September 13-20, 1935: Pittsburgh Crawfords rally from 3-1 deficit to beat New York Cubans in Negro League World Series

From left, Leroy Matlock, Oscar Charleston, boxer John Henry Lewis, Satchel Paige, and Josh Gibson pose in front of the Pittsburgh Crawfords team bus at Greenlee Field in Pittsburgh. (NOIRTECH RESEARCH, INC.)

The Pittsburgh Crawfords faced the New York Cubans in the 1935 Negro National League Championship Series. The Crawfords finished the season with the best overall record in the league, and had won the first half of the season with a 24-6 record.1 After a weak first half, the Cubans played excellent ball and captured the second-half title, which earned them the right to play against the Crawfords in the best-of-seven series for the league championship. During the regular season, the two teams had played each other eight times. The Crawfords had dominated in those games, winning five and losing only one, with two games ending in ties.2

The Cubans were an excellent ballclub. Under the ownership of Alex Pompez, the team was playing its first season as a member of this second incarnation of the Negro National League, which was now in its third year. Pompez’s roster was populated primarily by Latinos, including players from Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. Their best player was their manager, Martin Dihigo, a Cuban who was an extremely versatile player, even for his time. Dihigo was a great offensive player, who usually played the outfield and third base, and he was also an outstanding pitcher. Alejandro Oms was another tremendous player as was Rap Dixon, who joined the Cubans through a trade from the Brooklyn Eagles about halfway through the 1935 season. Perhaps the greatest strength of the Cubans was their pitching staff, which featured Schoolboy Johnny Taylor, who at 19 years old was playing in his first season. The staff had two other excellent pitchers, veteran left-hander Neck Stanley and fellow southpaw Luis Tiant Sr.

There was strong interest in the series as demonstrated by the coverage in both the black and white press. However, especially in the black newspapers, there was considerably more coverage of the coming Joe Louis/Max Baer fight for boxing’s heavyweight championship, which was to take place on September 24 at Yankee Stadium. The newspapers featured cover stories and full pages of articles regarding Louis’s training and preparation for the fight. Regardless, fans of black baseball who attended the games in New York, Pittsburgh, or Philadelphia witnessed one of the greatest postseason series in baseball history.

Game One
Friday, September 13, 1935
Dyckman Oval, New York City
New York Cubans 6, Pittsburgh Crawfords 2

The opening game of the Championship Series was played on Friday night, September 13, at Dyckman Oval in New York City, the home park of the Cubans. About 7,500 attended the game. The umpires for the entire series were John Craig, Judy Gans, Bert Gholston, and Mo Harris. Craig and Gholston were reputed to be among the best umpires in the league, and Gans and Harris were former players. The pitching matchup featured Frank Blake for the Cubans and Sam Streeter for the Crawfords. There is no question that the Cubans prevailed in the game, 6-2. It is unusual that, although the final score was reported the same everywhere, the game stories and line scores reported by the New York Age and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette differ significantly. The Post-Gazette reported that the Cubans came from behind to win, powered by a pair of two-run home runs by Rap Dixon. It also reported that the Cubans committed three errors in the game. In addition to recounting a different game story, the New York Age provided a box score for the game. The box score showed Dixon with two hits but no runs scored. It indicated that the only extra-base hit in the game was a double by the Cubans’ first baseman, Dave “Showboat” Thomas. Given that the Age was the paper local to where the game was played, and the specificity provided by the box score, it is deemed the more reliable source. Additionally, a very brief story in the New York Daily News stated that “Rap Dixon starred for New York, getting two safeties,” thus corroborating the New York Age story. Regardless of the specifics of the game, the Cubans were able to take the first game of the series behind timely hitting and the pitching of Frank Blake, who pitched a complete game and scattered six hits.3

Game Two
Saturday, September 14, 1935
44th and Parkside, Philadelphia
New York Cubans 4, Pittsburgh Crawfords 0

Game Two of the Championship Series was played at the 44th and Parkside ballpark in Philadelphia starting at 4:30 P.M. The Cubans were the home team for the game at the neutral site. The attendance was estimated to be about 2,000, the size of the crowd held back by threatening weather. The game was delayed for 35 minutes because three of the four umpires did not know where it was to be played. Once the game began, Cubans starter Neck Stanley faced off against Roosevelt Davis for the Crawfords. Game stories provided few details, aside from the dominant pitching of Stanley, who held the Crawfords to four singles while striking out six and walking three in a complete-game effort. The Cubans hit Crawfords hurler Davis hard, scoring four runs on 11 hits. Despite the multitude of hits, Davis allowed runs only in the fifth and sixth innings and pitched a complete game. Clyde Spearman was the hitting star for the Cubans, blasting a home run in the fifth and driving in three of the four Cubans runs.4 The surprising Cubans now led the series 2-0.

