The next legend from my "Negro League Legends" custom set released last year to be spotlighted here on the blog is the great Louis Santop:
Often called the “first Negro League superstar”, Santop was a presence behind the plate with his 6’4”, 240-pound frame, garnering the nickname “Big Bertha” once he made his debut in 1909 with the Fort Wayne Wonders.
Shortly after, he moved on to the Philadelphia Giants where he became battery-mates with another all-timer, “Cannonball” Redding, becoming the “kid battery” while also developing into a force at the plate, consistently hitting above .350, with a .400+ season thrown in.
Over the course of 14 seasons in the Negro Leagues, Santop became a top drawing card and fan favorite, even playing outfield and the corner infield positions throughout his career.
Officially, Santop is credited with a career .333 batting average between 1911 and 1926, hitting as high as .412 in in 1918 split between the Philadelphia Hilldale Club and Brooklyn Royal Giants.
Thankfully, in 2006 Cooperstown came calling, selecting him for enshrinement over 60 years after his death in 1942.
