September 8-29, 1942: Satchel Paige’s Monarchs sweep Josh Gibson’s Grays in Negro League World Series

The 1942 Negro League World Series was the first championship series since 1927 that pitted teams from two separate Black baseball leagues. The Homestead Grays, champions of the Negro National League, faced the Kansas City Monarchs, winners of the Negro American League pennant. The Series featured great teams and players, controversy, and perhaps the most iconic pitcher-batter matchup in the history of baseball, Satchel Paige of the Monarchs and Josh Gibson of the Grays, who were both at the height of their powers.

The Homestead Grays dominated the NNL in 1942, winning 47 games and posting a .712 winning percentage in the league, and an overall record of 64-23-3. Vic Harris managed the team while playing as the starting left fielder. Josh Gibson was among the best hitters in the league, leading the league in walks and on-base percentage, finishing second in home runs and runs batted in, and sporting a .327/.447/.580 slash line for the season. The Kansas City Monarchs were crowned the champions of the Negro American League, finishing with a record of 27-12 in the league and a 35-17 overall record for the season. Frank Duncan managed the team and occasionally played as a backup catcher throughout the season. Switch-hitting right fielder Ted Strong was the leading hitter on the team, with a slash line of .364/.425/.561. The team had an excellent offense, but the pitching staff, led by future Hall of Famers Satchel Paige and Hilton Smith, was its strongest component.

In 1942 the Grays and Monarchs faced each other in five games before the World Series, with the Grays winning four of the five, including all four games started by Satchel Paige. The Monarchs and Grays split a preseason exhibition doubleheader in New Orleans on April 26.1 On June 18, before a crowd of 28,000 fans at Washington’s Griffith Stadium, the Grays won 2-1 in 10 innings.2 On July 21, in the first Negro League night game in Forbes Field and Satchel Paige’s first appearance in Pittsburgh since 1936, the Grays beat the Monarchs and Paige, 5-4 in 11 innings.3 On August 13 at Griffith Stadium, the Grays defeated the Monarchs 3-2 in 12 innings before a crowd of 20,000.4 Paige and the Monarchs were ready for revenge in the best-of-seven World Series.

Game One: September 8, 1942
Kansas City Monarchs 8, Homestead Grays 0
Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC

Game One of the World Series was played at Griffith Stadium in Washington on the evening of Tuesday, September 8, before a crowd of approximately 24,000. In 1942 the Grays played home games in both Washington and Pittsburgh, and were the home team in the game. Starting pitchers Satchel Paige of the Monarchs and lefty Roy Welmaker of the Grays faced off against each other and both started the game strong. Then the Grays posed a threat in the fourth inning. With one out, Sam Bankhead and Tom Easterling singled. But Paige was able to get Josh Gibson to fly out to deep center field and Buck Leonard to foul out to the catcher to end the threat. Paige pitched another scoreless inning in the fifth before being relieved by Jack Matchett. The side-arm-slinging Matchett pitched the remainder of the game, and did not allow a Gray to reach base.

Welmaker also pitched five shutout innings before he and the Grays ran into trouble in the sixth. With one out, Monarchs third baseman Newt Allen singled and moved to second on Ted Strong’s base hit. Willard Brown then grounded to Grays second baseman Matt Carlisle, who tossed the ball to shortstop Sam Bankhead to get the runner at second, but Bankhead dropped the ball. With the ball loose, Allen broke for home and scored the game’s first run when Gibson dropped the throw to the plate. The Grays held the Monarchs to one run in the sixth inning, but Kansas City broke the game open in the seventh by scoring three runs, including one by Jesse Williams on a double steal. The Monarchs scored twice more in the eighth inning and added two in the ninth, including an RBI triple by Willard Brown hit to deepest center field of cavernous Griffith Stadium, for a commanding 8-0 victory.

Paige earned the win, having allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out five in his five innings of work.5 Welmaker struck out seven Monarchs, but allowed 13 hits and one walk, and took the loss in his complete-game effort. The Grays were guilty of sloppy play behind him as the team’s defense committed six errors in the game.6

Monarchs: Paige 5 IP, Matchett 4 IP; Grays: Welmaker 9 IP.

Game Two: September 10, 1942
Kansas City Monarchs 8, Homestead Grays 4
Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, PA

Game Two of the Series was played on the night of Thursday, September 10, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, the Grays’ other home field. A crowd of only 5,219 was in attendance on the rainy evening. Hard-throwing lefty Roy Partlow started the game for the Grays and Hilton Smith started for the Monarchs.

