{"id":550,"date":"2008-07-05T14:07:29","date_gmt":"2008-07-05T21:07:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2008\/07\/05\/1928-negro-national-league-season-review-%e2%80%93-it%e2%80%99s-in-the-stars\/"},"modified":"2008-07-05T14:07:29","modified_gmt":"2008-07-05T21:07:29","slug":"1928-negro-national-league-season-review-%e2%80%93-it%e2%80%99s-in-the-stars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2008\/07\/05\/1928-negro-national-league-season-review-%e2%80%93-it%e2%80%99s-in-the-stars\/","title":{"rendered":"1928 Negro National League Season Review \u00e2\u20ac\u201c It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s in the Stars"},"content":{"rendered":"

The following is from the unpublished manuscript LOST LEAGUES:<\/span> <\/span>The 1928 Negro National and Eastern Colored Leagues. <\/span>An article based on this manuscript appeared in the SABR publication \u00e2\u20ac\u0153<\/st1>Mound<\/st1> City<\/st1> Memories.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/em><\/p>\n

The Stars\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Wonderful First Half<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

The 1928 NNL consisted of the following teams (in order of their 1927 records):<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Chicago American Giants (won 1st half, playoffs and World Series in 1927)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kansas City Monarchs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
St. Louis Stars<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Detroit Stars<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birmingham Black Barons (won 2nd half in 1927, then lost to Chicago in playoffs)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Memphis Red Sox<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cuban Stars (West)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cleveland Tigers (replaced Cleveland Hornets)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

The Stars started the season with the following lineup\/roster:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
1.<\/td>\nCF-<\/td>\nCool Papa Bell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2.<\/td>\nRF-<\/td>\nBranch Russell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3.<\/td>\nSS-<\/td>\nWillie Wells<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4.<\/td>\n1B-<\/td>\nMule Suttles<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5.<\/td>\nLF-<\/td>\nFrog Redus<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6.<\/td>\n3B-<\/td>\nDewey Creasy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7.<\/td>\nC-<\/td>\nHenry Williams<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8.<\/td>\n2B-<\/td>\nJohn Henry Russell<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bench:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1B-<\/td>\nWillie Bobo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
C-<\/td>\nMitch Murray<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3B-<\/td>\nCandy Jim Taylor (Manager)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pitchers:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ted Trent<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Slap Hensley<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
John Williams<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Luther McDonald<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Roosevelt Davis<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tuck Turner<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

(Note: <\/span> <\/span>Catcher <\/st1>Murray<\/st1> was deactivated to \u00e2\u20ac\u02dccoach\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 in May due to injuries and the signing of Catcher Spoony Palm. He was soon after released, signing with <\/st1>Chicago<\/st1>. <\/span>First baseman Bobo was released in June, perhaps because it became apparent that Suttles was fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered in June of 1927. <\/span>Bobo then signed with <\/st1>Cleveland<\/st1>. <\/span>Pitcher Richard Cannon was signed in June, with young Turner apparently deactivated for most league games after that.)<\/o><\/p>\n

<\/o><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/o><\/span><\/p>\n

The NNL first half schedule consisted of 5-game series between teams, with some teams scheduled for 10 series, and others 9 series, with the Cuban Stars, a traveling team with no home field, scheduled for 7 series.<\/span> <\/span><\/st1>St. Louis<\/st1> started out fast at 12-1, helped by a 13 game homestand to begin the season. <\/span>They swept a 5 game series from Birmingham, took 4 out of 5 from Kansas City, then swept 3 games from the Cuban Stars (2 games were rained <\/span>out).<\/o><\/p>\n

<\/o><\/span><\/p>\n

The Stars\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 first road trip began May 22nd<\/sup> in <\/st1>Cleveland<\/st1>, where they swept 4 games from the Tigers by the scores of 15-7, 20-9, 12-7, and 10-7, giving them a 16-1 league start.<\/span> <\/span>Even after dropping 2 games at Detroit, they were still 16-3 vs. Detroit\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 20-7, and once they went back home and took 6 out of 7 from the Cuban Stars (making up the 2 earlier rainouts) and followed that up by taking the first 3 games in Chicago, they were 25-4. <\/span>Detroit closed to as close as 2 games out going into the final 5 game series of the first half, but Detroit then lost their first 2 games with the Cuban Stars <\/span>while St. Louis won their first 2 games with Memphis, clinching their first ever Negro League title of any kind on July 1st<\/sup>.<\/o><\/p>\n

