ED BOLDEN - owned the Hilldale Club of Darby, PA., one of the best Negro League teams of the 1920s. To draw large crowds, white clubs often booked Hilldale as an opponent. In 1923, Hilldale played 93 of its 149 games against white teams. The Great Depression hit the city of Philadelphia hard, and had a devastating impact on black baseball. In 1933, Ed Bolden teamed up with white booking agent Eddie Gottlieb to form the Philadelphia Stars, a new black professional team made up of a mix of local amateurs and professionals, some of whom had played for Bolden’s Hilldale club. The Stars joined the Negro National League

GUS GREENLEE - Owner of the Pittsburgh Crawfords from 1931 to 1939. Greenlee helped organize the new National Negro League and the East-West all-star game, the Negro Leagues' showcase event. Read more about Gus by clicking the image.

EFFA MANLEY - The great baseball owner and manager of the Negro League team the Newark Eagles.  She was believed to be the last surviving owner of a franchise of a black baseball team.  Read more about Effa by clicking the image.

ALEX POMPEZ - Owned the New York Cubans for the duration of the Negro National League. He also served as Vice President of the Negro National League. Read more about Alex by clicking the image.

CUMBERLAND POSEY - assembled the Homestead Grays into a baseball powerhouse. Posey signed Hall-of-Famers Josh Gibson, Judy Johnson, Oscar Charleston, Cool Papa Bell, and Martin DiHigo.

JAMES “Soldier Boy” SEMLER - owned NY Black Yankees with partner (and tap dancer) Bill "Bojangles" Robinson

JAMES LESLIE [J.L.] WILKINSON

Born: May 14, 1878, Algona Died: Aug. 21, 1964, Kansas City
ACCOMPLISHMENTS : Influential developer of the multi-racial barnstorming All Nations team and founding member and secretary of the Negro National League, in which he served as the only white owner. . . . Pioneered a portable lighting system for the Monarchs in 1930, five years before major-league clubs adopted night games. . . . Signed a cluster of Hall of Famers: Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell, Bill Foster, Willie Wells, Joe Rogan, Turkey Stearnes, Hilton Smith and Jackie Robinson. . . . Signed Robinson to his first professional baseball contract in 1945, then watched Robinson break the major-league color line two years later. . . . His franchise won Negro World Series titles in 1924 and 1942 and 10 league pennants. Read more about Thomas by clicking the image.

THOMAS T. WILSON - Formed the semi-pro Nashville Standard Giants in 1918 and in 1921 he renamed the club “Elite Giants.”  He also served as an officer of the Negro Southern League and Negro National League.
Read more about Thomas by clicking the image.

Baseball from the Negro Leagues East-West all-star game of 1937.  Buck Leonard, first baseman for the Homestead Grays, hit a home run to help the East win, 7-2, and kept this baseball as a souvenir of the game.

In 1947, when racial integration of major-league baseball effectively ended the need for the Negro Leagues, this baseball became a piece of history. Leonard, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, saved this ball for nearly forty-five years before finally donating it to the Smithsonian in 1981.

1942 East-West All Star Game Ticket Stub

August 25, 1934 ticket to see the Monarchs play the Grays

Sept. 19, 1947 - Negro World Series Ticket to a game between the NY Cubans and the Cleveland Buckeyes

1930’s broadside boasts the coming of “The Original Negro Whiskered Ball Club.” 

1945 Broadside.  The Negro baseball leagues were formed in reaction to the ban of African Americans from Major League baseball dating back to 1887. This ad, printed in 1945, was the year that Jackie Robinson signed with the Dodgers, marking the beginning of the end of the Negro Leagues.

1943 Broadside. The Zulu Cannibal Giants were formed in 1938, a concept inspired by the war in Ethiopia. Hoping to draw a white fan following, the team would get into role while playing in grass skirts, painted faces, and even bare feet. This team was home to some of the best talent in the Negro League, among them the likes of Howard Easterling and Buck O’Neil.

1946 West Coast Negro Baseball League broadside announcing game between the Seattle Steelheads and the San Diego Tigers.

1940’s Broadside announcing an upcoming game between the Memphis Red Sox and the Kansas City Monarchs.

John Durr Wise and his brother, Robert V. Wise donated some land in Hazlehurst, Mississippi to build Hazlehust Ball Park. The Wise family found this original broadside poster in an old building that the family built in 1917.

John Durr Wise and his brother, Robert V. Wise donated some land in Hazlehurst, Mississippi to build Hazlehust Ball Park. 

The Wise family found this original broadside poster in an old building that the family built in 1917 (click to enlarge).

For a limited time, you can contact John D. Wise III to order reproduction copies of this ad.  Cost is $15 plus shipping.

(Collectors please note: Many of these items have been reproduced by modern methods and are difficult to tell from the authentic items. These photos reflect items that are likely to be replicas of the originals)

JAPAN 1927 and 1932, the Philadelphia Royal Giants, a team of Negro League All-Stars, traveled to Japan. Led by Biz Mackey, Rap Dixon and Frank Duncan, during the two tours they won 46, lost one, and tied one game. The Negro League players were given a great reception in Japan and helped the Japanese refine their baseball tactics. The success of these trips may have influenced a number of ex-Negro League players to join Japanese pro teams during the 1950s. In this incredibly rare Japense sports magazine (1927), the cover shot is of a Japanese player shaking hands with the Philadelphia Stars Biz Mackey and inside pages show American players black and white; one photo even shows Emperor Hirohito throwing a ball with black players watching -- something no American leader would have done at the time.
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LEFT: Art “Superman” Pennington and Bill “Ready” Cash are shown posing for this 1952 Culiacan, MEXICO photo. 

Many Negro League players felt more welcome in Cuba, Mexico, and other South American cities than they did in United States.

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BELOW: A casual moment for the players on the 1947 Santurce, Puerto Rico team.

Many Negro Leaguers went south to play winter ball to hone their skills and to earn a living during the off season.

Negro League players Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, and Jackie Robinson are featured on United States Postage Stamps. 

In total, the 20 baseball players that were honored on the 33¢ Legends of Baseball stamps are all members of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame and were among the 100 nominees for the All-Century Team chosen by fans and baseball experts during 1999.  Issue date - July 6, 2000; Atlanta, Ga. DESIGN: illustrator -- Joseph Saffold, Savannah, Ga.; designer, typographer and art director -- Phil Jordan, Falls Church, Va.; modeler -- Joseph Sheeran, Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd. "Legends of Baseball," All Century Team logo, "CLASSIC COLLECTION," ©USPS 2000";USPS item No.5603.

Typical ads found in the Negro newspapers announcing upcoming games. These come from the Washington Afro American newspaper, 1947