Negro “League” Teams

These teams played at the highest level of black baseball in America. They were the “Major Leagues” of black baseball. The following leagues are generally recognized as having been the “Major Leagues” of Negro League baseball:

 Negro National League (NNL)                 1920-1931 and 1933-1948

 Southern Negro League                           1920

 Eastern Colored League (ECL)                1923-1928

 American Negro League                          1929

 East-West League (EWL)                         1932

 Negro Southern League (NSL)               1932

 Negro American League (NAL)              1937-1963

 United States League (USL)                    1945

 Negro Pacific Coast League                    1946

Over the years more than 200 different teams played in these leagues. Some of the most outstanding teams that played in the Negro “Leagues” were as follows:

•  Atlantic City Bacharach Giants
• Harrisburg Giants
•  Newark Eagles
•  Baltimore Black Sox
•  Hilldale Daisies
•  New York Black Yankees
•  Baltimore Elite Giants
•  Homestead Grays
•  New York Cubans
•  Birmingham Black Barons
•  Indianapolis Clowns
•  Philadelphia Stars
•  Chicago American Giants
•  Kansas City Monarchs
•  Pittsburgh Crawfords
•  Cleveland Buckeyes
•  Lincoln Giants
•  St. Louis Stars

1929 St. Louis Stars

The Negro “League” season was traditionally very short. Typically, the “League” season never extended beyond eighty or ninety games. In addition, not all Negro “League” teams always played the same number of games. Negro “League” teams also played an extensive “non-league” schedule. Without their “non-league” schedule, “League” teams could not have financially survived. 

1936 Kansas City Monarchs



When Jackie Robinson broke the “color” barrier and signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, Negro “League” baseball would change forever and begin the process of a slow lingering death from the late 1940’s through the mid 1950’s. During this time, the Negro League began to diminish in the quality of play as most of its stars and young players would abandon their Negro “League” teams in favor of signing with the Major League baseball organizations. Virtually all of the marquee players of the Negro “Leagues” would leave to play in “white” organized baseball. Some of the key players that made this transition were: Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Larry Doby, Roy Campanella, Monte Irvin, Minnie Minoso, Hank Thompson, Luke Easter and Don Newcombe. Besides sending their established stars to the American and National Leagues, the Negro “League” would play another important role in developing the next generation of black baseball players. Over seventy-five (75) Major League ball players would get their start in the Negro “Leagues” before playing in the “Majors.” This group of players would include future Hall of Famers: Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Willie McCovey and Willie Mays. With their top stars gone, the quality of play and fan support would continue to diminish. Negro “League” baseball would come to an unceremonious end when the Negro American League officially ceased operation and folded following the 1963 season.