This baseball is from the last game of the1939 season between the Baltimore Elite Giants and the New York Cubans. The game was played at the 44^th Parkside Stadium in the Batteries (New York). Bill Byrd was the starting pitcher for the Baltimore Elite Giants and saved this autographed game used baseball.

Bill Byrd

Bill Byrd of the Baltimore Elite Giants was the winning pitcher in a shut out performance. The Elite Giants won by a score of 2-0. Bill Byrd made notations on the ball and it was autographed by the following players:

   Emery “Ace” Adams                          Al Henry

   Thomas “Pee Wee” Butts                   Bill Hoskins

   Bob Clark                                        George Scales

   Homer Curry                                    Felton Snow

   Robert Griffith                                  Henry Spearman

                                                       Johnny Washington

Both the Baltimore Elite Giants and New York Cubans played in the Negro National League.  The final league standings for the 1939 Negro National League season were:

                                    Homestead Grays                33-14

                                    Newark Eagles                    29-20

                                    Baltimore Elite Giants           25-21

                                    Philadelphia Stars                31-32

                                    New York Black Yankees       15-21

                                    New York Cubans                5-22

This ball was purchased by the Center for Negro League Baseball Research from the widow of Bill Byrd. Several of the autographs like Thomas “Pee Wee” Butts, Bill Hoskins, Felton Snow and Gerorge Scales are extremely rare.

Pee Wee Butts - Baltimore Elite Giants