Game Three
Sunday, September 15, 1935
Dyckman Oval, New York
Pittsburgh Crawfords 3, New York Cubans 0

The third game of the Championship Series was played Sunday afternoon, September 25, back at Dyckman Oval. The pitching matchup featured the teams’ best starters, Leroy Matlock for the Crawfords and Johnnie Taylor for the Cubans. Matlock was probably the best pitcher in the Negro National League in 1935 and had won all eight league games he started while sporting an ERA of 1.52. Schoolboy Johnnie Taylor had pitched more league innings than anyone on the Cubans’ staff. An estimated 5,000 fans made their way to the Sunday afternoon game, including a delegation of 200 people from Pittsburgh. In the top of the first inning, the Crawfords scored with two outs when Pat Patterson singled and scored on Josh Gibson’s triple. The Crawfords picked up another run in the fifth when Cool Papa Bell tripled to the left-field bleachers and scored as the relay throw was juggled in the infield. In the sixth, Oscar Charleston walloped a home run over the center-field wall to make the score 3-0. Matlock scattered six hits and two walks while striking out nine.5 The Cubans now led the series two games to one.

Game Four
Tuesday, September 17, 1935
Greenlee Field, Pittsburgh
New York Cubans 6, Pittsburgh Crawfords 1

Game Four of the series was played on Tuesday afternoon, September 17, at Greenlee Field in Pittsburgh, the home park of the Crawfords. Dihigo named himself the Cubans’ starter and faced Matlock, who was pitching on only one day’s rest for the Crawfords. Pittsburgh scored first when, in the second inning, Josh Gibson singled and was knocked home. Matlock kept the Cubans’ bats quiet until the fifth inning, when he gave up the tying run. He surrendered the lead when he allowed another Cubans tally in the sixth. Matlock was chased from the game in the eighth inning when the Cubans scored four runs, and was relieved by Ernest “Spoon” Carter. Although a box score for the game was published, neither it nor the game stories provided many details regarding the play-by-play. Clyde Spearman and Lazaro Salazar were reported to have hit home runs, although it is unclear in which inning(s) they were hit. It was clear that the star of the game was Dihigo, who pitched effectively and held the Crawfords to one run. The Cubans now led the series three games to one, which put them on the verge of taking the series from the mighty Crawfords.6

The formidable starting outfield of the 1935 Pittsburgh Crawfords: Sam Bankhead (LF), Cool Papa Bell (CF), and Jimmie Crutchfield (RF). (NOIRTECH RESEARCH, INC.)

Game Five
Wednesday, September 18, 1935
Greenlee Field, Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Crawfords 3, New York Cubans 2

The fifth game of the series was played in the afternoon on Wednesday, September 18, again at Greenlee Field. Frank Blake, who got the win in Game One for the Cubans, went up against Rosey Davis for the Crawfords. Jimmie Crutchfield scored in the first inning to give the Crawfords the early lead, and he scored again in the third inning. Davis pitched well for the Crawfords, and kept the Cubans scoreless until the sixth, when Lazaro Salazar scored. The Crawfords held their tight lead until the top of the ninth, when Cocaina Garcia, pinch-hitting for Cubans catcher Frank Duncan, lofted a home run to tie the game. In the bottom of the ninth, Davis singled and Cool Papa Bell ran for him. Bell took second on a groundout by Crutchfield. Chester Williams bunted back to the pitcher. As Bell ran for third, Blake uncorked a wild throw to Dihigo at the hot corner that allowed Bell to score the winning run. The Crawfords had survived to play another day. The Cubans now led three games to two.7

Game Six
Thursday, September 19, 1935
44th and Parkside, Philadelphia
Pittsburgh Crawfords 7, New York Cubans 6

