1922 the seventh of our Integreated playoffs project. So far we had had two Black clubs win the Integreated World Series, the 1920 Kanasas City Monarchs and the 1917 Chicago American Giants. The remaing series have been won by MLB Clubs; 1916 Boston Red Sox, 1918 the Red Sox won again, 1919 the Cincinnati Reds, and 1921 the Cleveland Indians beat the St. Louis Stars.
One note to interject here. In the NNL players moved more freely between clubs than they did in the MLB. For Example John Beckwith of the Chicago American Giants is 22 years in 1922.
When John retires in 1937 after 19 long years in the NNL he will have played for 12 clubs with the most being 5 years with the Homestead Grays over two different stints. Another example is Jose Mendez, a cuban pitcher who’s knickname was “El Diamante Negro” played 11 years in Latin Leagues,
15 Negro Leagues, and 6 years against MLB players. Debuted in the winter of 1907 for the Almendares in Havana and played in Latin leagues until 1918 when he joined the Chicago American Giants. He was on the 1920 Kansas City Monarchs when they won our Integreated World Series at the age of 35 and will pitch again in this season’s playoffs.
These guys just loved to play ball on any team, anywhere, any time. Jose was Inducted into the Cuban baseball hall of fame in 1939 and the MLB hall in 2006.
Now in the 1922 Integreated playoffs, were the top 4 clubs from the NNL and MLB compeat we have the New York Yankees and Giants along with the Browns from St. Louis and once again the Reds from Cincinnati. Note the Giants defeated the Yankees in the MLB world series. In the NNL there is the Kansas City Monarchs, Indianapolis ABCs, Detroit Stars and the Chicago American Giants.
In our replay both the New York clubs were eliminated in round one. The Monarchs handled the American Giants in 5 and the ABCs squeeked by the Stars in the NNL. The Reds easily took care of the Giants in the MLB semi-finals while the Monarchs defeated the ABCs in six.
In the finals the Reds made easy work of the Monarchs in five contests. Eppa Rixey was the work horse for the Reds going 5-2 in the playoffs. Dolf Luque, who we have mentioned before was 2-0. George Harper for Cincinnati collected 17 RBI in the playoffs while Heavy Johnson of Kansas City had 15.
The Reds starting lineup included, on the mound; Eppa Rixey, Johnny Couch, Dolf Luque and Red Donahue.
At the plate the Reds lineup included; Jake Daubert, Pat Duncan, George Burns, Babe Pinelli, George Harper, Sam Bohne, Lew Fonseca, Bubbles Hargrave and Ike Caveney.