<\/o><\/span><\/p>\n

The Final 1st<\/sup> half 1928 NNL Standings after July 4th<\/sup>, 1928:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
TEAM<\/td>\nW<\/td>\nL<\/td>\nPCT<\/td>\nGB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
St. Louis Stars<\/td>\n31<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n.775<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Detroit Stars<\/td>\n29<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n.690<\/td>\n3.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kansas City Monarchs<\/td>\n24<\/td>\n14<\/td>\n.632<\/td>\n6.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chicago American Giants<\/td>\n26<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n.531<\/td>\n9.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birmingham Black Barons<\/td>\n22<\/td>\n28<\/td>\n.440<\/td>\n14.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Memphis Red Sox<\/td>\n17<\/td>\n26<\/td>\n.395<\/td>\n15.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cuban Stars (West)<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n.303<\/td>\n17.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cleveland Tigers<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n34<\/td>\n.244<\/td>\n22.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

and the Stars record vs. each team:<\/o><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Stars vs.<\/u><\/td>\nW<\/td>\nL<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Detroit Stars<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kansas City Monarchs<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chicago American Giants<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birmingham Black Barons<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Memphis Red Sox<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cuban Stars (West)<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cleveland Tigers<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

If <\/st1>St. Louis<\/st1> won the 2nd<\/sup> half race, they would be the NNL champions, but if another team won, then there would be a playoff between 1st<\/sup> and 2nd<\/sup> half winners.<\/span> <\/span>1st<\/sup> half runner-up Detroit<\/st1> struggled in the 2nd<\/sup> half, but Kansas City<\/st1> and <\/st1>Chicago<\/st1> resumed as the main challengers to the 2nd<\/sup> half title. <\/span><\/o><\/p>\n


\nThe Wacky Second Half<\/em><\/o><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

<\/o><\/span><\/p>\n

The Stars started out the 2nd<\/sup> half well at home, winning 4 of 5 from Detroit<\/st1>, and then winning 3 of 4 in <\/st1>Memphis<\/st1>.<\/span> <\/span>However, the trip to <\/st1>Memphis<\/st1> was the start of a LONG road trip that would include the Stars\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 entire 2nd<\/sup> half slate of road games. <\/span>The 16 game trip to Birmingham<\/st1>, back to Memphis<\/st1>, on to Chicago<\/st1>, then Detroit<\/st1>, and the finally <\/st1>Kansas City<\/st1>, produced a record of 8-8. <\/span><\/o><\/p>\n

<\/o><\/span><\/p>\n

After August 7th, with the Stars returning home for the remainder of the season, the standings were:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
TEAM<\/td>\nW<\/td>\nL<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chicago American Giants<\/td>\n19<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kansas City Monarchs<\/td>\n18<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
St. Louis Stars<\/td>\n15<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Detroit Stars<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birmingham Black Barons<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

The Stars took 3 out of 5 from Chicago to close within 2 \u00c2\u00bd games of the lead, but only split 2-2 with lowly Cleveland, and then after a 4 game sweep of the non-league Atlantic City Bacharach Giants, the Stars took 4 out of 5 from Kansas City.<\/span> <\/span>However, one of the Stars wins vs. Kansas City<\/st1>, an 8-6 victory on September 1st, was protested by <\/st1>Kansas City<\/st1>, and subsequently thrown out of the standings. <\/span>Going into the last series of the regular season, the standings, with the protested game thrown out, should have been:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
TEAM<\/td>\nW<\/td>\nL<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chicago American Giants<\/td>\n27<\/td>\n14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kansas City Monarchs<\/td>\n25<\/td>\n12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
St. Louis Stars<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n15<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birmingham Black Barons<\/td>\n22<\/td>\n17<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Detroit Stars<\/td>\n21<\/td>\n21<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Memphis Red Sox<\/td>\n14<\/td>\n22<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cleveland Tigers<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n25<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cuban Stars (West)<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

However, these being the Negro Leagues, things were not that clear, as according to the St. Louis Argus<\/em>, the standings were:<\/o><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
TEAM<\/td>\nW<\/td>\nL<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chicago American Giants<\/td>\n28<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
St. Louis Stars<\/td>\n28<\/td>\n14<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kansas City Monarchs<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birmingham Black Barons<\/td>\n24<\/td>\n22<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Detroit Stars<\/td>\n21<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Memphis Red Sox<\/td>\n15<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cleveland Tigers<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n22<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cuban Stars (West)<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

