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List of minor Negro league baseball teams

This list of minor Negro league baseball teams consists of teams that played in the various minor Negro baseball leagues, as well as the independent teams, teams that played in proto-leagues and teams that played after integration.

In Negro league baseball, organized major league play began in 1920, however informal "proto" leagues arose in the 1880s. Most teams up to about 1920 were able to survive, and even profit, by barnstorming small towns and playing local semi-pro teams. After 1920, most teams found financial security by forming leagues, but it was common for teams each season to play as many games outside of the league's schedule. Generally, leagues in the north were major while leagues in the south were minor.

With the integration of Organized Baseball beginning 1946, Negro leagues lost elite players to white leagues causing former major Negro leagues to slip to minor league status, and historians do not consider any Negro league "major" after 1950. By default, leagues established after integration are considered minor league, as is the one of two 1940s majors that continued after 1950. Also at this time, Negro leagues began to appear in the west.

Below are some of the better-documented leagues:

Proto-leagues
Minor leagues
Post-integration

Below is the list of minor Negro league teams. Teams in bold are considered to have been of major league caliber for at least one season of their existence. Other teams included in this list were either a semi-pro, barnstorming or traveling team and not necessarily a member of a league.

Alabama

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Birmingham Black Barons19201961NSL (1920–23, 26, 31–36)
NNL1 (1924–25, 27–30)
NAL (1937–38, 40–61)
  • NSL was a minor league every season except 1932
  • Did not field a team for 1939
[1]
Birmingham Giants19071909Independent (1907–09)[2]
Mobile Black Bears[3]
Mobile Tigers[citation needed]
Montgomery Grey Sox (I)19201921NSL (1920)
Independent (1921)		[4]
Montgomery Grey Sox (II)19311932Independent (1931)
NSL (1932)		[5]

Arkansas

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Gurdon Panthers19511951Arkansas–Louisiana–Texas League[6]
Hot Springs Arlingtons
  • Hot Springs Blues (1904)
18961904Southern Negro League (1897)Rube Foster (1901)[7]
Little Rock Black Travelers[3]
Little Rock Quapaws18961900Southern Negro League (1897)[8]

California

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Los Angeles White Sox19461946WCNBL (1946)[9]
Oakland Larks19461946WCNBL (1946)[10]
San Diego Tigers19461946WCNBL (1946)[11]
San Francisco Sea Lions19461946WCNBL (1946)[12]

Colorado

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Denver White Elephants[citation needed]

Connecticut

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Ansonia Cuban Giants18911891Connecticut State LeagueThe Ansonia Cuban Giants were an all-black team in an otherwise all-white league[citation needed]

District of Columbia

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Washington Capital Citys18871887National Colored Base Ball League (1887)Folded before playing an official game[13][14][15]
Washington Potomacs club
  • Washington Potomacs (1923–24)
  • Wilmington Potomacs (1925)
19231925Independent (1923)
ECL (1924–25)		[3]
Washington Homestead Grays
(See Homestead Grays)		1939c. 1950sNNL2 (1939–48)
Independent (1949–c. 50s)
  • Split home games in Pittsburgh
  • Alternately known as Washington Grays later
  • Sparingly used Pittsburgh as home field after c. 1948
[16]

Florida

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Ethiopian Clowns
(See Indianapolis Clowns)		c. 1930s1942Independent (c. 1930s–42)
  • Based in Miami
  • Also known as Miami Giants c. 1930s
[citation needed]

Georgia

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Atlanta Black Crackers (I) club
  • Atlanta Black Crackers (I) (1919–38)
  • Indianapolis ABCs (IV) (1939)
19191939Ind.(19,22–25,28,30–31,33–34,37)
NSL(I)(20–21,26–27,29,32,35–36)
NAL (1938–39)
  • NSL was a minor league every season except 1932
  • Disestablished May 1939
[17][18]
Atlanta Black Crackers (II)19431949Independent (1943–44)
NSL (II) (1945–47)
NAA (1948–49)		[17]