In the top of the first, the Monarchs tallied the first run of the game on a single by catcher Joe Greene that drove in Ted Strong. In the fourth, the Monarchs scored on a double steal for the second time in the Series, with Greene crossing the plate standing up. Smith scattered five hits, two walks, and a hit batsman and did not allow a run in his five innings on the mound before he was relieved by Paige.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Grays, down 2-0, put together a rally. Roy Partlow, Vic Harris, and Tom Easterling all singled to load the bases. Josh Gibson now stepped to the plate to face Paige. This matchup between the Negro Leagues’ two biggest stars was a defining event in the game, and over the years the at-bat took on mythic proportions. Paige embellished the story, claiming that he walked the three batters ahead of Gibson to face Gibson with the bases loaded and the game on the line. Paige also claimed that he taunted Gibson during the at-bat, announcing that he was going to fire fastballs by him, and that Gibson did not swing at a pitch.7 Regardless of any later exaggeration, the at-bat with Gibson at the plate, Paige on the mound, the bases loaded with two outs, and the Grays down by two runs late in the game was a dramatic moment in baseball history. As contemporaneous news stories reported, Paige did not deliberately load the bases to face Gibson, and there was no report of Gibson being goaded into a strikeout. The fact remains, however, that Paige prevailed as Gibson fouled off the first two pitches and then swung and missed at the third offering to end the inning.

In the top of the eighth inning the Monarchs loaded the bases for second baseman Bonnie Serrell, who knocked in all three runners but was himself thrown out at the plate as he attempted to tally an inside-the-park grand slam. This outbreak chased Partlow from the game and extended the Monarchs’ lead to 5-0. However, the Grays answered in the bottom of the inning as Buck Leonard led off with a single and Sam Bankhead followed with another base hit. Ray Brown then hit a fly ball to left that Bill Simms dropped, allowing Leonard to score. Forty-six-year-old Jud Wilson pinch-hit for Chester Williams and tripled to right-center, bringing in Bankhead and Brown. David Whatley, batting for pitcher John Wright, grounded out on a dribbler in front of the plate. Wilson then scored the fourth Grays run on Jerry Benjamin’s fielder’s choice grounder. The Grays were now down by only one run, 5-4.

In the top of the ninth, the Monarchs extended their lead. Roy Welmaker entered the game to pitch for the Grays, but was ineffective, allowing the Monarchs to load the bases with two out. Spoon Carter relieved Welmaker to try to get the final out, but Buck O’Neil singled, scoring Simms and Brown, with Green scoring as well on an error by Vic Harris. Paige finished the game with an uneventful bottom of the ninth, giving the Monarchs the victory and a two-games-to-none lead in the Series as Smith earned the win and Partlow took the loss.8

Monarchs: Smith 5 IP, Paige 4 IP; Grays: Partlow 7⅔ IP, Wright ⅓ IP, Welmaker ⅔ IP, Carter ⅓ IP.

Game Three: September 13, 1942
Kansas City Monarchs 9, Homestead Grays 3
Yankee Stadium, New York, NY

The Series moved on to Yankee Stadium for Game Three, which was played on the afternoon of Sunday, September 13, with the Grays as the home team. The teams actually played a doubleheader, with the agreement that only the first game would count toward the Series. A crowd of over 25,000 was in attendance, and New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia threw out the first ball. Satchel Paige started the game for the Monarchs and faced Grays ace Ray Brown.

This time the Grays struck first when, with two out in the bottom of the first, Howard Easterling homered over the right-field wall. Josh Gibson then walked, stole second, and scored on a single by Buck Leonard, giving the Grays a 2-0 lead. After pitching a scoreless second inning and batting in the top of the third, Paige left the game, ostensibly due to a stomach ailment, and was relieved by Jack Matchett.

In the top of the third, the Monarchs’ Ted Strong slugged a three-run homer to right field, scoring Bill Simms and Herb Cyrus. Willard Brown followed with another home run to give the Monarchs a 4-2 lead. Kansas City continued to rough up Grays starter Ray Brown, scoring two runs in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth inning to take a 9-2 lead.

Meanwhile, just as he had done in Game One, Matchett pitched masterfully. The Grays could muster only one more run in the game, when Chester Williams singled, advanced to second on a groundout, and scored on Ray Brown’s ground-rule double. Otherwise Matchett quelled the Grays’ bats as the Monarchs cruised to the victory, taking a three-games-to-none lead in the Series.

Brown struck out seven, but he gave up two walks and 16 hits in taking the complete-game loss. Matchett gave up five hits and four walks in his seven innings of work and earned the win.

