WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: WILLIE WELLS

The next "Negro Leagues Legend" to get the spotlight here on the blog, all-timer Willie Wells, who put in an amazing 25-years in pro-ball between 1924 and 1948:

A ten-time all-star, Wells was also a Cuban League Most Valuable Player twice, in 1929/30 and 1939/40, and holds the Negro National League record of 27 home runs in a season in 1926, this third year as a pro.
As was one of my previous players spot-lighted, Mule Suttles, Wells was a part of the “Million Dollar Infield” along with Ray Dandridge and Dick Seay playing for the Newark Eagles.
Though an excellent hitter, Wells was particularly known for his defensive skills at short, and is credited as mentoring Jackie Robinson with infield defense including turning a double-play.
As for his offense, Wells recorded stats for the Negro Leagues are impressive, retiring with a .319 batting average along with a .510 slugging percentage and exactly 100 home runs in 756 games played.
A member of the Mexican and Cuban Halls of Fame, Wells was also inducted into the American Hall of Fame in 1997 by the Veteran’s Committee, capping off the career of one of the greatest shortstops in Negro Leagues history.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: TURKEY STEARNES

The next Negro League Legend from my custom set released last year to get a spotlight here on the blog is one of the great power hitters, Turkey Stearnes:

 

Over the course of 18 seasons between 1923 and 1940, Stearnes put up impressive numbers, finishing his career with a .344 batting average while clubbing 183 home runs, unofficially the NBL record.
The man was such an accomplished all-around five-tool player that Bill James ranked him 25th in all-time players, regardless of league!
The great Satchel Paige was even quoted as saying that he considered Stearnes just as good as legend Josh Gibson, or anyone else who held a bat in his hand.

He batted over .400 three times and led the Negro Leagues in home runs seven times, while also leading the league in triples six times between 1923 and 1936.

Sadly, as was the case with so many NBL greats, by the time Stearnes was recognized by Cooperstown with induction to the Hall of Fame, he had passed away 21 years prior in 1979 at the age of 78.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: TED "DOUBLE DUTY" RADCLIFFE

Today on the blog we celebrate the great Negro League star Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe, who had a card in my custom "Negro League Legends" set produced last Summer:

 

It’s tough to find a concise time-line of his baseball tenure, but it is alleged that Radcliffe played for over 30 teams and collected more than 4000 hits, hit 400 home runs, won over 500 games and struck out about 4000 batters.
A long time teammate of the great Satchel Paige, Radcliffe once caught a shutout by Paige in the first game of a double-header, then went out and pitched a shutout himself in the second game!
Six times Radcliffe played in the Negro league East-West game, three as a pitcher and three as a catcher, while also pitching and catching in two and six other all-star games respectively.
Remarkably, as part of a publicity stunt, Radcliffe was “signed” at the age of 96 by the Schaumberg Flyers of the Northern League in 1999, throwing one pitch to become the oldest player ever to appear in a game.
A character on and off the field, you can find more anecdote regarding Radcliffe than you can statistics, sadly the result of lost record-keeping for the Negro leagues over the years.
Just Google his name and try reading the bits and pieces that were recording over his long life, definitely an entertaining read!

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: SOL WHITE

The next Negro league great to get the spotlight here on the blog, perhaps the most important figure in early Black baseball, Sol White:

I first became aware of White when I was hunting down a copy of his incredible early book, “History of Colored Baseball”, from 1907.

From there I learned he wasn’t just a writer about early African-American baseball, but played as well.
According to various records and accounts, White’s playing career spanned about 20 years between 1887-1926, which included his managerial career as well, which started in 1902 when he founded, along with others, the Philadelphia Giants.
Between 1904 and 1907 he led the team to four straight Black Baseball Championships.
It was also in that time that he published his historical publication in 1907, a 128-page pamphlet that was given out at games during their season.
Beginning with the formation of the first black baseball team in 1885 and took readers up to 1907, with what was supposed to be a second edition to be published later on covering the game into the 1920’s.
Sadly this never materialized, leaving us with what could have been an incredible piece of documented history.
Nevertheless, if you want to read more of Sol White, you can easily read his Wikipedia entry, and also see the bibliography included to cover even more.
Totally worth the read and I strongly encourage it!

