cyclone joe strikes out 13 new york giants, 1920

On p. 150 of The Complete Book of Baseball’s Negro Leagues, John Holway writes:

The New York Age of October 23rd [1920] said the Lincolns “scored a number of double victories over the New York Giants while the latter were on their annual barnstorming tour.”  It gave no details but reopened the possibility that Smoky Joe Williams did pitch a 20-strikeout game against the National Leaguers.  Papers in New York, New England, and Philadelphia reported no such game.  It may have occurred in Baltimore as the Giants played their way south to visit Cuba, but the Baltimore Sun followed a policy of not reporting black games, even against white big leaguers.

I haven’t found a 20-strikeout game, but I did find Cyclone Joe Williams striking out 13 New York Giants at Dyckman Oval, New York, on October 9, 1920:

 
(Brooklyn Daily Eagle, October 10, 1920)

This game does not appear in the list of Williams’s starts against major league teams published in Holway’s Blackball Stars (p. 78), so it may be that this game hasn’t been noticed by researchers before (anybody who knows otherwise can say so in the comments.)

Overall, the Giants fielded a major league-quality team, though they were certainly not at full strength. In the lineup were four regulars—Larry Doyle, George Kelly, Earl Smith (who shared catching duties equally with Frank Snyder), and Benny Kauff (by plate appearances the fourth outfielder, but a better hitter than Lee King and at least as good as George Burns).  Not appearing: Burns, Dave Bancroft, Frankie Frisch, and Ross Youngs, whose places were taken by utility men Al Lefevre, Fred Lear, and Miguel Angel (Mike) González, along with pitcher Rosy Ryan in right field.

On the mound was Jesse Barnes, who could be considered the Giants’ ace in 1920 (he led in innings pitched, won 20 games, and had the lowest ERA among the starters); after four innings he was relieved by Pol Perritt, who was only 28 but already winding down his major-league career.

For the Lincolns, “Thomas Jenkins” is of course Clarence “Fat” Jenkins.

Comments

[Kevin]

Leafing thru Riley, I see he has an "M. Johnson" playing only 1920, only LF, only Lincon Giants.

Gary - I'll bet you're correct that it's really Monk Johnson, who Riley doesn't have a 1920 team listed for.

[Gary Ashwill]

"Johnson" might be Howard "Monk" Johnson, also a basketball player, dancer, & well-known dance instructor. His daughter married Stepin Fetchit in the late 30s.

[John]

Frall is George Fiall, the Lincoln Giant's good field, no hit shortstop (who was also a standout basketball player in the off-season like Jenkins).

[Kevin]

Spot Poles had two hits, maybe a walk, and a stolen base.

Doc Wiley Catching

Jules Thomas at 1st base I think.

Who is Frall?

Which Johnson in LF?

Sam Mongrin at 3B.

Looks like Lincoln had 5 very good players plus Williams, but with Williams batting 6th, maybe not much else in the lineup that day?