The two teams played the second game of the doubleheader, which was limited to seven innings, as an exhibition game. The Grays started Roy Welmaker while the Monarchs countered with Gready McKinnis, who had pitched for the Birmingham Black Barons during the regular season. For good measure, the Monarchs also won this game, 5-0. McKinnis allowed only three hits in his shutout performance, and the highlight of the Monarchs’ offense was an inside-the-park home run by catcher Joe Greene.9

Monarchs: Paige 2 IP, Matchett 7 IP; Grays: Brown 9 IP.

It was agreed that Game Four of the Series would be played at Ruppert Stadium in Kansas City at 2 P.M. on Sunday, September 20. This left both teams with a week before the next game in the Series. Before making their way to Kansas City, the Grays played several exhibition games. They first played a doubleheader against the Newark Eagles on Monday, September 14, in New Haven, Connecticut, losing both games, 5-1 and 2-1. The next day they played the Philadelphia Stars to a 5-5 tie in a 12-inning game in Philadelphia. They then traveled to Baltimore to play a game on September 16 against the Baltimore Elite Giants at Bugle Field, which they lost 2-1. After the game, they bolstered their roster by adding Leon Day, Lennie Pearson, and Ed Stone from the Newark Eagles and Bus Clarkson and Edsall Walker from the Elite Giants; all five of these players joined the team in traveling to Kansas City.

The Monarchs also played an exhibition game during the break in the Series. They took on the Cincinnati Clowns at Parkway Field in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday, September 18, and won 2-1 in 13 innings.

Game Four (later disallowed): September 20, 1942
Homestead Grays 4, Kansas City Monarchs 1
Ruppert Stadium, Kansas City, MO

When the Grays took the field at Ruppert Stadium in Kansas City on the afternoon of September 20, they had four new players in their lineup. Ed Stone was in right field, Bus Clarkson was at shortstop, Lennie Pearson was at second base, and toeing the pitching rubber was Leon Day. Cumberland Posey, business manager of the Grays, later claimed that Homestead had the agreement of Tom Baird, Monarchs general manager, to add the additional players to their lineup due to the number of players that they had lost to injury or other circumstances in recent weeks.10 The tipping point for the Grays in seeking new players came when they lost shortstop Sam Bankhead with a broken arm suffered before Game Three at Yankee Stadium. In addition to losing Bankhead, Matt Carlisle and Dave Whatley had been required to report to the Army, and pitcher Wilmer Fields had returned to college at Virginia State a few weeks earlier. Additionally, the Grays sought to justify the addition of the new players by claiming that Roy Partlow had lost much of his pitching effectiveness due to boils under his pitching arm and because Jud Wilson was nursing an injured heel.11 The game was played with the additions to the Grays’ lineup, but the Monarchs were not happy as they took the field.

A crowd of 8,542 was in attendance for the Sunday afternoon matchup of future Hall of Fame pitchers Satchel Paige and Leon Day. The game was scoreless until the top of the fifth, when Grays player-manager Vic Harris singled and scored on Jerry Benjamin’s triple. Benjamin then scored on a double by Ed Stone. The Grays added a third run in the seventh inning when Lennie Pearson doubled and scored on Harris’s smash that was mishandled by Monarchs second baseman Bonnie Serrell.

The Monarchs scored their lone run of the game in the eighth when Buck O’Neil singled, advanced to third on Serrell’s single, and scored on an infield out. The Grays notched their fourth and final tally in the ninth inning when Pearson doubled for the second time in the game, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a groundout. Paige struck out seven and walked one, taking the complete-game loss. Day earned the win with a dazzling performance, giving up just five hits and one walk while striking out 12 Monarchs. However, it was also reported that in addition to protesting the Grays’ expanded roster, the Monarchs were complaining that Day was cutting the ball and that 13 balls were removed from the game by the umpires.

After the game and given the stellar performance of the newly signed players, the Monarchs lodged a protest. Monarchs team secretary Dizzy Dismukes was quoted as saying, “We didn’t play the Homestead Grays, we lost to the National League All-Stars.”12 The next day Cum Posey, Rufus Jackson, and Vic Harris, the business manager, owner, and manager respectively of the Grays, and Monarchs owner J.L. Wilkinson, general manager Tom Baird, and Dismukes met with Fay Young, the secretary of the Negro American League and sports editor of the Chicago Defender, to discuss the situation. The Monarchs’ protest was upheld, and it was ruled that the Grays’ victory would not count due to the “ringers” they had played. The next game in the Series was scheduled for Sunday, September 27, at Wrigley Field in Chicago.13

Grays: Day 9 IP; Monarchs: Paige 9 IP.