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: SATCHEL PAIGE

On the blog today, a spotlight on one of the greatest baseball players and characters the game has ever seen, Satchel Paige, from my "Negro League Legends" custom set released about a year ago:

 

From his start as a 20-year old playing for the Birmingham Black Barons in 1927 to his final Major League appearance as a 58-year old for the Kansas City Athletics, Paige became an American icon not only for his on-field play but for his infectious personality.
Though his career Negro League record is listed as 100-50 over 18-seasons, he won countless other games along the way, as was the usual for the Negro Leagues as they played exhibition and non-league games during gaps in their schedule.
His stories are legend, enough so that by the time the Baseball Hall of Fame got off their ass and finally began electing Negro League all-time greats to Cooperstown, Paige was the very 1st to be so honored.
A 5x time Negro League all-star, 2x American League all-star, Negro League champ in 1942 with the Homestead Grays, and Major League World Champion with the 1948 Cleveland Indians, Paige left a baseball legacy that few could come close to.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: RUBE FOSTER

The next Negro League all-time great to focus on here on the blog from my "Negro League Legends" custom set released in 2021 is truly a legend of the game, former pitcher, manager and NBL builder Rube Foster:

 

 

Held in high-regard as the greatest pitcher during the early part of the 20th-Century in Black baseball, this man transcends “stats” and achieved his lofty place in baseball history for the influence he had in building the Negro National League, as well as teaching numerous young players who came along under his tutelage during his 20+ years as player and manager.
Numerous are the stories that follow this legend: his nickname “Rube”, apparently coined after he beat Rube Waddell in a game in the first few years of the 1900’s; Christy Mathewson’s “fadeaway” screwball, taught to him by none other than Foster after he was brought in by John McGraw to teach the young ace.
Of course with stat-keeping the way it was in these early days of baseball, especially the Negro Leagues, Foster’s numbers are left to history to uncover for sure, but we do know from personal accounts that he was one of the greats regardless of league, sad we didn’t get to see him compete against all players.
Nevertheless, although it took way too long, Foster was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981, long overdue but definitely a worthy historical figure in the sports’ long history to have his place in Cooperstown forever.
As I state with all these Negro league Legends posts, please do yourself a favor and read up on these players, you’ll be happy you did with the anecdotes, classic match-ups and great players along the way that make for an amazing read.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: RAY DANDRIDGE

The next "Negro League Legend" card to be spotlighted from my custom set released last year is the great third baseman Ray Dandridge:

Dandridge put in over 20 years of ball both here in the States and abroad, playing almost ten years in Mexico in the 1940’s, and along the way was a three-time all-star who had a lifetime Negro League batting average of .355 according to some sources.
A part of what came to be named the “Million Dollar Infield”, he teamed up with other all-time greats Dick Seay, Mule Suttles and Willie Wells playing for the Newark Eagles during the 1930’s before leaving for Mexico, and was considered one of the greatest fielders at his position in Negro League history.
Sadly, by the time Major League baseball integrated in 1947, Dandridge, who could still play as evidenced by his great seasons in Minor League ball, including an MVP season in the American Association in 1950 and a batting title when he hit .362 the year before, he never received a shot at the “big time” because of his age.
Some say he easily could have been the player to integrate MLB since Bill Veeck of the Cleveland Indians contacted Dandridge to come play in the Indians’ organization. However, comfortable and well-paid playing in Mexico, he decided it was a better situation for his family at the time.
After his playing days ended in 1955, he did accept work in the Major Leagues as a scout, doing so for the New York Giants and was a mentor to a young Willie Mays, before running a recreational center in Newark for many years.
In 1987, he joined many former Negro League legends in Cooperstown when he was elected by the Veteran’s Committee, securing his baseball legacy.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: OSCAR CHARLESTON

The next Negro League Legend spotlighted here on the blog from my custom set released last year is one of the best, legendary outfielder and manager Oscar Charleston:

 

 

One of the most renowned players of his time, Charleston is credited with a lifetime .353 career average with a .576 slugging percentage over his long career that spanned 1915 through 1941.

Not only was he one of the top players of his generation regardless of league, he also was one of the top managers.

In 1932 Charleston was player-manager for perhaps the greatest team In Negro League history, the Pittsburgh Crawfords, who had among their players Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Judy Johnson!

In 1976, Cooperstown rightfully elected the all-time great to the Baseball Hall of Fame, capping off the extraordinary career that regrettably didn’t get a chance to show it’s talent on a Major League level, but nevertheless did NOT go unnoticed.

Though he played for many organizations during his illustrious career, it was his time with the Pittsburgh Crawfords that really established his legendary career, and since his induction to the Hall of Fame, he is frequently mentioned when there is discussion as to the greatest players of all-time, regardless of Major or Negro League.

