Appendix 1: Black Ball Championships, 1866-1923

Here is the appendix for Todd Peterson’s “May The Best Man Win: The Black Ball Championships 1866–1923” from the Spring 2013 Baseball Research Journal.

 

Black Ball Champions and Championship Games, 1866-1923

KEY: E= East; W= West; S= South; SLCB= Southern League of Colored Baseballists; MSL= Middle States Base Ball League; EISL= Eastern Inter-State League; NYPSL= New York Semi-Professional Baseball League; ILIPBC= International League of Independent Professional Baseball Clubs; NACBC= National Association of Colored Baseball Clubs of the United States and Cuba; ILCBC= International League of Colored Baseball Clubs; NNL= Negro National League; ECL= Eastern Colored League.

• Undisputed champions are depicted in bold type.
• Teams that won league championships without a playoff are shown in Italics.

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Note: 1866-74 entries are single-game contests unless otherwise noted.

1866

(E) Albany (NY) Bachelors defeat Philadelphia Pythian 70-15.
Albany (NY) Bachelors defeat Philadelphia Excelsior 44-28.

1867

(E) Philadelphia Pythian defeat Philadelphia Excelsior 35-16.
Philadelphia Pythian and Washington Mutual, Tie 1-1 (series).
Philadelphia Pythian and Washington Alert, Tie 1-1 (series).
Albany (NY) Bachelors defeat Brooklyn Unique 50-4.
Philadelphia Pythian defeat Albany (NY) Bachelors.
Philadelphia Excelsior defeat Albany (NY) Bachelors 57-23.
Philadelphia Excelsior defeat Brooklyn Unique 42-35.
Philadelphia Pythian defeat Boston Resolute 50-6.
Brooklyn Monitors defeat Philadelphia Excelsior.
Philadelphia Pythian defeat Monrovia of Harrisburg (PA) 59-27.
Brooklyn Monitors defeat Brooklyn Unique 49-17.

1868

(E) Philadelphia Pythian defeat Washington Mutual 49-33.
Philadelphia Pythian defeat Washington Alert 40-34.
Philadelphia Pythian defeat Brooklyn Monitors 27-9.

1869

(E) Utica (NY) Fearless defeat Heavy Hitters of Canajoharie (NY) 2-0 (series).
Lone Star Club of Harlem (NY) defeat Brooklyn Unique (single game).

1870

(E) Washington Mutual defeat Utica (NY) Fearless 18-10.
(W) Chicago Blue Stockings defeat Rockford (IL) Pink Stockings 2-1 (series).

1871

(E) Philadelphia Pythian defeat Washington Mutual 2-0 (series).
(W) Chicago Uniques defeat Chicago Blue Stockings 39-5.
Chicago Uniques (W) and Philadelphia Pythian (E), Tie 1-1 (series).

1873

(E) Brooklyn Ocean defeat Lone Star Club of Harlem (NY) 18-11 (single game).
Washington Mutual defeat Washington Alert 3-0 (series).

1874

(E) Brooklyn Ocean defeat Brooklyn Quicksteps 12-9 (single game).

 

Note: 1875-1923 entries are series of games unless otherwise noted:

1875

(W) Chicago Uniques and St. Louis Blue Stockings, Tie 2-2.

1876

(E) Harrisburg (PA) Olympics defeat Harrisburg (PA) Tyroleans 2-1.
Washington Keystones defeat the Douglass Club 10-9 (single game).
(W) St. Louis Blue Stockings defeat Chicago Uniques 2-0.

1877

(E) Brooklyn Quicksteps defeat Lone Star Club of Jamaica (NY) 15-12 (single game).
(S) Boston Club and Pickwick Club, Tie 1-1 in New Orleans, LA match play.

1878

(E) Uniques defeat Keystones; Manhattans; Mutuals; and Douglass Club in Washington D.C. match play.

1879

(E) Mutuals and Uniques, Tie 1-1 in Washington D.C. match play.
Mutuals and Douglass Club, Tie 1-1 in Washington D.C. match play.

1880

(E) Douglass Club defeats Manhattans; Keystones; Uniques; and Eagles in Washington D.C. Colored League.

1881

(S) A.J. Dumonts defeat Aetnas; Bostons; and Pickwicks in New Orleans Colored League.
(W) St. Louis Black Stockings defeat St. Louis Blue Stockings 14-10 (single game).

1882

(E) Philadelphia Orions defeat Washingtons of Long Branch, NJ 10-8 (single game).

1883

(E) Philadelphia Orions defeat Douglass Club of Washington 3-1.
West Ends of Long Branch, NJ defeat Crescents of Princeton, NJ (single game) 20-2.
(W) St. Louis Black Stockings defeat Louisville Mutuals 6-0.

1884

(E) Jersey City Orientals defeat Newarks; Brooklyn Alpines; and Brooklyn Remsens in match play.
(W) Chicago Gordons defeat Louisville Falls City.
St. Louis Eclipse defeat St. Louis Black Stockings 5-0.