The game scheduled for September 27 in Wrigley Field was canceled just one hour before game time because of rainy and cold conditions. It was reported that the Series would now resume in Philadelphia, where it would be played to completion.14

Game Four (official): September 29, 1942
Kansas City Monarchs 9, Homestead Grays 5
Shibe Park, Philadelphia, PA

The replayed fourth game of the Series was played on the chilly night of Tuesday, September 29, at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, with the Grays as the home team. Sixteen days had passed since Game Three (nine days since the original, disallowed Game Four), and both teams were eager to resume the Series. Satchel Paige was to start the game for the Monarchs, but he was not in the ballpark at the start of the game. Instead, Jack Matchett made the start for the Monarchs while Roy Partlow took the mound for the Grays. The Grays’ lineup no longer had any replacement players, and Chester Williams started at shortstop for the injured Sam Bankhead.

The Monarchs struck quickly in the top of the first as Bill Simms slugged a leadoff triple and scored on Newt Allen’s single. The Grays answered with three runs in the bottom of the first. With two outs, Howard Easterling drew a walk. Josh Gibson hit a popup that catcher Jim Greene muffed, putting runners on first and second. Buck Leonard followed with a single that drove in Easterling. Ray Brown then doubled, scoring Gibson and Leonard, to give the Grays a 3-1 lead.

In the second inning, Partlow left the game with two on and one out. Johnny Wright took the mound for the Grays and maneuvered out of the inning unscathed. However, in the top of the third, the Monarchs plated a run. Willard Brown reached on an error and advanced to second on Greene’s single. Buck O’Neil sacrificed, advancing both runners. Brown then scored on a groundout to first. In the bottom of the third, the Grays added two runs as Easterling, Leonard, and Brown reached base, then Williams singled to drive in Easterling and Leonard.

The Grays now led, 5-2, and seemed to be on their way to their first win in the Series. However, the Monarchs scored two more runs in the top of the fourth on Greene’s home run, closing the gap to 5-4. Paige finally arrived at the game in the bottom of the fourth and immediately relieved Matchett, getting the final out of the inning with two inherited runners on base. After the game Paige said he was late because as he drove to Philadelphia from Pittsburgh, he was detained for speeding in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. After paying a fine of $20, he was allowed to go on his way.

Kansas City’s offense came to life again in the seventh, when the Monarchs scored twice to take a 6-5 lead, and in the eighth inning, when they scored three more times. O’Neil scored twice and Strong, Brown, and Greene each scored once in the two scoring barrages. Meanwhile, despite his late arrival, Paige pitched brilliantly after replacing Matchett in the fourth. He allowed no hits and two walks while striking out seven in the 5⅓ innings he pitched to complete the game. Paige garnered his second win of the Series while Johnny Wright took the loss for the Grays.

With the 9-5 victory, the Monarchs completed the four-game sweep of the Grays in the Series.15

Monarchs: Matchett 3⅔ IP, Paige 5⅓ IP; Grays: Partlow 1⅓ IP, Wright 6⅔ IP, Welmaker 1 IP.

World Series Postscript

Joe Greene was the offensive star for the Monarchs in the Series, slugging eight hits, including a home run, and working three walks in 19 plate appearances. Jesse Williams also impressed by stealing five bases in the four games. The Monarchs used only three pitchers in the Series: Satchel Paige, Jack Matchett, and Hilton Smith. Collectively they had an ERA of 2.00 and a WHIP of 1.08 in the Series. Paige pitched in all four games, getting the win in two, and struck out 18 Grays in 16⅓ innings.

The Grays suffered from a surprisingly anemic offense in the Series, hitting .196 and slugging .239. Josh Gibson had a particularly poor Series offensively, getting only one hit in 13 at-bats. There is no question that the Grays were a depleted team at the time of the Series, and the loss of Carlisle and Whatley to the military and Bankhead to injury during the Series made things worse. Pitchers Ray Brown and Roy Partlow both played significant time in right field in the Series because Homestead was so shorthanded. However, it would have been difficult for any team to beat the Monarchs’ magnificent pitching triumvirate of Paige, Smith, and Matchett.

The two teams played twice more soon after the completion of the World Series. On Friday evening, October 2, they played at High Rock Park in Norfolk, Virginia. Satchel Paige started the game for the Monarchs and gave up one run in three innings before giving way to Jack Matchett. Ray Brown started for the Grays and went the distance. The Grays won the game, 8-5. They played one last game on Sunday, October 4, at City Stadium in Portsmouth, Virginia. Paige again started the game for the Monarchs opposite Roy Partlow for the Grays. The Monarchs prevailed by a score of 12-2.16

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author also consulted:

Seamheads.com

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 and Graf, 1994).