(Obviously, these numbers do not \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcadd up\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, as they add to 151 wins and 142 losses, as opposed to what I believe the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153real\u00e2\u20ac\u009d standings were, which add to 144 wins and 144 losses).<\/span> <\/span><\/o><\/p>\n

<\/o><\/span><\/p>\n

The Stars were hosting Memphis<\/st1>, while Chicago<\/st1> was at Kansas City<\/st1>, and Birmingham<\/st1> was at <\/st1>Detroit<\/st1>.<\/span> <\/span>If the first set of standings were correct, with Chicago and Kansas City playing each other, the Stars needed to sweep Memphis and hope Kansas City took 3 out of 5 from Chicago. <\/span>On the other hand, the Stars could slip to 4th<\/sup> place. <\/span>But with the second set of standing apparently taken as official, the Monarchs needed to take 4 of 5 to pass Chicago, while the Stars could end up ahead of both teams in that scenario if they took 3 of 5 from Memphis, and if the Monarchs swept Chicago, the Stars would need 4 of 5, and if the Monarchs only took 3 of 5, the Stars would need a sweep to pass Chicago.<\/o><\/p>\n

<\/o><\/span><\/p>\n

Chicago<\/span><\/st1> took the first 2 games from <\/st1>Kansas City<\/st1>, at which point rain apparently interrupted their scheduled series.<\/span> <\/span>Meanwhile, the <\/span>Stars lost the first game to Memphis 8-6 on Sept 8th, then took the next game 13-2 on the 9th<\/sup>, and won the first game of a double header 15-8 on the 10th<\/sup>, but lost the 2nd<\/sup> game 6-3, and Chicago was declared 2nd<\/sup> half champions, which, due to the rainouts of two of the Chicago \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Kansas City games, was correct based on either set of standings (the Monarchs did defeat Chicago 4-3 on September 11th<\/sup> to make the final series 2 games to 1 in favor of Chicago).<\/o><\/p>\n

<\/o><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/span>The Final 2nd<\/sup> half 1928 NNL Standings:<\/o><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
TEAM<\/td>\nW<\/td>\nL<\/td>\nPCT<\/td>\nGB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chicago American Giants<\/td>\n29<\/td>\n15<\/td>\n.659<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kansas City Monarchs<\/td>\n26<\/td>\n14<\/td>\n.650<\/td>\n1.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
St. Louis Stars<\/td>\n26<\/td>\n17<\/td>\n.605<\/td>\n2.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birmingham Black Barons<\/td>\n24<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n.545<\/td>\n5.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Detroit Stars<\/td>\n24<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n.511<\/td>\n6.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Memphis Red Sox<\/td>\n16<\/td>\n25<\/td>\n.390<\/td>\n11.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cleveland Tigers<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n25<\/td>\n.265<\/td>\n15.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cuban Stars (West)<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n18<\/td>\n.143<\/td>\n14.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Combined 1st<\/sup> and 2nd<\/sup> half 1928 NNL Standings:<\/o><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
TEAM<\/td>\nW<\/td>\nL<\/td>\nPCT<\/td>\nGB<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
St. Louis Stars<\/td>\n57<\/td>\n26<\/td>\n.687<\/td>\n—<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kansas City Monarchs<\/td>\n50<\/td>\n28<\/td>\n.641<\/td>\n4.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Detroit Stars<\/td>\n53<\/td>\n36<\/td>\n.596<\/td>\n7.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chicago American Giants<\/td>\n55<\/td>\n38<\/td>\n.591<\/td>\n7.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birmingham Black Barons<\/td>\n46<\/td>\n48<\/td>\n.489<\/td>\n16.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Memphis Red Sox<\/td>\n33<\/td>\n51<\/td>\n.393<\/td>\n24.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cleveland Tigers<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n59<\/td>\n.253<\/td>\n35.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cuban Stars (West)<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n41<\/td>\n.241<\/td>\n29.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

and the Stars\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 record vs. each team:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Stars vs.<\/u><\/td>\nW<\/td>\nL<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kansas City Monarchs<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Detroit Stars<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chicago American Giants<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Birmingham Black Barons<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Memphis Red Sox<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cleveland Tigers<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cuban Stars (West)<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The following is from the unpublished manuscript LOST LEAGUES: The 1928 Negro National and Eastern Colored Leagues. An article based on this manuscript appeared in the SABR publication \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Mound City Memories.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t