Philadelphia Giants
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Philadelphia Giants 1902–1911 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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The Philadelphia Giants were a Negro league baseball team that played from 1902 to 1911. From 1904 to 1909 they were one of the strongest teams in black baseball, winning five eastern championships in six years. The team was organized by Sol White, H. Walter Schlichter, and Harry Smith.
In 1902, white sportswriter H. Walter Schlichter joined with long-time Negro league player Sol White and Harry Smith, sports editor of the Philadelphia Tribune (an African-American newspaper), to organize the Philadelphia Giants. Schlichter arranged for the team to play in the major league Columbia Park when the Philadelphia Athletics were on the road. Sol White would play shortstop and manage the team. For their first season, the team recruited several star players including catcher Clarence Williams, second baseman Frank Grant, and pitcher John Nelson. The 1902 Philadelphia Giants compiled a win-loss-tie record of 81–43–2. Throughout the season the Giants issued challenges to the Cuban X-Giants to compete in a Negro league championship series, but the X-Giants declined. In October, their first season culminated with a two-game series against the American League champion Philadelphia Athletics. The Athletics won both games, 8–3 and 13–9.
In 1903, White acquired Harry Buckner, William Binga, Robert Footes, Bill Monroe and John W. Patterson. Attendance grew and in September the Giants again challenged the Cuban X-Giants for a championship series. This time the challenge was accepted and games were scheduled for New York, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg. The Cuban X-Giants beat Philadelphia behind outstanding pitching by Rube Foster.
The next season White recruited Foster, outfielder Pete Hill, and pitcher Danny McClellan for the Giants, and a dynasty took shape. With the Giants' growing popularity and to avoid working around the Philadelphia Athletics' schedule, they leased their own home stadium at Broad Street and Jackson Avenue in Philadelphia. A second "World's Colored Championship" was determined by a best-of-three series in September. Foster beat the Cuban X-Giants in both the first and the decisive third games for Philadelphia's first championship.
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