For Game Six of the Championship Series, the teams traveled back to Philadelphia where they played on Thursday night, September 19. The Crawfords played as the home team. Bert Hunter made his first appearance in the series as he started the game for Pittsburgh. The Cubans’ moundsman was Neck Stanley, who had pitched masterfully in Game Two. This time neither Stanley nor Hunter was terribly sharp. For the first six innings, the game went back and forth. The Cubans took the lead in the first, the Crawfords scored twice in the second, and the Cubans tied the game in the top of the fourth. Schoolboy Johnny Taylor relieved Stanley and gave up a run in the bottom of the fifth. The Cubans answered again with a run in the top of the sixth. In the seventh inning the Cubans scored twice more to knock Hunter out of the game. Bill Harvey, who also was making his first appearance for the Crawfords in the series, came in and got out of the seventh inning. After the Crawfords went down quietly in their half of the seventh, the Cubans scored again in the top of the eighth to build a three-run lead and drive Harvey to the bench. Leroy Matlock completed the inning unscathed and held the Cubans in check in the top of the ninth.

The Crawfords were behind 6-3 and were on the verge of losing the series when they came to bat in the bottom of the ninth. Rather than going down quietly, they put together one of the most improbable playoff rallies in baseball’s history. Dihigo, who had pitched brilliantly in Game Four, put himself on the mound to attempt to close out the game. He retired Cool Papa Bell for the first out but then allowed Chester Williams to reach base. After Bill Perkins made the Crawfords’ second out, the Cubans were still up by three runs and needed just one more out to win the Series. Josh Gibson stepped to the plate and singled; Williams advanced to second on the hit. Oscar Charleston became the man of the moment as he drove a game-tying home run over the left-field fence. Dihigo gave up a double to the next batter, Pat Patterson. Judy Johnson, who was 0-for-10 in the series thus far, entered the game as a pinch-hitter and battled against Dihigo. After working a full count, Johnson fouled off three straight pitches and then smacked the ball down the first-base line. Cubans first baseman Showboat Thomas was able to get his glove on the ball, but he was unable to make a play as Patterson scampered around third base and scored the winning run. The Crawfords had scored four runs with two outs to win the game and extend the series to a seventh game.8

Game Seven
Friday, September 20, 1935
44th and Parkside, Philadelphia
Pittsburgh Crawfords 8, New York Cubans 7

The seventh and deciding game of the 1935 Negro National League Championship Series was played under the lights on Friday night, September 20, in Philadelphia. The Cubans were the home team. Bill Harvey, who had pitched poorly in relief the previous day, got the start for the pitching-depleted Crawfords while Luis Tiant Sr., in his first Series appearance, started for the Cubans. The Crawfords struck first when they scored two runs in the second inning on consecutive singles by Josh Gibson, Pat Patterson, Curtis Harris, and Sam Bankhead. The Cubans took the lead in the third on a three-run home run by Rap Dixon. In the Crawfords half of the fifth, Bankhead and Chester Williams scored and Pittsburgh retook the lead. It was short-lived, however: The Cubans tallied a run in the bottom of the fifth when Correa doubled and was driven home by Rap Dixon’s single. Rosey Davis relieved Harvey, his third appearance in the Series. In a back-and-forth game, Pittsburgh reclaimed the advantage in the seventh as Bankhead singled, stole second, and scored on Chester Williams’s single. Schoolboy Taylor relieved Tiant to start the eighth inning and gave up back-to-back home runs by Josh Gibson and Oscar Charleston; Charleston’s blast was his third home run of the series. Then Bankhead walked, took second on a wild pitch, and scored his third run of the game on an infield error to give the Crawfords an 8-4 lead. The Cubans did not give up, however, and rallied to get one run closer when Rap Dixon scored in the bottom of the eighth. The Cubans were game to the end and went down swinging when their rally in the ninth fell just short. Thomas led off the inning with a single and with two out Clyde Spearman hit a two-run homer to bring the Cubans within one run, but both the game and series ended when Alejandro Oms grounded out to the pitcher.

The Pittsburgh Crawfords had come back from a three-games-to-one deficit to defeat the New York Cubans in a tremendously competitive series.9

Postscript

The stars of the series for the Cubans were Rap Dixon with eight hits and a slash line of .421/.500/.579; Clyde Spearman, who hit three home runs; and Frank Blake, who threw two complete games and posted an ERA of 1.59. Future Hall of Famer Martin Dihigo was perhaps the goat of the series: He surrendered the lead in the sixth game and struggled defensively as well. He was reported to have resigned as manager after the series, but he was back at the helm of the Cubans for the 1936 season.

