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Rare & early report of an African-American baseball game...
Rare & early report of an African-American baseball game...
Item # 693120
October 24, 1884
ST. LOUIS GLOBE-DEMOCRAT, Oct. 24, 1884
* 19th century African American baseball players
Page 8 has a rather detailed report headed: "Why Two Colored Nines Failed to Finish" which is a report on this baseball game between the Newark Base Ball Club, and the Alpine Base Ball Club.
The report begins: "The high fence and sloping banks of Washington Park, Brooklyn, enclosed eighteen very happy colored men yesterday..." with much more on the game.
We very rarely find 19th century reports of African-American baseball teams.
Twelve pages, drinking and irregularity to the bottom of the front leaf only, a bit irregular at the blank spine, good condition.
AI notes: In 1884, despite the racial segregation that excluded African Americans from the major leagues, several pioneering players and teams were making significant contributions to the development of the game. Moses "Fleetwood" Walker became the first African American to play in a major league game, appearing as a catcher for the Toledo Blue Stockings in the American Association; though his career was short-lived due to racial prejudice, his participation marked a crucial step toward breaking the color barrier. At the same time, other players like Bud Fowler and Frank Grant were excelling in independent teams and minor leagues, with Fowler playing for various barnstorming teams and Grant gaining recognition as a standout second baseman in the International League. African American baseball flourished in segregated circuits, with teams like the Cuban Giants traveling the country for exhibition games, showcasing the talents of African American players who were excluded from organized professional baseball. Though these players faced immense challenges, their resilience laid the foundation for the eventual integration of the sport, and their contributions remained integral to the growth of baseball in America.
Category: Post-Civil War
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