In 1999 he was ranked #67 on the Sporting News list of the "100 Greatest Baseball Players", and he was also nominated for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

For more on Charleston’s career, and that of all the other greats that played in the Negro Leagues, please do yourself a favor and just Google the league and it’s players for amazing stories, history and events. It’s all easily found and a great foundation  to build off of for further reading.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: MULE SUTTLES

The next Negro League Legend spotlighted from my custom set released last year, one of the greatest sluggers there ever was, Mule Suttles:

Suttles played between 1921-1941 and was known for both his prodigious power and hitting for average, leading his league in home runs twice as well as doubles, triples and average once each all between 1926-1930 while with the St. Louis Stars.
While playing for the Newark Black Eagles in the late-1930’s and early-1940’s, he played along other Negro League legends Dick Seay, Willie Wells and Ray Dandridge, part of what was knows as the “Million Dollar Infield”.
According to available documentation, Suttles finished his NBL career with a .329 batting average and 129 homers, second only to yet another legend, Turkey Stearns who has credit for 176 in league play.
Baseball author Bill James ranked Suttles as the 43rd greatest player of all-time in ANY league back in 2001, as well as the second-best left-fielder in Negro League history.

In 2006, his place in Cooperstown was rightly given, getting elected by the special Negro League Committee.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: MARTIN DIHIGO

The next Negro League Legend profiled from my custom set released last year is one of the best to ever play the game, Martin Dihigo:

 

Between 1922 and 1953, yes, over 30 years, the pitcher/second baseman managed to star in the Negro Leagues, Mexican League, Cuban League and Venezuelan League.
He set the Mexican League record with a .676 career winning percentage, the Cuban record with 107 career wins along with 121 complete games on his way to four league MVP Awards, and was a two-time Negro League all-star.
Just to get an idea of this versatile stars abilities, in 1938, playing in the Mexican League, Dihigo posted an 18-2 record with a microscopic 0.90 E.R.A., while leading the league in batting with a .387 average!
According to some statistic gathering, he even posted a ridiculous 0.15 E.R.A. one season in the same league, finishing up with a 119-57 record along with a .317 average.
In the Cuban league, he finished with a 107-56 record along with a .298 average, while ending his Negro League career with a 26-19 record and a .307 average.
Combining all his stats, he would finish his pro career with a 252-132 record while batting .302 along with 130 homers (with over a decade of home run stats missing from this total).
The man was so good that he was elected to no less than FIVE Halls of Fame: American, Cuban, Mexican, Venezuelan and Dominican Republic!
Incredible journey for one of the games all-time greats.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: LOUIS SANTOP

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.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: LEON DAY

The next Negro Leagues legend to be spotlighted here on the blog from my custom set released last year is pitcher Leon Day:

 

 

 

The seven-time Negro League all-star is not remembered as much as some of his contemporaries such as Satchel Paige, but is often in the conversation when “best pitcher” comes up with those who know Negro League history.
According to records on hand, Day’s career record stood at 64-29 with an earned run average of 2.98, spanning 1934 and 1950.
In 1937, with the “Million Dollar Infield” behind him, he had his best season, going 13-0 with a 3.02 E.R.A., while also batting .320 with eight home runs.
A versatile player, over the course of his career Day would play every position outside of catching when he wasn’t on the mound, and many suggested that he would have been better suited to play the outfield on a full-time player so his bat would be in the line-up everyday.
But it is hard to argue the simple fact that Day was a master pitcher, setting the Negro League record for strikeouts in a game with 18 when he threw a one-hit shutout against the Baltimore Elite Giants.
On opening day, May 5th 1946, as he returned from serving in the military, Day promptly tossed a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Stars, beating them 2-0, on his way to leading the league in wins, strikeouts and complete games.
A soft-spoken and reserved man, Day was not one to boast of his talents, or to draw attention to his on-the-field accomplishments, and many suggest that this is why many do not know of his greatness as an all-around ballplayer, both on the mound and at the plate.
Nevertheless, as stated before, Day was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame just days before his passing in 1995 at the age of 78, fulfilling a dream of his, and rightfully so.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: JUDY JOHNSON

Today on the blog we go and focus on my custom Judy Johnson card from my "Negro League Legends" custom set released last Summer:

 

