Agate Type

national colored league, 1887

Bill Mullins has sent in some items on the National Colored League of 1887, the first attempt at a national black professional league (a Southern league had operated in 1886).

Here is an article on the league’s organization from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat (November 14, 1886), which hints at one of the major reasons for the league’s demise—the ultimate refusal of the Cuban Giants, the best-known and most successful black professional club, to join the league.

This is from the New York Freeman, January 22, 1887, and includes the roster of the Louisville Falls Citys:

This item, also from the New York Freeman (February 19, 1887), lists the players for the Boston Resolutes:

Here’s a line score for the first game (Washington Post, May 10, 1887), including ominous remarks about the low attendance and lopsided result:

By the next day, the league was already “in trouble”:

                        (Washington Post, May 11, 1887)

And in only a couple of weeks the circuit was on its last legs:

                        (New York Times, May 26, 1887)

Thanks again to Bill for sending these in.

ajay deforest johnson, part ii

Here’s a little more information on Ajay Johnson of the Philadelphia Royal Giants, who is being researched by Bill Staples.  Ajay Deforest Johnson was born in Waco, Texas, on January 23, 1901, and died in Los Angeles on October 12, 1996.  An article in the Chicago Defender (November 15, 1947) about Johnson’s promotion to lieutenant in the LAPD (and the department’s hiring of its first three black policewomen) says this:

Ajay D. Johnson, a member of the force since July 20, 1929, was promoted from the rank of sergeant to that of lieutenant, the second to hold that rank here.  The other lieutenant is Roscoe Washington, uncle of football star Kenny Washington.

Roscoe’s brother (and Kenny’s father) was Edgar “Blue” Washington, actor and ballplayer for the Los Angeles White Sox and (briefly) the Kansas City Monarchs.  (The photo is from the Defender article.)

ajay deforest johnson

This is a note I received a couple of months ago from Bill Staples:

Gary,

I came across your entry dated Nov 3, 2006 , “Bubbles, Heavy, or the Big C?”

The 1920 box score between the Peoria Black Devils and St. Louis Giants caught my eye. I have been researching the career of pitcher/outfielder Ajay D. Johnson (b. 1/23/01) who played for the L.A. White Sox semi-pro team in California (April-September) from ‘25-‘28, he also pitched in the California Winter League with the Philadelphia Royal Giants, and with the same team during their famous tour of Asia (China, Japan, Korea & Hawaii) in 1927. Ajay was the #2 pitcher on the Royal Giants in wins, just behind Andy Cooper.

Ajay is a bit of a mystery, in that when he played with and against established Negro League players, he performed well—yet there is no evidence of him playing with a known team in the East. I suspect that he played with some Negro League team between 1920-23 (in 1923 he joined the LAPD, but continued to play semi-pro ball) ... but have not been able to locate any A. Johnson in the Negro Leagues ... until your posting of the Peoria Black Devils.

A few questions for you:
1) Have you seen any Black Devils box scores featuring A. Johnson as pitcher too (in addition to OF)?
2) Do you know if players from the Black Devils joined the Dayton Marcos? I see a few similar names on your page (Britt, Taylor, Johnson).
3) Have you cross referenced William McNeil's book [on the] California Winter League, to identify some of these players you discuss in this article? I see several names from the 1920-25 CWL seasons that suggests these are some of the same people, i.e. George Britton (aka Britt), Robert Scott, rf; John Hill, 2b. Might be worthwhile.

Thanks in advance for any information you can share on the A. Johnson with the 1920 Black Devils.

Bill Staples

P.S. Ajay Johnson is the player standing next to Biz Mackey in this photo.

Bill also sent a later message: 

A few comments on research conducted since my initial email:

- there is an Ajay Johnson in the WWI registration records. In 1918 this Ajay is in Illinois, not too far from Peoria.  This Ajay is also from Texas, but does not list his birthdate, and says his birth year is 1896. Unclear if this is the same person.

- The manager of the 1920 Black Devils is named “Graves.”  Might be a coincidence, but in 1917-18 the Defender refers to L.A. White Sox manager Lonnie Goodwin as “Lonnie Graves.” Goodwin worked for the railroad, as many pre-negro league players did, so it is quite possible he was involved in this story too.

If you search for Ajay Johnson in the Defender circa 1943 you will see articles on him when he was promoted to Lt. in the LAPD.

When Bill first wrote, I had only recently become aware of Ajay Johnson, due to his appearance on the passenger list for the SS Los Angeles on July 8, 1927, returning along with the other Philadelphia Royal Giants from their famous Japanese tour.  First of all, Johnson is fascinating as another black player who, like Bill Jackman, operated outside the organized Negro Leagues.  Secondly, he adds a new twist to some old problems about player identities in 1920.  Just possibly, we might finally be able sort out “Wise Johnson” and “A. Johnson” of Peoria, “Johnson” the Dayton right fielder, and “Johnson” the St. Louis Giant in early July.  We’ll see.  Expect more posts on this in coming days.

In the meantime, if anyone has access to Peoria newspapers in 1919 and 1920, you might check to see what you can find out about the Black Devils.

revenge

I wanted to pull this find by John Thorn out of the comments section for this post on Luis Padrón (he posted it back on May 12).

FROM: Sporting Life, July 22, 1905:

On the 9th, at Newburgh, Padron of the Poughkeepsie team, gave an exhibition of batting seldom seen in any game. He went to bat and the Newburgh rooters began to hurl the epithet of "n*****" at him time and again. Padron is very dark, being a full-blooded Cuban, but has no negro blood. This seemed to make him mad, and with two men on bases, he hit the first ball pitched for a home run. Several innings later he again went to the bat with two men on bases. The crowd called: "The n***** can't do it again." At this Padron hit the first ball pitched for another home run in almost the identical spot, scoring six runs and winning the game for Poughkeepsie.