1885

(E) Brooklyn Alpines defeat Brooklyn Remsens 2-0.
Argyle Hotel Athletics (Babylon, NY) defeat Philadelphia Orions 6-4 (single game).
(W) St. Louis Black Stockings defeat St. Louis Eclipse, 2-0.
(S) New Orleans Unions and W.L. Cohens, Tie 1-1-1.
St. Louis Eclipse (W) defeat New Orleans Unions (S).
St. Louis Eclipse (W) defeat W. L. Cohens (S).

1886

(E) Cuban Giants defeat New York Gorhams 25-4 (single game).
Cuban Giants defeat Brooklyn Alpines 24-0 (single game).
Hudson Club of Jersey City defeats Brooklyn Alpines 2-0.
Hudson Club of Jersey City defeats New York Gorhams 2-0.
(W) Louisville Falls City defeat Chicago Gordons 2-1.
(SLCB) Memphis Eclipse and New Orleans Unions, Tie 3-3-1.
Louisville Falls City (W) defeat Memphis Eclipse (SLCB).
(S) New Orleans Unions defeat W.L. Cohens 3-1-1.

1887

(E) Cuban Giants defeat New York Gorhams 5-1.
Cuban Giants defeat Pittsburgh Keystones 3-1.
(W) Chicago Unions defeat Chicago Uniques 2-0.
Cuban Giants (E) defeat Louisville Falls City (W) 2-0.

1888

(E) Cuban Giants defeat Pittsburgh Keystones; New York Gorhams; Norfolk Red Stockings in round-robin tournament.
New Orleans Pinchbacks (S) defeat Chicago Unions (W) 2-1.
New Orleans Pinchbacks (S) defeat St. Louis West Ends (W) 4-1-1.

1889

(MSL) Cuban Giants defeat New York Gorhams 3-2-1.
New Orleans Pinchbacks (S) defeat Chicago Unions (W); Chicago Resolutes (W) in round-robin tournament.
New Orleans Pinchbacks (S) defeat St. Louis Mohawks (W) 2-1.
St. Louis West Ends (W) defeat New Orleans Pinchbacks (S) 2-1-1.

1890

(EISL) York, Pennsylvania Colored Monarchs
(E) Cuban Giants defeat New York Gorhams 11-2 (single game).

1891

(NYPSL) New York Gorhams defeat Cuban Giants 8-6.
(W) Chicago Unions defeat Chicago Uniques 8-0 (single game).

1892

(E) Cuban Giants defeat All-Washingtons 3-0.
Cuban Giants defeat Lake Champlain Colored Champions 18-1 (single game).

1893

(W) Chicago Unions defeat Chicago Goodwins.

1894

Cuban Giants (E) defeat Chicago Unions (W) 2-0.

1895

(W) Page Fence Giants defeat Chicago Unions 3-0.

1896

(W) Page Fence Giants defeat Chicago Unions 2-0.
Cuban X-Giants (E) defeat Chicago Unions (W) 2-0.
Page Fence Giants (W) defeat Cuban X-Giants (E) 11-8.

1897

(E) Cuban X-Giants defeat Cuban Giants 2-1-1.
(W) Chicago Unions defeat Page Fence Giants 7-6 (single game).
Cuban X-Giants (E) defeat Louisville Brotherhood (W) 2-0.
Chicago Unions (W) and Cuban X-Giants (E), Tie 2-2.
Chicago Unions (W) defeat Memphis Cliffords (S) 3-0.
Chicago Unions (W) defeat Cuban Giants (E) 3-0.

1898

(E) Cuban X-Giants defeat Cuban Giants 3-0.
Cuban X-Giants (E) defeat Chicago Unions (W) 6-2-1.

1899

(W) Chicago Columbia Giants defeat Chicago Unions 3-0.
Cuban X-Giants (E) defeat Chicago Unions (W) 11-7.
Cuban X Giants (E) defeat Chicago Columbia Giants (W) 7-4.

1900

(W) Chicago Columbia Giants and Chicago Unions, Tie 1-1-1.
Chicago Columbia Giants (W) defeat Cuban Giants (E).
Chicago Unions (W) defeat Cuban X-Giants (E) 12-5.

1901

(W) Chicago Columbia Giants defeat Chicago Union Giants 2-0.

1902

(W) Chicago Columbia Giants and Chicago Union Giants, Tie 3-3.

1903

(E) Cuban X-Giants defeat Philadelphia Giants 5-2.
(W) Algona (IA) Brownies defeat Chicago Union Giants 11-4.

1904

(E) Philadelphia Giants defeat Cuban X-Giants 2-1.
Cuban X-Giants (E) defeat Chicago Union Giants (W).

1905

(E) Philadelphia Giants defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants 3-0.
(W) Chicago Union Giants and Leland Giants, Tie 1-1-2.

