) Places Americas Latin America * Salinas (ancient lake), in the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia * Salinas, Minas Gerais, a municipality in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil * Playa Grande, Costa Ri ...

, a Milwaukee Braves affiliate, in 1956. During a game against the Fresno Cardinals, Gulley fractured his wrist after he was hit by a pitch. The injury effectively ended his career in baseball.

Career highlights

* In 1946, Gulley pitched a no-hit, no-run game against a team of major and minor league all-stars at San Diego. * Gulley led the 1952 California League in doubles with 43.

Pitching style

While pitching, Gulley was known for his fastball, though his "out pitch" was an overhand drop curveball.

Life after baseball

After retiring from baseball, Gulley moved to Chicago and opened a graphic arts business. In 1998, Gulley was honored by the Milwaukee Brewers and added to their Negro League Wall of Fame at County Stadium, later moved to Miller Park.

Death and legacy

He died in

Skokie, Illinois Skokie (; formerly Niles Center) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, neighboring the City of Chicago's northern border. Its population, according to the 2020 census, was 67,824. Skokie lies approximately north of Chicago's do ...

, in 1999 at age 74. In 2019, Gulley was posthumously elected to the Union County, Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

References

External links

an
Seamheads
* Nap Gulley a
Negro League Baseball Players Association
* Nap Gulley a
Arkansas Baseball Encyclopedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gulley, Nap 1924 births 1999 deaths Cleveland Buckeyes players Newark Eagles players Baseball pitchers People from Union County, Arkansas Baseball players from Arkansas Seattle Steelheads players Alijadores de Tampico players Tuneros de San Luis Potosí players Farnham Pirates players St. Jean Braves players Diablos Rojos del México players Visalia Cubs players Victoria Tyees players Spokane Indians players Salinas Packers players Kansas City Monarchs players Birmingham Black Barons players 20th-century African-American sportspeople