Illinois

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Chicago American Giants19101952Independent (1910–19)
NNL1 (1920–31)
NSL (1932)
NNL2 (1933–35)
Independent (1936)
NAL (1937–52)
  • Formed via 1909 split of Leland Giants
(See Leland Giants entry)
  • Known as Leland Giants (II) 1910
  • Also known as Cole's American Giants 1932–35
  • Moved majority of home games temporarily to Indianapolis 1933
[19]
Chicago Brown Bombers19451945USL (1945)[20]
Chicago Columbia Giants18991900Independent (1899–1900)
  • Merged with Chicago Unions to become Chicago Union Giants 1901
  • (See Leland Giants entry)
[21]
Chicago Giants19101921Independent (1910–19)
NNL1 (1920–21)
  • Formed via 1909 split of Leland Giants
(See Leland Giants entry)
[22]
Chicago Unions18871900Independent (1887–1900)
  • Merged with Chicago Columbia Giants to become Chicago Union Giants 1901
  • (See Leland Giants entry)
[23]
Leland Giants19011909Independent (1901–09)
  • Formed via 1901 merger of:
Chicago Unions (1887–1900)
Chicago Columbia Giants (1899–1900)
  • Known as Chicago Union Giants 1901–04
  • Split after 1909 to form:
Chicago Giants
(See Chicago Giants entry)
Leland Giants (II)
(See Chicago American Giants entry)
[24][25]

Indiana

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Indianapolis ABCs (I)c. 19131926Independent (1913–19)
NNL1 (1920–26)		[18]
Indianapolis Clowns club
  • Miami Giants (c. 1930s)
  • Ethiopian Clowns (c. 1930s–42)
  • Cincinnati Clowns (1943)
  • Indianapolis–Cincinnati Clowns (1944)
  • Cincinnati Clowns (1945)
  • Indianapolis Clowns (1946–62)
c. 1930s1962Independent (c. 1930s–42)
NAL (1943–55)
Independent (1956–62)		[citation needed]

Kansas

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Kansas City Giants19091911Independent (1909–11)[26]

Kentucky

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Louisville Black Colonels[3]
Louisville Buckeyes
(See Cleveland Buckeyes)		19491949NAL (1949)[27]
Louisville Fall City18871887NCBBL (1887)[28]
Louisville White Sox (1914–1915)19141915Independent (1914–15)[29]
Zulu Cannibal Giants19341937Independent (1934–37)
  • Based in Louisville
[23]

Louisiana

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Detroit–New Orleans Stars
(See Detroit Stars (IV))		19601961NAL (1960–61)
  • Folded after 1961 season
[30]
Monroe Monarchs1920s1935Negro Southern League (1932)
  • NSL only organized league to complete the 1932 season
    (Considered de facto Major League)
[31]
New Orleans Ads19201920Negro Southern League (1920)
  • Team often referred to as the Caulfield Ads
[32]
New Orleans Black Pelicans19261950Negro Southern League (1926)
Independent (1927–29, 1932–44, 1946–49)
Texas Colored League (1930–31)
Negro Southern League (1945, 1950)		[33]
New Orleans Creoles19451952Independent (1945–46, 1952)
Negro Southern League (1947–48, 1950–51)
Negro Texas League (1949)		[33]
New Orleans Crescent Stars19211937Independent (1921–22, 1932–37)[30]
New Orleans Eagles
(See Newark Eagles)		19501951NAL (1950–51)
  • Folded after 1951 season
[34]: 5 
New Orleans Stars19241924Independent (1924)[33]

Maryland

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Baltimore Black Sox (I)19161933Independent (1916–22)
ECL (1923–28)
ANL (1929)
Independent (1930–31)
EWL (1932)
NNL2 (1933)		[35]
Baltimore Elite Giants club
  • Nashville Standard Giants (1919–20)
  • Nashville Elite Giants (1921–34)
  • Columbus Elite Giants (1935)
  • Washington Elite Giants (1936–37)
  • Baltimore Elite Giants (1938–51)
19191951Independent (1919–29)
NNL1 (1930)
NSL (1931–1932)
NNL2 (1933–48)
NAL (1949–51)
  • Dissolved around 1951
[36]
Baltimore Lord Baltimores18871887NCBBL (1887)[37]
Baltimore Grays19421942NML (1942)
  • Played in Edgewater Beach, MD

Massachusetts

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Boston Resolutes18871887NCBBL (1887)[38]
Boston Royal GiantsIL (1906)
  • Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1906
  • Known as Quaker Giants 1906
[citation needed][39]
Boston Blues19461946USL (1946)[40]

