Eclipse Vs. Black Stockings: Game Three

The Eclipse and Black Sox, the local colored rivals, will play their third game to-day at Compton Avenue Park.  The Black Sox's regular pitcher, Davis, will be on hand to twirl for his club, who claim their defeat from the Eclipses was due to his absence.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 12, 1884

The game between the colored clubs at Compton Avenue Park yesterday afternoon resulted in favor of the Eclipse Club, who defeated the Black Sox by a score of 10 to 2.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 13, 1884

Champions Beyond Question

The Eclipse nine defeated the Black Stockings yesterday at Compton Avenue Park, and are now the colored champions beyond question.  The attendance was very large.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 15, 1884

An 1884 Triple-Header At The Compton Avenue Grounds

There will be three games at the Compton Avenue Park to-day.  The Wainwrights and Mound Social Clubs' nines will occupy the diamond at 9:30 a.m.; at 1:30 p.m. the Spikers and Excelsiors will cross bats, and at 4 o'clock the Athletics and Compton Browns (colored nines) will meet.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 7, 1884

Black Stockings Vs. Callender's Minstrels

The Black Sox will play the Callender Minstrel Club this afternoon at Sportsman's Park.  Before the game Callender's Minstrel band will give a grand concert.  Game will be called at 3:30 p.m.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 4, 1884


I gave you the ad for this game the other day and post this only because the Globe gave the starting nine for both the Black Stockings and Callender's Minstrels. 

For the Black Stockings: Johnson, pitcher; Hope, catcher; Rogers, first base; Jones, second base; Canter, short; Bracy, third base; Gardner, right field; Sutton, center field; Chouvau, left field.

For Callender's Minstrels: Adams, pitcher; Waters, catcher; Williams, first; Girard, second; Freeman, short; Smith, third; Wolf, right; Brown, center; Hawskins, left. 

An 1884 Ad For A Black Stockings Game

I promise I'm getting to the Maroons.  Or is that a threat?  Doesn't matter because the above appeared in the September 4, 1884 edition of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat and is an ad for a Black Stockings' game.  Can't say you see that every day.   

The Top Twenty Games In 19th Century St. Louis Baseball History: # 13

13. May 6, 1884: St. Louis Browns vs. Toledo Blue Stockings

About 600 persons witnessed the game, which was interesting and at times remarkably brilliant...Among the spectators there were quite a number of colored individuals, attracted by the announcement that Walker, the colored catcher, would appear behind the bat for the visitors. They were enthusiastic over Walker, and manifested decided partiality for his club. 

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 7, 1884


When Moses Fleetwood Walker stepped out onto the field at Sportsman's Park in May of 1884, it represented the first time an African-American man played in a major league baseball game in St. Louis. 

The contributions of African-American men to the history of St. Louis major league baseball is immeasurable.  You can't write the history of St. Louis baseball without mentioning Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee, Ray Lankford and others too numerous to mention.  Think of all the great black ballplayers who have played for clubs in this city or visited as members of an opposing club.  Willie Mays played at Sportsman's Park.  Henry Aaron.  Jackie Robinson.  Roy Campanella.  My god, Satchel Paige.  Cool Papa.  All the great stars of the Negro Leagues.  Fleet Walker was the first of many - but he was the first.

And that is in no way to discount the contributions of the guys who played for the Black Stockings or the Blue Stockings or any of the innumerable black St. Louis clubs that existed prior to May 1884.  Walker makes the list because he's famous and a major leaguer.  Those guys get forgotten because they weren't.  But their contributions to the history of St. Louis baseball are much more significant and I kick myself more and more, as this list gets further along, that I didn't include the 1875 Blue Stockings/Unique game.  I've stated, time and again, that it's important to integrate the history of black baseball into the whole of baseball history and, by not including a Black Stocking or Blue Stocking game on this list, I think I'm failing to do that.  I'll just have to do better in the future.      