The Crawfords were led by 38-year-old player-manager Oscar Charleston, who hit three home runs, including huge homers in Games Six and Seven. Josh Gibson collected 11 hits in the series and posted a slash line of .355/.355/.516. Leroy Matlock struck out 16 batters in 17⅓ innings as both a starter and reliever.

On Sunday, September 22, the two teams played in a four-team doubleheader at Yankee Stadium, with the Crawfords besting the Philadelphia Stars 12-2 and the Cubans falling to the Nashville Elite Giants, 4-3. The games drew a reported 27,000 fans, significantly more than in any of the Championship Series games, and all the more impressive because the previous day the New York Giants hosted the Brooklyn Dodgers for a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds and drew only a reported 12,000 fans.

A few weeks later, several of the players from the Crawfords, Cubans, and other teams traveled together and played under the banner of the Pittsburgh Crawfords. This barnstorming version of the Crawfords played against a team of major-league players led by Dizzy Dean in various locations throughout the country. The team of Negro League players generally outperformed the major leaguers.10

This article was published in “Pride of Smoketown: The 1935 Pittsburgh Crawfords” (SABR, 2020), edited by Frederick C. Bush and Bill Nowlin.

Sources

Burgos, Adrian Jr. Cuban Star: How One Negro-League Owner Changed the Face of Baseball (New York: Hill and Wang, 2011).

Clark, Dick, and Larry Lester, eds. The Negro Leagues Book (Cleveland: Society for American Baseball Research, 1994).

Riley, James A. The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues (New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc., 1994).

seamheads.com

Notes

1 “Craws Win First Half,” Afro-American, July 13, 1935: 20.

2 “World Series Opens in N.Y. Saturday,” Chicago Defender, September 14, 1935: 15.

3 For Game One: “N.Y. Cubans Lead Crawfords in Colored World Series; Finals in Pittsburgh This Thursday,” New York Age, September 21, 1935: 8. (This article covers Games One and Three); “Cubans Defeat Pittsburgh, 6 to 2,” New York Daily News, September 14, 1935; “Crawfords Lose to Cubans, 6 to 2,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 14, 1935: 17.

4 For Game Two: “Cubans Win Two from Crawfords,” Afro-American, September 21, 1935: 21; “Crawfords Given 4 to 0 Shutout,” Pittsburgh Press, September 15, 1935: 18; “Crawfords Lose to Cubans Again,” Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, September 15, 1935: 21.

5 For Game Three: William E. Clark, “N.Y. Cubans Lead Crawfords in Colored World Series; Finals in Pittsburgh This Thursday,” New York Age, September 21, 1935: 8. (This article covers Games One and Three); Joe Bostick, “Craws Stop New York Cubans 3-0,” New York Amsterdam News, September 21, 1935: 13; Allan McMillan, “Pitt Crawfords Grab 3rd Game of Series,” Chicago Defender, September 21, 1935: 13.

6 For Game Four: “Cubans Defeat Crawfords Again,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 19, 1935: 18; “Cubans Cop Wednesday’s Game; Play Thursday,” Pittsburgh Courier, September 21, 1935: A4.

7 For Game Five: “Crawfords Beat Cubans by 3 to 2,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 20, 1935: 18.

8 For Game Six: “Crawfords Rally and Beat Cubans,” Philadelphia Inquirer, September 21, 1935: 17; “Crawfords Beat Cubans, 8 to 7, to Get First Pennant,” Afro-American, September 28, 1935: 11. (This article covers Games Six and Seven); “Crawfords Now League Champs,” New York Amsterdam News, September 28, 1935: 12. (This article covers Games Six and Seven.)

9 For Game Seven: “Crawfords Snare Negro Loop Crown,” Philadelphia Inquirer, September 22, 1935, 44; “Crawfords Win Negro Title, 8-7,” Pittsburgh Press, September 22, 1935: 18; “Crawfords Beat Cubans, 8 to 7, to Get First Pennant,” Afro-American, September 28, 1935: 11. (This article covers Games Six and Seven); “Crawfords Now League Champs,” New York Amsterdam News, September 28, 1935: 12. (This article covers Games Six and Seven.)

10 Timothy M. Gay, Satch, Dizzy, & Rapid Robert (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2010), 125-130.