1906

(ILIPBC) Philadelphia Giants defeat Cuban X-Giants 3-1.
(W) Leland Giants defeat Chicago Union Giants 2-0.
Philadelphia Giants (E) defeat Leland Giants (W) 9-1 (single game).
Philadelphia Giants (E) defeat Chicago Union Giants (W).

1907

(NACBC) Philadelphia Giants defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants; Cuban Giants; and Cuban Stars.
(S) San Antonio Black Bronchos defeat Birmingham Giants 4-1-1.

1908

(NACBC) Brooklyn Royal Giants defeat Philadelphia Giants; Cuban Giants; and Cuban Stars.
(S) San Antonio Black Bronchos defeat Birmingham Giants 4-3.
Leland Giants (W) and Philadelphia Giants (E), Tie 3-3.

1909

(ILCBC) Brooklyn Royal Giants defeat Philadelphia Giants.
Cuban Stars defeat Philadelphia Giants.
Brooklyn Royal Giants defeat Cuban Stars 3-1.
(W) St. Paul Gophers defeat Leland Giants 3-2.

1910

(ILCBC) Brooklyn Royal Giants defeat Philadelphia Giants.
Cuban Stars defeat Philadelphia Giants.
Brooklyn Royal Giants and Cuban Stars, Tie 2-2.
(W) Chicago Giants defeat St. Paul Gophers 4-1.

1911

(E) Cuban Stars defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants.
Lincoln (NY) Giants defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants.
Cuban Stars defeat Lincoln (NY) Giants 2-1.
(W) Chicago American Giants defeat Chicago Giants 11-4.
Lincoln Giants (E) defeat Chicago American Giants (W) 6-4 (single game).
Chicago American Giants (W) defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants (E) 8-7 (single game).
Chicago American Giants (W) defeat Cuban Stars (E) 5-4-1.

1912

(E) Lincoln (NY) Giants defeat Cuban Stars 4-3-1.
Lincoln (NY) Giants defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants.
(W) Chicago American Giants defeat St. Louis Giants 9-7.
St. Louis Giants (W) and Brooklyn Royal Giants (E), Tie 3-3.
Chicago American Giants (W) defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants (E) 6-0.
Lincoln (NY) Giants (E) defeat St. Louis Giants (W) 7-2.

1913

(E) Lincoln Giants defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants.
Brooklyn Royal Giants (E) and Chicago American Giants (W), Tie 2-2.
Lincoln (NY) Giants (E) defeat Chicago American Giants (W) 8-5-1.

1914

(E) Lincoln (NY) Giants defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants 10-9.
Chicago American Giants (W) defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants (E) 7-0.

1915

(W) Indianapolis A.B.C.s defeat Chicago American Giants 6-3.
Chicago American Giants (W) and Lincoln (NY) Stars (E), Tie 5-5.
Indianapolis A.B.C.s (W) and Lincoln (NY) Stars (E), Tie 5-5-1.

1916

(E) Brooklyn Royal Giants defeat Lincoln (NY) Giants 9-8.
(W) Indianapolis A.B.C.s defeat Chicago American Giants 5-4-1.
Indianapolis A.B.C.’s (W) defeat Lincoln (NY) Stars (E) 4-1.
Chicago American Giants (W) defeat Lincoln (NY) Stars (E) 4-3.

1917

(E) Lincoln (NY) Giants defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants 8-5-1.
(W) Chicago American defeat Indianapolis A.B.Cs 19-4-2.

1918

(E) Brooklyn Royal Giants and Lincoln (NY) Giants, Tie 9-9.

1919

(E) Lincoln (NY) Giants defeat Brooklyn Royal Giants 9-3.
Atlantic City Bacharach Giants defeat Hilldale 7-5.
(W) Chicago American Giants defeat Detroit Stars 8-6.
Detroit Stars (W) and Atlantic City Bacharach Giants (E), Tie 1-1.
Detroit Stars (W) and Hilldale (E), Tie 3-3.
Chicago American Giants (W) and Hilldale (E), Tie 1-1.

1920

(E) Brooklyn Royal Giants defeat Lincoln (NY) Giants 3-2.
Atlantic City-New York Bacharach Giants defeat Lincoln (NY) Giants 3-1
Brooklyn Royal Giants defeat Hilldale 6-4-2.
Chicago American Giants (NNL) defeat Atlantic City-New York Bacharach Giants (E) 9-5-2.

1921

(E) Hilldale defeats Atlantic City-New York Bacharach Giants 10-9.
Chicago American Giants (NNL) defeat Atlantic City-New York Bacharach Giants (E) 7-5.
Hilldale (E) defeats Chicago American Giants (NNL) 3-2-1.

1922

(E) New York Bacharach Giants defeat Hilldale 6-4.
Chicago American Giants (NNL) and New York Bacharach Giants (E), Tie 5-5.
Chicago American Giants (NNL) defeat Hilldale (E) 3-2.

1923

Hilldale (ECL)
Kansas City Monarchs (NNL)

 

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