The Colored Base Ball Clubs Of Belleville And Lebanon

The colored base ball clubs of Belleville and Lebanon crossed bats Thursday afternoon, the game resulting 13 to 12 in favor of Belleville.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 1, 1884


It's not much but given that the Globe had pretty much ignored the black clubs of the area for the most of the 1884 season, it's great to see this.  And it's a nice reference to black clubs on the east side of the river, which is rather rare. 

The Black Stockings Meet The Athletics

An immense attendance witnessed the meeting yesterday afternoon at the Union Grounds of the Black Stocking and Athletic, colored clubs.  The latter were badly overmatched, but the game was prolific of amusing features and created more enthusiasm than any game played in St. Louis this season.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 1, 1884


I had this box score in my files so I've probably posted it before but I'm putting it up again in the context of the Globe's 1884 baseball coverage.  While going through the 1884 Maroon's season, I've complained about the lack of coverage of the black St. Louis clubs.  But all the sudden, at the end of August 1884, the Globe started to give us some information.  And, as you'll see tomorrow, their sudden interest in the black clubs of the area extended beyond the Black Stockings.    

Backing His Team

Manager Bridgewater, of the Black Stocking (Colored) Club, says he is willing to back his team against the Eclipse Club, and will put up a forfeit at any time that Manager Brooks may name.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 31, 1884

Hopefully, we'll get past the talking stage and have a nice series of games between the Black Stockings and the Eclipse.  And hopefully, the Globe will cover it.   

It Was Too Good To Be True

It has been announced that there will be no charge for admission to the game between the colored clubs at Union Park to-morrow, which is true so far as the gate and free seats are concerned.  For seats in the grand stand, however, a small charge will be made.  It was feared that the public might be mislead by the announcement, hence this correction.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 30, 1884 


Okay, first of all, let's be clear that there will be no charge for the free seats.  Secondly, the reason the public may have been confused about all of this was because the Globe, the day before, stated that admission to the Black Stocking/Athletic game was going to be free.  They specifically stated that there would be no charge for seating in the grand stands. 

But don't think I'm complaining.  The Globe did correct their error, something that modern newspapers usually refuse to do.  And this was back to back issues that featured multiple pieces on the goings on of the Black Stockings.  So I'm rather pleased with that.   

The Eclipse Answer The Black Stockings

Chas. Brooks, who signs himself "Manager of the Eclipse Base Ball Club, the champion colored club of the United States," writes to the Globe-Democrat to say that if Henry Bridgewater, Manager of the Black Stocking Club, has any business proposition to make to the Eclipse club, "for love or money," it will be promptly accepted.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 30, 1884


Back to back issues that mention the Black Stockings.  This is more like what I was expecting when I started going through the 1884 season.  And there will be a little more about this tomorrow.   

A Free-For-All Affair

The colored Black Stockings and the colored Athletics, each claiming to be the champion colored club of the city, will play a deciding game at the Union grounds on Sunday next.  The Union management have tendered the park to the colored troops, and the latter have concluded to make it a free-for-all affair.  There will be no charge either to the grounds or grand stand.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 29, 1884


Holy cow - two references to black baseball clubs in one issue of the Globe.  Be still my heart.  And what about free admission to a championship game?  Can't imagine anything like that these days.   

For All The Money

Harry Bridgewater, manager of the Black Stockings Base Ball Club, offers to play his nine against the Eclipse (colored) Base Ball Club, who say they are the champions, etc., for all the money they can raise, for gate receipts or for fun.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 29, 1884


I don't think I've ever seen Henry Bridgewater referred to as Harry but I'll take any reference to that Black Stockings that I can get.   

The St. Louis Base Ball Club

Tomorrow, I'll get to the great St. Louis/Cincinnati exhibition game of August 23, 1884, when Tom Dolan made his debut with the Maroons, but first I have to pass this along:

The St. Louis Base Ball Club, composed of men with money, has undertaken to pay the traveling expenses of a strong nine of colored baseballists to travel through the Eastern States early 1871.  They desire the address of the secretaries of colored clubs in the United States North.

