1920 Detroit Stars season facts for kids

The 1920 Detroit Stars were a professional baseball team. They played in the Negro National League (NNL) during the 1920 baseball season. The team had a great year, winning 37 games and losing 27. This strong performance placed them second in the NNL. They finished just behind the Chicago American Giants.

The Stars played their home games at Mack Park. This park was located in Detroit, Michigan. The team was owned by Tenny Blount. Their leader was player-manager Pete Hill, who also played on the team.

Meet the Key Players of the 1920 Detroit Stars

This section introduces some of the most important players. These athletes helped the Detroit Stars have a successful season.

Star Hitters and Fielders

Jimmie Lyons: The Team's Top Hitter

Jimmie Lyons was the team's center fielder. He played in 59 games, which is a lot! Jimmie was the best hitter on the team. He led in many important stats:

• Batting Average: .379 (This means he got a hit almost 4 out of every 10 times he tried!)
• On-Base Percentage: .445 (He got on base nearly half the time.)
• Slugging Percentage: .595 (He hit for a lot of power, getting many extra-base hits.)
• Runs: 64 (He scored the most runs for the team.)
• Hits: 86 (He had the most hits.)
• Stolen Bases: 21 (He was fast and stole many bases.)

Jimmie's batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage were all second-best in the entire Negro National League. Only Cristóbal Torriente had better numbers. Jimmie was also excellent in the outfield. He caught 92 fly balls and threw out 12 runners.

Edgar Wesley: The Home Run King

Edgar Wesley played first base for the Stars. He appeared in 64 games. Edgar was known for his power. He hit 11 home runs, which was the most on the team. He also led the team with 50 RBIs (Runs Batted In). This means he helped score 50 runs by getting hits when teammates were on base.

Frank Warfield: A Steady Second Baseman

Frank Warfield was the team's second baseman. He also played in all 64 games. Frank had the most plate appearances for the team. He was second in runs scored (49) and third in hits (71). He was a very consistent player.

Joe Hewitt: A Versatile Infielder

Joe Hewitt was a versatile player. He played many positions in the infield. He played 22 games at shortstop, 16 at second base, and 15 at third base. Even though his batting average was .201, he was good at getting on base. He had 33 walks, which helped his on-base percentage reach .332. He was also a strong defender, leading the infielders with 159 assists.

Pete Hill: Player and Manager

Pete Hill was special because he was both a player and the team's manager. He played center field in 45 games. Pete had a batting average of .281. He was also very good at getting walks. He had 38 walks, which boosted his on-base percentage to .443. Pete Hill was a legendary player. He was honored by being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Pitching Aces

Bill Gatewood: The Team's Top Pitcher

Bill Gatewood was the ace of the pitching staff. He had an amazing record of 15 wins and only 5 losses. His earned run average (ERA) was 2.72. This means he didn't give up many runs. Bill pitched in 24 games. He started 16 of those games and finished 11 of them all by himself. He also struck out 90 batters in 159 innings pitched.

Bill Holland: A Strong Contributor

Bill Holland was another key pitcher for the Stars. He played in the most games (28) and started the most games (19). He also pitched the most innings (169) and had the most strikeouts (96). Bill had a strong record of 11 wins and 6 losses. His ERA was 2.77, showing he was also very effective.