Michigan

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Detroit Stars (I)19191931Independent (1919)
NNL1 (1920–31)		[41]
Detroit Stars (IV) club
  • Detroit Stars (IV) (1954–57)
  • Detroit Clowns (1958)
  • Detroit Stars (IV) (1959)
  • Detroit–New Orleans Stars (1960–61)
19541961NAL (1954–61)[citation needed]
Page Fence Giants18951898Independent (1895–98)
  • Based in Adrian, Michigan
[42]

Minnesota

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Minneapolis Keystones
St. Paul Colored Gophers19071911Independent (1907–11)
  • Played as the Twin City Gophers 1911
[43]
Twin City Colored Giants[citation needed]

Missouri

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Kansas City Monarchs19201965NNL1 (1920–31)
Independent (1932–36)
NAL (1937–61)
Independent (1962–65)
  • Later based in Grand Rapids, MI 1956–65
[44]
Kansas City Royal Giants19101912Western Independent Clubs (1910–1912)[45]
St. Louis Stars (I)19061931Independent (1906–19)
NNL1 (1920–31)
  • Known as St. Louis Giants 1906–21
[46]

New Jersey

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Bacharach Giants (I)19161929Independent (1916–22)
ECL (1923–28)
ANL (1929)		[citation needed]
Cuban Giants1885c. 1915Independent (1885–1906)
NA (1907–09)
Independent (1910–c. 15)
  • Based in Trenton
  • Part of team split after 1896 to form Cuban X-Giants
  • After split, known as Genuine Cuban Giants or Original Cuban Giants
[47]
Cuban X-Giants18971907Independent (1897–1905)
IL (1906)
NA (1907)
  • Formed via 1896 split of Cuban Giants
  • Based in Trenton
[48]
Jersey City Colored Athletics[citation needed]
Newark Dodgers19331935Independent (1933)
NNL2 (1934–35)
  • Merged with Brooklyn Eagles to become Newark Eagles 1936
  • (See Newark Eagles entry)
[49]

New York

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Brooklyn Royal Giants19051942Independent (1905–06)
NA (1907–09)
Independent (1910–22)
ECL (1923–27)
Independent (1928–42)
  • Deteriorated to minor league status by the 1930s
[50]
Harlem Stars[citation needed]
Lincoln Giants19111930Independent (1911–22)
ECL (1923–26)
Independent (1927)
ECL (1928)
ANL (1929)
Independent (1930)
  • Based in New York City
[51]
Lincoln Stars19141917Independent (1914–17)
  • Based in New York City
[52]
New York Black Yankees19311959Independent (1931–35)
NNL2 (1936–48)
Independent (1949–59)
  • Known as Harlem Black Bombers 1931
[53]
New York Cubans19351950NNL2 (1935–36)
NNL2 (1939–48)
NAL (1949–50)
  • Did not field a team 1937–38
[54]
Schenectady Mohawk Giants19131914Independent (1913–14)[55]

Ohio

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Cincinnati Browns18871887NCBBL (1887)
  • Played no league games due to NCBBL folding
  • Played independent of a league briefly, then folded
[citation needed]
Cleveland Buckeyes club
  • Cincinnati-Cleveland Buckeyes (1942)
  • Cleveland Buckeyes (1943–48)
  • Louisville Buckeyes (1949)
  • Cleveland Buckeyes (1950)
19421950NAL (1942–50)
  • Half of 1942 home schedule in Cincinnati, half in Cleveland
  • Disbanded mid-season 1950
[27]

[56]

Dayton Marcosc. 1910sc. 1930sIndependent (c. 1910s–19)
NNL1 (1920)
Independent (1921–25)
NNL1 (1926)
Independent (1927–c. 30s)		[57]
Toledo Rays19451945USL[58]

Oklahoma

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Oklahoma Monarchs19101910Independent (1910)[59]

Oregon

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Portland Rosebuds19461946WCNBL (1946)[60]

