Candy Jim Taylor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Candy Jim Taylor |
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| 3rd Baseman / Manager | |||
| Born: February 1, 1884 Anderson, South Carolina, US |
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| Died: April 3, 1948 (aged 64) Chicago, buried: Burr Oak Cemetery |
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| Career statistics | |||
| Managerial record | 955–991–21 | ||
| Winning percentage | .491 | ||
| Batting average | .297 | ||
| Home runs | 26 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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James Allen "Candy Jim" Taylor (born February 1, 1884 – died April 3, 1948) was an important figure in Negro league baseball. He was a talented third baseman and a very successful manager. His career lasted for 40 years!
Candy Jim played as an infielder for many black baseball teams. He started playing in the early 1900s. By the mid-1920s, he played less often. He mostly came in as a pinch hitter in his later years. His last game was when he was 58 years old.
In 1920, the "golden era" of Negro league baseball began. That's when Candy Jim became a manager. He managed 1,967 games for 12 different teams. People called him one of the best strategists of his time. He won more games than any other manager in Negro league history. He had 955 wins. He also led his teams to two Negro World Series titles. He won one other league championship too. He managed for 27 seasons. This is the most seasons managed by an African American manager. It's also the seventh most for any baseball manager ever!
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Candy Jim Taylor was born in Anderson, South Carolina. He was one of four brothers who played in the Negro leagues. His brothers were Ben, C. I., and "Steel Arm" Johnny.
He started playing baseball in 1901 with a local team in Anderson. He began as a catcher.
Playing for the Birmingham Giants
In 1902 and 1903, he played for a few different clubs. In 1904, he joined the Birmingham Giants. He played third baseman for them. That year, he played in 55 games. He made only three errors, which is really good!
Candy Jim stayed with Birmingham until 1909. Then he moved to the St. Paul Colored Gophers in 1910. He became the captain of that team. Later in 1910, he played for the West Baden Sprudels. He was both a player and a manager there until 1913.
Becoming a Player-Manager
In 1914, Candy Jim joined the Indianapolis ABCs. He was a player and a manager for them. By 1916, he helped the Indianapolis ABCs win the Black World Championship. During World War I, Taylor played for a few teams. These included the Indianapolis ABCs, Dayton Marcos, and the Detroit Stars.
In 1918, when he was 34, Taylor registered for the WWI Draft. He was working as a laborer in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Leading Teams in the Negro National League
When the Negro National League started in 1920, Candy Jim was a player-manager for the Dayton Marcos. The next season, he moved to the Cleveland Tate Stars. He also served as a vice chairman for the league. His brother C.I. helped start the league.
Candy Jim was known for being a strict leader and a smart strategist. As a manager, he led the St. Louis Stars to be a top team. In 1925, his team won the second half of the season. They played against the Kansas City Monarchs in the Championship Series. They lost that series closely, four games to three.
Taylor returned to St. Louis in 1927. He managed them to their first championship in 1928. They beat the Chicago American Giants five games to four in the Championship Series.
Challenges and Triumphs
The Great Depression made things hard for baseball teams. In 1933, while managing the Richmond All-Stars, Taylor had to sell the team bus. He even had to send the players home because of money problems.
In 1943, Taylor became the manager for the Homestead Grays. This team had already won the NNL title for three years in a row. Their goal was to win it again. They wanted to play in the new Negro World Series. They succeeded! They won the league championship and the World Series. They won the World Series again the next year too.
Later Life and Legacy
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Candy Jim Taylor passed away at age 64 from a heart attack in Chicago. He was buried in the Burr Oak Cemetery, Alsip, Illinois. For almost 54 years, his grave did not have a headstone. In 2004, the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Marker Project raised money for a proper headstone.
Taylor managed many famous black baseball players. These included Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson, and Vic Harris. He was chosen four times to coach in the East-West All Star Game. This game featured the best players from the Negro leagues.
Managerial Record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
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| Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| DAY | 1920 | 52 | 16 | 36 | .308 | 7th in NNL | – | – | – | – |
| CLE | 1922 | 62 | 25 | 35 | .417 | 7th in NNL | – | – | – | – |
| TOL | 1923 | 14 | 7 | 7 | .500 | 8th in NNL | – | – | – | – |
| STL | 1923 | 41 | 15 | 25 | .375 | 10th in NNL | – | – | – | – |
| STL | 1924 | 84 | 43 | 41 | .512 | 4th in NNL | – | – | – | – |
| STL | 1925 | 91 | 59 | 30 | .663 | 2nd in NNL | 3 | 4 | .429 | Lost Championship Series (KC) |
| CLE | 1926 | 48 | 7 | 40 | .149 | 8th in NNL | – | – | – | – |
| DET | 1926 | 21 | 8 | 13 | .381 | 4th in NNL | – | – | – | – |
| STL | 1927 | 99 | 62 | 37 | .626 | 2nd in NNL | – | – | – | – |
| STL | 1928 | 93 | 67 | 26 | .720 | 1st in NNL | 5 | 4 | .556 | Won Championship Series (CHI) |
| STL | 1929 | 107 | 63 | 42 | .600 | 2nd in NNL | – | – | – | – |
| MEM | 1930 | 86 | 30 | 55 | .353 | 8th in NNL | – | – | – | – |
| IND | 1931 | 67 | 32 | 34 | .485 | 3rd in NNL | – | – | – | – |
| IND | 1932 | 61 | 25 | 32 | .439 | 8th in NSL | – | – | – | – |
| IND | 1933 | 48 | 17 | 31 | .354 | 9th in NNL 2 | – | – | – | – |
| NEG | 1934 | 55 | 22 | 32 | .407 | 6th in NNL 2 | – | – | – | – |
| CEG | 1935 | 57 | 30 | 25 | .545 | 4th in NNL 2 | – | – | – | – |
| WEG | 1936 | 65 | 30 | 34 | .469 | 6th in NNL 2 | – | – | – | – |
| CHI | 1937 | 77 | 39 | 37 | .513 | 3rd in NAL | – | – | – | – |
| CHI | 1938 | 82 | 40 | 39 | .506 | 3rd in NAL | – | – | – | – |
| CHI | 1939 | 75 | 39 | 36 | .520 | 2nd in NAL | – | – | – | – |
| BIR | 1940 | 36 | 12 | 24 | .333 | 6th in NAL | – | – | – | – |
| CHI | 1941 | 37 | 13 | 22 | .371 | 6th in NAL | – | – | – | – |
| CHI | 1942 | 43 | 7 | 36 | .163 | 6th in NAL | – | – | – | – |
| WSH | 1943 | 102 | 78 | 23 | .772 | 1st in NNL 2 | 4 | 1 | .571 | Won Negro World Series (BIR) |
| WSH | 1944 | 85 | 63 | 29 | .685 | 1st in NNL 2 | 4 | 3 | .800 | Won Negro World Series (BIR) |
| CHI | 1945 | 101 | 47 | 53 | .470 | 4th in NAL | – | – | – | – |
| CHI | 1946 | 89 | 31 | 56 | .356 | 6th in NAL | – | – | – | – |
| CHI | 1947 | 89 | 28 | 61 | .315 | 6th in NAL | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 1,967 | 955 | 991 | .491 | 17 | 17 | .500 | |||