Snyder, Brad. Beyond the Shadow of the Senators (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003).

Thanks to Todd Peterson for providing many of the references used.

Notes

1 “Kansas City Splits Even with Grays,” Chicago Defender, May 9, 1942: 21; “Monarchs, Grays All Even Before Overflow Crowd,” New Orleans Times-Picayune, April 27, 1942: 14; “Monarchs Break Even,” Kansas City Times, April 27, 1942: 11.

2 “Two Runs in Tenth Wins for Grays as Paige, Partlow Star,” Pittsburgh Courier, June 27, 1942: 16; “28,000 Watch Grays Upset Monarchs, 2-1,” Washington Post, June 19, 1942: 24; “Grays Beat Monarchs and Paige in Tenth,” Chicago Defender, June 27, 1942: 21.

3 “Satchel Beaten in 5-4 Game,” Afro-American, July 25, 1942: 27.

4 “20,000 See Grays Beat ‘Satch’ in D.C.,” Pittsburgh Courier, August 22, 1942: 16.

5 It should be noted that the Pittsburgh Courier awarded the win to Jack Matchett, while the Washington Post awarded the win to Satchel Paige, as does www.seamheads.com. In this case, and in any other case where there is a discrepancy in the reporting of statistics, the information provided at the seamheads website is used.

6 For Game One the following references were used: “24,000 See Grays Beaten by Monarchs,” Washington Post, September 9, 1942: 11; “Kansas City Takes First from Grays,” Chicago Defender, September 19, 1942: 23; Wendell Smith, “Third Straight Loss Dooms Grays Hopes,” Pittsburgh Courier, September 19, 1942: 17. (This article covers Games One, Two, and Three.)

7 Paige, Leroy (Satchel), as told to Hal Lebovitz, Pitchin’ Man: Satchel Paige’s Own Story (Cleveland: Cleveland News, 1948), 48-50; Paige, LeRoy (Satchel) as told to David Lipman, Maybe I’ll Pitch Forever (Garden City, NewYork: Doubleday & Company, 1962), 152-153. Others would tell the embellished story as well, including Buck O’Neil in the Ken Burns Baseball documentary series.

8 For Game Two the following references were used: “Grays Laced by Monarchs,” Pittsburgh Press, September 11, 1942: 38; “Kansas City Whips Grays Second Time,” Chicago Defender, September 19, 1942: 23; Wendell Smith, “Third Straight Loss Dooms Grays Hopes,” Pittsburgh Courier, September 19, 1942: 17.

9 For Game Three and the exhibition game the following references were used: Wendell Smith, “Third Straight Loss Dooms Grays Hopes,” Pittsburgh Courier, September 19, 1942: 17; Frank Forbes, “Monarchs Take Third World Series Games [sic] in a Row from Easterners.” Chicago Defender, September 19, 1942: 23; Buster Miller, “K.C. Monarchs Lead by Three Games in World Series; Take Doubleheader at the Stadium,” New York Age, September 19, 1942: 11; “Weren’t Foolin’,” Pittsburgh Courier, September 19, 1942: 17.

10 “Grays Win, 4-1; Monarchs Protest,” Pittsburgh Courier, September 26, 1942: 16.

11 Art Carter, “From the Bench,” Afro American, October 10, 1942: 23.

12 “K.C. Monarchs Win Protest,” The Sporting News, October 1, 1942: 8.

13 For this game, the following references were used: “Monarchs Lose Here,” Kansas City Times, September 21, 1942: np; “Ringers Help Grays Win 4-1,” Chicago Defender, October 3, 1942: 22; “Protested Game Kicked Out,” Chicago Defender, October 3, 1942: 22; “Grays Win, 4-1; Monarchs Protest,” Pittsburgh Courier, September 26, 1942: 16.

14 “Rain and Cold Prevent World Series Game,” Chicago Defender, October 3, 1942: 22.

15 For Game Four the following references were used: “Kansas City Monarchs Win World Championship,” Chicago Defender, October 10, 1942: 23; William Scheffer, “15,000 See Grays Lose to Kansas,” Philadelphia Inquirer, September 30, 1942: 35.

16 “Grays, Monarchs Split Two Games in Tidewater,” Norfolk Journal and Guide, October 10, 1942: 14.