Pennsylvania

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Active Club of Philadelphia1800s[61]
Anchor Giantsearly 1900s[61]
Bacharach Giants (II)19311942Independent (1931–33)
NNL2 (1934)
Independent (1935–42)		[citation needed]
Harrisburg Giants19221927Independent (1922–23)
ECL (1924–27)		[62]
Harrisburg Monrovians[citation needed]
Hilldale Club19161932Independent (1916–22)
ECL (1923–28)
ANL (1929)
Independent (1930–31)
EWL (1932)
  • Also known as Hilldale Daisies, Darby Daisies
  • Based near Philadelphia
[63]
Homestead Grays club
  • Homestead Grays (c. 1912–38)
  • Washington Homestead Grays (1939–c. 50s)
  • Washington Grays (1939–c. 50s)
c. 1912c. 1950sIndependent (c. 1912–28)
ANL (1929)
Independent (1930–31)
EWL (1932)
Independent (1933–34)
NNL2 (1935–48)
Independent (1949–c. 50s)
  • Based near Pittsburgh
  • Started to split home games with Washington, D.C. 1939
  • Sparingly used Pittsburgh as home field after c. 1948
[16]
Philadelphia Pythians18671887Independent (1867–86)
NCBBL (1887)		[64]
Philadelphia Giants19021916Independent (1902–05)
IL (1906)
NA (1907–09)
Independent (1910–16)		[65][66]
Philadelphia Stars19331952Independent (1933)
NNL2 (1934–48)
NAL (1949–52)		[67]
Pittsburgh Crawfords club
  • Pittsburgh Crawfords (1931–38)
  • Toledo Crawfords (1939)
  • Indianapolis Crawfords (1940)
19311940Independent (1931–32)
NNL2 (1933–38)
NAL (1939–40)		[68]
Pittsburgh Keystones (I)18871887NCBBL (1887)[69]

Tennessee

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Chattanooga Black Lookouts19201927NSL (1920, 1926–27)
  • Folded after 1920 season; re-established 1926
  • Minor league farm team for Homestead Grays 1926–27
[70]
Chattanooga Choo-Choos19401946NSL (1940–46)[citation needed]
Knoxville Giants19201932NSL (1920–22, 1931–32)
  • Folded after 1922 season; re-established 1931
[71]
Memphis Red Sox19231962Independent (1923)
NNL1 (1924–25, 27–30)
NSL (1926, 31–36)
NAL (1937–62)		[72]
Nashville Elite Giants
(See Baltimore Elite Giants)		19191934Independent (1919–29)
NNL1 (1930)
NSL (1931–1932)
NNL2 (1933–34)
  • Known as Nashville Standard Giants 1919–20
[36]

Texas

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Austin Black Senators[citation needed]
Brenham Merchants[citation needed]
Dallas Black Giants19081949
Houston Eagles
(See Newark Eagles)		19491950NAL (1949–50)
  • Relocated to New Orleans after 1950 season
[49][73]
San Antonio Black Bronchos19081909Independent (1908–09)[74]
San Antonio Black Indians[citation needed]

Washington

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Seattle Steelheads19461946WCNBL (1946)[75]

Traveling teams

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
All Cubans18991905Independent
  • Precursor of Cuban Stars (West)
[citation needed]
All Nations19121925Independent
  • Based out of Kansas City MO and Des Moines IA
[citation needed]
Chappie Johnson's Stars[citation needed]
Colored House of David[citation needed]
Cuban Stars (East) club
  • New York Cuban Stars (1916–19)
  • Havana Cuban Stars (1920)
  • Cuban Stars (East) (1921–c. 34)
1916c. 1934Independent (1916–22)
ECL (1923–28)
ANL (1929)
Independent (1930–c. 34)
  • Played road games primarily in the New York and northeast region of the US
[citation needed]
Cuban Stars (West) club
  • Cuban Stars of Havana (1906–19)
  • Cincinnati Cuban Stars (1920–21)
  • Cuban Stars (West) (1922–32)
19061932IL (1906)
NA (1907–09)
Independent (1910–19)
NNL1 (1920–30)
Independent (1931)
EWL (1932)
  • Played road games for its first five years primarily in the eastern states near New York City and Philadelphia
  • By 1916 the team was competing primarily in the northern midwestern states
  • Based in Cincinnati 1920–21 and then returned to playing only road games
[citation needed]
Ethiopian Clowns
(See Indianapolis Clowns)		c. 1930s1942Independent (c. 1930s–42)
  • Generally based out of Miami
[citation needed]
Mineola Black Spidersc. 1932c. 1937Independent
  • Generally based out of northern Iowa
[citation needed]
New York Gorhams18861892Independent (1886)
NCBBL (1887)
Independent (1888–92)
  • Generally based out of various East coast cites from New Jersey to Connecticut
[76]
Secret Nine19311931Independent[33]
Tennessee Ratsc. 1911c. 1926Independent
  • Generally not considered a Negro league team
  • Based out of Holden MO
[citation needed]


References

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