One of the All-Time great third basemen to take the field, Johnson played between 1918 and 1936 for the Hilldale Club, the Bacharach Giants, Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords, and compiled a career .293 average, though he batted as high as .389 (1925) and .376 (1929) when he was also named MVP.
Beyond his playing field performance, he is also credited with discovering and mentoring the great Josh Gibson, just as Negro League legend John Henry Lloyd did for him when he first came up.
By then a player-manager for the legendary Homestead Grays, the squad featured no less than five future Hall of Fame players: Johnson, Cool Papa Bell, Oscar Charleston, Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson.
Post Negro leagues, Johnson became a scout in the Major Leagues for the Philadelphia Athletics before moving on to the Braves, Phillies and Dodgers.
From 1971 through 1974 Johnson was also on the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Committee on the Negro Leagues, helping to find a rightful place in Cooperstown for inductees like Paige and Gibson before being elected himself in 1975.
A wonderful baseball life that spanned decades, and to a greater extent, worlds in respect to how American baseball evolved between 1918 and the mid-70’s.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: JUD WILSON

The next "Negro League Legends" custom card to be spotlighted here on the blog is the great Jud Wilson, who starred at both first and third base over his Hall of Fame career:

 

Wilson put in 23 seasons in the Negro Leagues, as one of the most powerful and fiery players of his day, and finished his incredible career with a .351 batting average, the fifth highest in league history.
He topped .300 sixteen seasons, including four of over .400, while also going on to bat a combined .372 over six Cuban Winter League campaigns.
Against Major League pitchers in two seasons of the California Winter League, Wilson hit .469 and .385, including hits off of future Hall of Famer Lefty Grove.
Stories of his temper abound, and are something to read about. It seems no one wanted to mess with the short yet powerfully built player. Players and umpires were at the wrong end of his wrath. Look it up, they are unique anecdotes of a man’s competitive nature!
On July 30, 2006, Wilson was posthumously elected for the Hall of Fame, joining his former teammates and contemporaries with his rightful place in baseball history.
As I often state with a lot of these Negro League stars, please do yourself a favor and look up their bio’s to really get a sense of the player, the teams and the league’s. Some incredible stuff out there to get acquainted with the history of the leagues for those who haven’t done so already.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: JOSH GIBSON

The next Negro Leagues great spotlighted from my "Negro League Legends" custom set released last Summer is perhaps the greatest of them all, catcher Josh Gibson:

 

Really, what needs to be said about one of the all-time baseball (of ANY league) legends anyone has ever seen?
I remember when I was a kid in the late-70’s/early-80’s, before the internet and information at the tips of your fingers, I would see that image of Gibson in the Guiness Book of World Records, along with their statement that he clubbed over 800 home runs during his playing career, as well as over 70 in a season, and just marvel and wonder about the “what if’s”.
What a treat it would have been to have fully documented numbers and achievements by Gibson against all players. Luckily what we do have are his numbers against his fellow Negro National League players, and they were just as amazing!
By the time Gibson retired at the young age of 34 in 1946, he put up a career average of .350, with 107 home runs in 1825 at-bats. Mind you, this doesn’t take into account all the home runs he blasted in other games such as the Dominican, Mexican, and Cuban (Winter League) games!
Informally, Gibson is credited with a .359 career average with 962 homers, hitting as many as 69 in 1934 and 55 the year before, including barnstorming games.
There’s so much I could write here, but for those who haven’t already, just read up on ANYTHING you can regarding Gibson’s career, it’ll blow your mind, including some of the anecdotes, and you’ll see why he’s considered not only one of the greatest catchers of all-time (in any league), but one of the greatest players, period.
Sadly, he passed away at only 35 years of age, never really seeing all the accolades that would come his way after he was no longer with us.
Such a shame. 

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: JOSE MENDEZ

Today we celebrate a grossly-overlooked star of the Cuban and Negro Leagues, Jose Mendez, who was a dominant pitcher and threw some legendary games against Major and Minor league teams in the early part of the 20th Century, with a closer look at the card I created for him in me "Negro League Legends" custom set from last Summer:

Mendez, whose career spanned 20 seasons between 1907 and 1926, put up some monster years in the Cuban League, posting documented records of 15-6, 11-2, 10-0 and 7-0 while winning three pennants in six years with Almendares.

His performance in 1908 made him a legend when he pitched 25 consecutive scoreless innings against the Cincinnati Reds including a one-hitter, then a few days later throwing a couple of shutouts including a no-hitter against a Minor League All-Star team, giving him 43 consecutive shutouts innings pitched.
His career record in the Cuban League was an incredible 76-28, good for a sparkling .731 winning percentage.
In the very first Negro League World Series in 1924, pitching for the Kansas City Monarchs, he appeared in four games against the Hilldale Club, going 2-0 with a shutout in the final game.
An early member of the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame, elected in 1939 1939, he would add to that honor by being inducted to the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame  in 2006.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: JOHN "POP" LLOYD

The next "Negro League Legends" card from my custom set released last Summer to get the spotlight is a whopper, all-time great John "Pop" Lloyd, elite shortstop and manager:

