Indianapolis ABCs facts for kids

The Indianapolis ABCs were a famous Negro league baseball team. They played baseball when African American players were not allowed in Major League Baseball. The ABCs were one of the first teams in the Negro National League (NNL).

This team was very good. They won the "western championship" of black baseball in 1915 and 1916. In 1922, they finished second in the NNL. Some of their best players are now in the Baseball Hall of Fame. These include Oscar Charleston, Biz Mackey, and Ben Taylor.

How the Team Started

The Indianapolis ABCs team began in the early 1900s. It was first started by the American Brewing Company. That's where the "A.B.C.s" name came from!

In 1912, a man named Thomas Bowser bought the team. Then, in 1914, C. I. Taylor bought half of the team. He became the team's manager. C. I. Taylor was very good at finding talented players. He brought his brothers, Ben, John, and Jim, to play for the ABCs. They were some of the best African American players around.

C. I. Taylor also found many other great players. These included Oscar Charleston, Bingo DeMoss, Dave Malarcher, and George Shively. He also found talented pitchers like Dizzy Dismukes, Jim Jeffries, and Dicta Johnson.

Team Changes and Challenges

By 1915, the ABCs were a top team in black baseball. They often played against Rube Foster's Chicago American Giants. The ABCs beat the American Giants in 1915 to win the western black championship.

However, the team's owners, C. I. Taylor and Thomas Bowser, disagreed. They decided to split up. Each owner started their own ABCs team! C. I. Taylor's team kept most of the best players from 1915. They won another championship in 1916.

In 1917, Bowser sold his team to Warner Jewell. Jewell's ABCs played at Northwestern Park. C. I. Taylor's team moved to Washington Park. The Chicago American Giants then became the top team in the west.

Joining the Negro National League

After a break from baseball, C. I. Taylor brought the ABCs back in 1920. They joined the new Negro National League (NNL). The team finished in fourth place that year.

In 1921, Oscar Charleston left the team. The ABCs finished in fifth place. But Ben Taylor had a fantastic season.

Sadly, C. I. Taylor passed away in 1922. His wife, Olivia, became the team owner. Ben Taylor took over as the team's manager and player. He brought Oscar Charleston back to the team. With Charleston, the ABCs had a great season. They finished second in the NNL. Young catcher Biz Mackey also played wonderfully that year.

In 1923, Ben Taylor and Biz Mackey left for another league. But Charleston continued to play well. The ABCs finished in fourth place. However, Charleston also left the team in 1924. The ABCs struggled and were dropped from the league.

The End of the Team

In 1925, Warner Jewell started a new version of the ABCs. This team did not do well. They finished last in the NNL. In 1926, they played better but still folded at the end of the season. The team then moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and became the Cleveland Hornets.