Frank Leland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frank Leland |
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| Manager | |||
| Born: 1869 Memphis, Tennessee |
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| Died: November 14, 1914 (aged 45) Chicago, Illinois |
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| debut | |||
| 1887, for the Washington Capital Cities | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1911, for the Leland Giants | |||
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Frank C. Leland (born 1869 – died November 14, 1914) was an important person in early American baseball. He was a player, a team manager, and a club owner in the Negro leagues. These leagues were for Black baseball players during a time when they were not allowed to play in the major leagues.
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Frank Leland's Early Life
Frank Leland was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He went to Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee from 1879 to 1886.
Starting His Baseball Journey
Leland began his professional baseball career in 1887. He played for the Washington Capital Cities. This team was part of the National League of Colored Baseball Clubs. However, this league did not last long.
After that, Frank Leland moved to Chicago. He played a big role in starting and growing five successful baseball teams there.
In 1888, he created the Union Base Ball Club. This was an amateur team for Black players. Some Black businessmen in Chicago helped support the team. Leland also got permission to use South Side Park. This was a baseball field that could hold 5,000 people. In 1898, his team became professional and was called the Chicago Unions.
Leland played in the outfield for the Unions in the 1880s. He also worked as an umpire for the team. Later, he became the traveling manager for the Chicago Unions.
Creating the Union Giants
In 1901, Frank Leland combined two teams: the Unions and the Columbia Giants. This new team was called the Chicago Union Giants. It quickly became the best team in the Midwest's Negro league.
The Famous Leland Giants
In 1905, the team changed its name to the Leland Giants. This happened after Leland's business partnership ended. In 1907, a famous baseball player named Rube Foster became the team's manager. Foster and another great player, Pete Hill, made the team even stronger.
Frank Leland remained the President of the Leland Giants' board of directors. He stayed in this role until September 1909. Some people thought there was a disagreement between Foster and Leland. However, newspapers at the time reported that Leland sold his ownership rights to a company. This meant he had less say in how the team was managed.
New Teams and New Names
While Rube Foster continued to run the Leland Giants Baseball Club, Frank Leland started a new company. In October 1909, he created "Leland's Chicago Giants Baseball Club." This team was usually called the "Chicago Giants". He opened his offices in Chicago. He signed Bill Lindsay as his first pitcher for this new team.
To avoid confusion, Rube Foster changed the name of the original Leland Giants. His team became the Chicago American Giants. This meant Leland's new team could clearly be known as the Chicago Giants.
Frank C. Leland worked with many well-known baseball players. These players were important before the official Negro leagues were formed. Some of them include Bill Lindsay, Walter Ball, Harry Buckner, William Monroe, Rube Foster, and Dangerfield Talbert.
Frank Leland's Life Outside Baseball
Besides his baseball career, Frank Leland had other important jobs. He worked as a clerk in the Criminal Court and the Circuit Court. He was also a clerk for the Board of Review. At one point, he even served as a Deputy Sheriff. He was also a member of the Board of County Commissioners in Cook County, Chicago, Illinois.
Frank Leland was married to a woman named Finnie. His father's name was Charles. Frank Leland passed away on November 14, 1914, in Chicago, Illinois. He was buried at the Lincoln Cemetery in Chicago.