 

Lloyd, who played in organized Negro League play between 1906 and 1923, was widely considered the greatest to play his position, and that opinion was shared by none other than Babe Ruth himself!
On top of that, he was often referred to as the “Black Honus Wagner”, to which Wagner himself is quoted as stating “It’s an honor to be compared to him”.
Coming up he played for none other than Negro League icon Sol White, before moving on to play for yet another legend, Rube Foster, where he led a team some consider the greatest of all-time, the Chicago Leland Giants.
Depending on what research you believe, Lloyd batted between .337 and .343 in league play before moving on to playing semi-professional ball in Atlantic City, New Jersey up until 1942.
Of course, once the greats of the Negro Leagues were considered for the Baseball Hall of Fame in the 1970’s, Lloyd eventually given his rightful place in Cooperstown, getting elected by special committee in 1977.

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: "CYCLONE" JOE WILLIAMS

Today on the blog we add the great "Cyclone" Joe Williams in my on-going spotlight of my custom "Negro League Legends" set that was produced back in July of 2020:

 

One of my favorite custom sets that I've created, it was certainly worth all the work put into it, and I promise you it was a ton of work!

Pitching an incredible 27-years, he starred in the Negro Leagues as well as the Mexican and Caribbean Leagues between 1907 and 1932.
According to some sources, some of his pro seasons included records of 28-4, 20-2 and 32-8 playing for teams such as the Chicago Leland Giants and Homestead Grays.
While the great Satchel Paige gets much of the attention of baseball fans and historians, there is a frequent debate as to whether Williams is in fact the greatest pitcher to toe the rubber in Negro League history, even being recognized as such in a 1952 poll held by the Pittsburgh Courier.
Even noted Baseball historian Bill James named Williams the 52nd greatest player (and 12th greatest pitcher) in baseball history when he released his “100 Greatest Players in Baseball History” some 20-years ago.
In 1999, Cooperstown gave Williams his rightful place in their hallowed halls, electing him for enshrinement by the Veteran’s Committee.

 

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: JOE ROGAN

The next "Negro League Legends" custom from my set released a few motnhs back to get the spotlight, that of all-time great "Bullet" Joe Rogan, truly one of the great "two-way threats" the game has ever seen:

 

Casey Stengel once claimed Rogan was, “one of the best, if not the best, pitcher that ever lived.”

According to some records, Rogan won the most games in Negro Leagues history, while ranking fourth all-time in career batting average!
Consider these numbers: 116-50 career win-loss record, along with a 2.59 earned run average, as well as an incredible .338 batting average. Just amazing numbers.
In 1924, the man would hit .395 while going 18-6 on the mound, leading the Kansas City Monarchs to their second title, then going on to defeat the Hilldales of the Eastern Colored League in the very first Black World Series.
The following year, all he would do is post a record of 17-2 while batting .381, once again leading the Monarchs to a league title, though he would injure his knee before a rematch with Hilldale in the World Series, in which the Monarchs lost in six games.
Historian Phil Dixon compiles all of Rogan’s stats in all league play over his 23 years and has him at over 350 games won with over 2000 strikeouts, while also collecting over 2500 hits with 350+ home runs and over 500 stolen bases!
Just an amazing pro career that needs further appreciation, though the ultimate compliment would come Rogan’s way in 1998 when Cooperstown came calling.

 

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: HILTON SMITH

The next Negro League Legend spotlighted from my recently produced custom set, the great and terribly overlooked pitcher Hilton Smith:

 

Often overshadowed by his teammate Satchel Paige (who wouldn't be?!), Smith Played for the Monarchs from 1936 through 1948, officially posting a record of 71-31 with a 1.68 earned run average, while making six all-star teams and winning the Negro League championship in 1942.

According to Negro League Museum Director Bob Kendrick, the old saying was, "...if you were going to hit anything, you better hit it off Satchel because you weren't going to touch Hilton Smith."

The reason for this was because there were many games where the great Satchel Paige would start and pitch about three innings to appease the crowd before Smith would come in to finish the last six innings,often with great results.

Fellow Hall of Famer Monte Irvin, who played in both the Negro Leagues and big leagues, said: “He (Smith) had one of the finest curveballs I ever had the displeasure to try and hit. His curveball fell of the table. Sometimes you knew where it would be coming from, but you still couldn’t hit it because it was that sharp. He was just as tough as Satchel was.”

But he was also a very good hitter, posting a career .323 batting average over his career.

Though he passed away in 1983, thankfully this baseball great was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.