Baseball Replay | Best Clubs Golden Era

Negro National League Division I (1916-1931)

The club has a strong starting rotation with Frank Wickware, Dizzy Dismukes and Dicta Johnson who won 19, 18 and 16 games. From the plate they have George Shively in left field Jessie Barber at first and Candy Jim Taylor at third. They also have a young 20 year old Oscar Charleston who will get some time in center.

1916 Indianapolis ABCs Roster

1916 Indianapolis ABCs Season Matchups

Overall they were 47-58, 34-35 vs other negro league clubs and 13-23 vs the MLB clubs. They were 16-25 vs top ranked clubs and 31-33 vs lower ranked clubs. Here is how they did against all clubs.

While the White Sox were tearing up the american league the American Giants with skipper Rube Foster were making their mark as a top western independent club. The team is led by a fine pitching staff consisting of "Cannonball" Dick Redding, Frank Wickware, Dick Whitworth and Tom Johnson. The club also included some of early black baseball's elite players, firstbaseman John Henry Lloyd and left fielder Pete Hill.

1917 Chicago American Giants Roster

1917 Chicago American Giants Season Matchups

Overall they were 51-54, 46-35 vs other NNL clubs and 5-19 vs MLB clubs. They were 14-25 vs top ranked clubs and 37-29 vs lower ranked clubs. Here is how they did against all clubs.

1920 is the first year of the Negro national league and the American Giants finish on top. They have added to their 1917 roster hurlers Tom Williams and Dave Brown, outfielders Jelly Gardner and a fine Cuban center fielder Cristóbal Torriente who batted .350 on the season.

1920 Chicago American Giants Roster

1920 Chicago American Giants Season Matchups

Overall they were 64-41, 53-31 vs other NNL clubs and 11-10 vs MLB clubs. They were 16-14 vs top ranked clubs and 48-27 vs lower ranked clubs. Here is how they did against all clubs.

The club features a strong starting lineup starting with Hurley McNair .388 in right, Newt Joseph .408 at 3rd, Heavy Johnson .384 in left, and Dobie Moore .388 at short. They also have two way star "Bullet" Joe Rogan who won 15 games on the hill and when he wasn't pitching he hit .445 as their centerfielder.

1924 Kansas City Monarchs Roster

1924 Kansas City Monarchs Season Matchups

Overall they were 72-33, 56-24 vs other NNL clubs and 16-10 vs MLB clubs. They were 19-12 vs top ranked clubs and 53-21 vs lower ranked clubs. Here is how they did against all clubs.

The "Club" is led by a strong pitching staff including Nip Winters, Red Ryan, and Phil Cockrell and Rube Curry. They probably have the best catching tandem of all time in the Negro leagues if not the majors with Biz Mackey and Louis Santop. They also have .300 hitters Otto Briggs in right, Judy Johnson at third and Frank Warfield at second.

1925 Hilldale Club Roster

1925 Hilldale Club Season Matchups

Overall they were 49-56, 38-40 vs other NNL clubs and 11-16 vs MLB clubs. They were 18-21 vs top ranked clubs and 31-35 vs lower ranked clubs. Here is how they did against all clubs.

The club boasts one the best hitting short stops to play the game, Dick Lundy who led the club in just about every batting catergory. On the mound they have a fine one two punch with Rats Henderson and Hubert Lockhardt.

1926 Atlantic City Bacharach Giants Roster

1926 Atlantic City Bacharach Giants Season Matchups

Overall they were 45-60, 37-35 vs other NNL clubs and 8-25 vs MLB clubs. They were 13-29 vs top ranked clubs and 32-31 vs lower ranked clubs. Here is how they did against all clubs.

Before the "Gas House Gang" of St. Louis there was the Stars in the Negro national league. The club had a strong top the lineup with four .300 plus hitters, James "Cool Papa" in center, Wilson Redus in left, Mule Suttles at first and Willie Wells at short stop. Wells, Suttles and Redus aslo provided some punch with 29, 27 and 25 homers respectively. On the hill they have 17 game winner Ted Trent, Logan Hensley and Roosevelt Davis with 13 and 11 wins.

1928 St Louis Stars Roster

1928 St Louis Stars Season Matchups

Overall they were 51-54, 41-35 vs other NNL clubs and 10-19 vs MLB clubs. They were 13-23 vs top ranked clubs and 38-31 vs lower ranked clubs. Here is how they did against all clubs.

Boasting a fine pitching staff with Laymon Yokely, Willis Flournoy, Red Ryan and Nip Winters who won 17, 15, 15 and 13 games respectively. From the plate they have Jud Wilson, Rap Dixon, and Dick Lundy who batted .355, 336 and .311. Dixon also belted 26 homers while collecting 111 RBI and stealing 27 bases.

1929 Baltimore Black Sox Roster

1929 Baltimore Black Sox Season Matchups

Overall they were 48-57, 34-46 vs other NNL clubs and 14-11 vs MLB clubs. They were 19-15 vs top ranked clubs and 29-42 vs lower ranked clubs. Here is how they did against all clubs.

The Yankees and the Giants didn't have the only baseball talent in town. The Lincoln Giants led by John Beckwith at first hitting .376 while smashing 33 dingers and Charlie Smith in right hit .347 with 123 RBI. On the hill they had one of the Negro league's finest hurler Bill Holland who won 18 games while striking out 146 batters.

1930 New York Lincoln Giants Roster

1930 New York Lincoln Giants Season Matchups

Overall they were 38-67, vs other NNL clubs and 7-18 vs MLB clubs. They were 16-25 vs top ranked clubs and 31-33 vs lower ranked clubs. Here is how they did against all clubs.

Rounding out the division is the 1931 Homestead Grays who "SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) touted as the greatest team of all time." That is pretty hard to argue with as they had some of the best black players of the day on their club. Pitchers Willie Foster, George Britt, "Smoky" Joe Williams and a young Satchel Paige. Their lineup boasted stars Oscar Charleston, Jud Wilson, George Scales, Vic Harris and a very young Josh Gibson.

1931 Homestead Grays Roster

1931 Homestead Grays Season Matchups

Overall they were 38-67, 30-45 vs other NNL clubs and 8-22 vs MLB clubs. They were 8-34 vs top ranked clubs and 30-33 vs lower ranked clubs. Here is how they did against all clubs.