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| Birmingham Black Barons | |||||
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| Information | |||||
| League |
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| Location | Birmingham, Alabama | ||||
| Ballpark | |||||
| Established | 1920 | ||||
| Disbanded | 1960 | ||||
| League titles | |||||
TheBirmingham Black Barons were aNegro league baseball team that played from 1920 until 1960, including 18 seasons recognized as Major League byMajor League Baseball.[1] They shared their home field ofRickwood Field inBirmingham, Alabama, with the whiteBirmingham Barons, usually drawing larger crowds and equal press.
Drawing largely from a successfulAmerican Cast Iron Pipe CompanyIndustrial League team, the Black Barons were organized in 1920 for the inaugural season ofRube Foster'sNegro Southern League, which operated mainly as a minor league. They played in that league for three years before making the leap to the largerNegro National League, which operated as a major league. They were unable to keep their position due to irregularities with the team finances and returned to the Southern League for three more years. Their return to the National League in 1927 was marked by the emergence of star pitcherSatchel Paige, who led the Black Barons to the second half pennant. They lost the Negro National League title to theChicago American Giants in four straight games.
For the next decade or so they alternated leagues before being bought byMemphis, Tennessee funeral home directorTom Hayes in December 1939.[2] The club joined theNegro American League in 1940. Early in the decade the team was sold again toAbraham Saperstein who also owned theHarlem Globetrotters basketball team. In 1943 and 1944 they won back-to-back pennants. Starting in 1945, they became full members of the Negro American League and continued their success, winning a third pennant in 1948 with the help of teenage outfielderWillie Mays. They ended up losing threeNegro World Series to theHomestead Grays that decade, forging a notable rivalry. As the National and American Leagues started signing talented African American players, the Black Barons tried to form anew Negro Southern League with three other Southern teams.[citation needed]
The franchise was owned by William Bridgeforth from 1952 to 1955, and by Sid Lynor and Floyd Meshac in 1955. Dr. Anderson Ross purchased the franchise in 1956 and renamed the team the Birmingham Giants.[3]
The Black Barons played their last game in 1960.
The 1999Rickwood Classic honored the Black Barons, with theBirmingham Barons andHuntsville Stars wearing throwback uniforms. Some 35 former Negro leagues players, including former Black BaronCharley Pride, attended.
On February 26, 2006,ESPN Classic broadcast a throwback game fromRickwood Field featuring amateur players in the uniforms of the Birmingham Black Barons and fictitious "Bristol Barnstormers". The style of play, the equipment and the umpires all reflected the 1940s game. Willie Mays and Charley Pride were both in attendance. The Black Barons rallied to break an eighth inning tie and win the game, 9–8.
On June 18, 2024, as part of Major League Baseball's Tribute to the Negro Leagues event held at Rickwood Field, the Birmingham Barons andMontgomery Biscuits played as their Negro League predecessors of the Birmingham Black Barons and Montgomery Gray Sox; the game was broadcast live on theMLB Network. Of particular note is that the game was paused in the bottom of the 7th inning for the announcement that baseball great Willie Mays had died.[4] Montgomery won the game 6-5.[5]
In addition toSatchel Paige,Willie Mays also played as center fielder during both the 1948 and 1949 seasons.Mule Suttles was a member of the Black Barons in 1924 and 1925 seasons. Suttles was elected to theBaseball Hall of Fame in 2006. Other players, likeArtie Wilson,Bill Greason, andJay Heard also saw limited time (under 20 games each) in the Major Leagues.
The following Black Barons players have been inducted into theNational Baseball Hall of Fame inCooperstown, New York.
| Birmingham Black Barons Hall of Famers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Inductee | Position | Tenure | Inducted |
| Willie Mays | CF | 1948–1949 | 1979 |
| Satchel Paige | P | 1927–1930 | 1971 |
| Mule Suttles | 1B | 1924–1925 | 2006 |
| Willie Wells | SS | 1941 | 1997 |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
