02/27/1897
Black players are making their way onto IMLB starting positions. In Milwaukee, Grant Johnson is batting leadoff for the Brewers playing shortstop. In Detroit Sol White, and a player to named later was traded to Detroit from Pittsburgh so they could move up in the 1897 draft to pick Honus Wagner. The Browns starting second baseman Frank Grant has been on the club for 8 seasons and is hitting cleanup. Frank has career batting line of .318/.387/.479 with 95 homers, (13th overall) and 955 RBI (16th). Bud Fowler has been in the IMLB for 14 seasons with Philadelphia, Detroit and Cleveland. Prior to that he played five seasons in Kansas City in Black baseball. Last but not least Harry Buckner who was drafted by the Philadelphia Athletics last year and started in right field for the club all season.