-Daily Observer (Utica, NY), November 29, 1870

James Brunson sent this to be last week and it's extremely interesting.  First, Brunson identifies the club in question as the Brown Stockings, a black club that I have seen a few references to but nothing this early.  Also, I love the fact that the club goes by the name of the St. Louis Base Ball Club.  This was the same official name of the NA/NL Brown Stockings and the AA/NL Browns.  It's a name with a rich tradition and this club only adds to the legacy. 

I want to thank Dr. Brunson for taking the time to send this information to me so that I could share it with all of you. 

A Black Club In Decatur In 1870

We had fondly hoped that the enfranchisement of the colored people would tend to levate their ideas and aspirations but our anticipations have come to grief.  The young colored men of Decatur have, we are sorry to say, taken a step backward - they have organized a base ball club.

-Decatur Republican, May 12, 1870


Honestly, I think I now know more about black baseball in Decatur in 1870 than I do about black baseball in St. Louis during the same period. 

Was That So Hard?

A large crowd witnessed the game at Compton Avenue Park yesterday afternoon, between the Eclipse and Black Sox, the two leading colored nines.  The Eclipse team won by a score of 7 to 5.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 4, 1884

See how easy that was?  Just give us the clubs, the score and a little information about the crowd.  That's all I want.  That and the box score.  How about a box score next time?

The Two Leading Local Colored Base Ball Organizations

The Black Sox and Eclipse nines, representing the two leading local colored base ball organizations, will play at Compton Avenue Park this afternoon, beginning at 4 o'clock.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, August 3, 1884

I've probably mentioned this before but I'm disappointed in the Globe's 1884 coverage of black baseball in St. Louis.  I know that, in general, their coverage of black baseball was poor, at best, but I expected much more than I've found.  My thinking was that, whenever baseball grew in popularity in St. Louis, the Globe expanded their baseball coverage and you'd have more coverage of the amateur clubs, the minor professional clubs and the black clubs.  Now, generally speaking, this is true and there is a great deal of information about the St. Louis amateur and minor professional clubs in the paper in 1884.  They just didn't cover the black clubs beyond the occasional blurb mentioning that a game was scheduled to be played.  There is hardly nothing on games themselves.  There are no game accounts and no box scores.  It's disappointing.

The Black Stockings Romp

The colored ball tossers, the Black Stockings and the Athletics, played a game yesterday morning at Compton Avenue Park, the Black Stockings winning by a score of 20 to 2.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, June 2, 1884


Would it have killed the Globe to give us a box score?  In their June 2nd issue, they published a box score for a game between two American Association reserve teams, a game involving the Lucas Amateurs and some random game between clubs from Akron and Evansville, as well as the Maroons game.  They also published a couple of paragraphs on a muffin game in Mexico, Missouri.  But they give the Black Stockings one sentence.  

The Old Black Stockings

The old Black Stockings, the champion colored club of the country, has been reorganized under the management of Henry Bridgewater, with the following players:  Ben Johnson, p.; S. Johnson, c.; E. Rogers, 1 b.; H. Lawrence, 2 b.; L. Canter, s.s.; S. Chauvan, 3 b.; W. Sutton, c. f.; E. Gordan, r.f.; C. Gardner, l.f.  

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 21, 1884


I have to say that I'm disappointed in the Globe's coverage of St. Louis black baseball during the 1884 season up to this point.  Maybe it will get better.  Maybe the black clubs were starting a bit late.  Who knows?  But given the excitement going into the season and the amount of space the Globe was devoting to baseball, I expected to see more coverage of the black clubs.  

Fleet Walker In St. Louis

Toledo, without Tony Mullane, played the Browns on May 6, in the second game of the series.  The Globe noted something unique about the game:

About 600 persons witnessed the game, which was interesting and at times remarkably brilliant...Among the spectators there were quite a number of colored individuals, attracted by the announcement that Walker, the colored catcher, would appear behind the bat for the visitors.  They were enthusiastic over Walker, and manifested decided partiality for his club.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 7, 1884


While the Browns won the game 6-3, I think this game may have deeper significance.  To the best of my knowledge, I think Fleet Walker's appearance for Toledo represents the first time that an African-American played in a major league baseball game in St. Louis.