Gus Greenlee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gus Greenlee |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born: William Augustus Greenlee December 26, 1893 Marion, North Carolina |
|
| Died: July 7, 1952 (aged 58) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
William Augustus Greenlee (December 26, 1893 – July 7, 1952) was a very successful businessman from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was born and grew up in Marion, North Carolina. As a young man, he moved to Pittsburgh and worked in the steel industry. Soon, he started his own businesses.
In Pittsburgh, he bought the Pittsburgh Crawfords baseball team in 1931. He also started the second Negro National League in 1933 and was its president. He even built Greenlee Field, which was one of the few baseball parks made for and owned by a Negro league team.
Contents
Who Was Gus Greenlee?
Gus Greenlee was born in Marion, North Carolina in 1893. His father worked as a builder, and his mother managed their home. Gus did not finish college. However, his three older brothers did. Two became doctors, and one became a lawyer.
Early Life and Moving North
In 1916, Greenlee traveled north to Pittsburgh. He settled in the Hill District. This was during the first Great Migration. More than a million Black people moved from the rural South. They sought jobs and new chances in Northern cities. In Pittsburgh, Greenlee worked in steel mills. He also shined shoes and drove a taxi. During World War I, he served in the Black 367th regiment.
A Successful Businessman
Greenlee saved his money. In 1924, he bought the Collins Inn. He slowly became one of the most important African-American business owners in Pittsburgh. He bought the Crawford Grill nightclub. In 1931, he purchased the Pittsburgh Crawfords baseball team. This team had been struggling. In 1933, he started the Negro National League. He was its president. Later, he built Greenlee Field. It was one of the few ballparks built and owned by a Negro league team.
Helping His Community
Greenlee was also known for his community support. He helped other Black people in the area. He gave money for students to get an education. He also gave grants to adults to buy homes. These chances were not usually available. This was because of unfair rules at banks controlled by white people. Experts say Greenlee's success helped fill a need. This need was created by segregation. For example, Vernell A. Lillie, a professor, said Greenlee was respected. He used his money to do many good things. If someone wanted to buy a house, they could not go to big banks. They had to go to people like Gus Greenlee.
Greenlee passed away from a stroke on July 7, 1952. He is buried in Pittsburgh's Allegheny Cemetery.
Gus Greenlee and Baseball
When Gus Greenlee first started, he did not know much about baseball. He became interested when the Crawford Giants team ran out of money. He decided to help them. He used money from his businesses to give a donation. His large payroll helped him attract famous players. He eventually made the Crawford Giants his own team. He brought in new players. Greenlee also owned a future boxing champion. This added to his good reputation.
Building a Baseball League
In 1933, Greenlee started the annual East-West Classic. This was an all-star baseball game. It was held in Chicago at Comiskey Park. It featured stars from the Negro leagues. This game became a highlight of the baseball season. That same year, he was the main founder of the second Negro National League. He served as its president for five seasons.
The Amazing Pittsburgh Crawfords
For a while, the Crawfords were the richest team in Black baseball. Money from Greenlee's businesses allowed him to sign the biggest names. The 1935 team might have been the best ever in the Negro leagues. It had five players who later joined the Baseball Hall of Fame. Greenlee's financial success also led him to build a ballpark for his team. This was Greenlee Field. When he bought the Pittsburgh Crawfords in 1931, he was upset. His players were not allowed to use the dressing rooms at white-owned fields. These included Forbes Field and Ammon Field.
Greenlee Field: A Special Ballpark
In 1932, Greenlee bought land. He built Greenlee Field there. It was one of the first ballparks for Black teams. The stadium was made of concrete and steel. It could hold 7,500 fans. A Black architect from Pittsburgh, Louis Arnett Stuart Bellinger, designed the park. It cost Greenlee almost $100,000. He paid for more than half of it himself. Lights for evening games were added in 1933. A tarp was also added to protect fans from the sun. The first game at the field drew 4,000 fans. Some seats were still being built. For a time, the Pittsburgh Steelers football team also practiced there.
After the Negro Leagues
After the 1938 season, Greenlee left baseball. He sold the baseball team. He also tore down the ballpark. This was partly because he had lost his best players.
In 1945, he made a comeback. He worked with Branch Rickey. Rickey wanted to allow Black players into the major leagues. They created the United States League. This league was meant to find Black players. The goal was to break the color barrier. It is not clear if the league played games in 1945. It might have been used only to help integrate the major leagues.
In October of that year, Rickey signed Jackie Robinson. Robinson never played in the USL. The 1946 season of the USL lasted only a few weeks before it closed. Robinson went on to break the Major League color barrier in 1947. He played for Rickey's Brooklyn Dodgers.
Greenlee left baseball for good after 1946. He continued to run the Crawford Grill. It was destroyed by a fire in 1951.
