John Moore (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Moore
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| Nationality | American | ||||
| Other names | Johnny Moore, Judy Moore | ||||
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Baseball career |
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| Infielder | |||||
| debut | |||||
| 1928, for the Pittsburgh Crawfords | |||||
| Last appearance | |||||
| 1929, for the Birmingham Black Barons | |||||
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John W. Moore was an amazing American athlete who played many sports! In the late 1920s, he was an infielder in the Negro leagues, which were professional baseball leagues for African American players. He also played professional basketball and semi-professional football.
Contents
Baseball Career Highlights
John Moore started his baseball journey in May 1928. He played as a first baseman for the semi-professional team, the Pittsburgh Crawfords.
Later that year, in August, Moore and another player named Bill Harris left the Crawfords. They joined the Homestead Grays. A famous baseball player, Josh Gibson, then joined the Crawfords to fill their spots.
In 1929, Moore played for the Birmingham Black Barons. He was a shortstop for them. Records show he played in three games, getting one hit and one base on balls (a walk) in eight times at bat.
Basketball and Football Skills
John Moore was truly a multi-sport star! Besides playing baseball in the Negro leagues, he was also a fantastic basketball player.
High School Basketball Star
At Schenley High School in Pittsburgh, he was an "all-city" basketball player. This means he was one of the best players in the entire city! He was chosen three times as an "all-scholastic center." A center is usually the tallest player on a basketball team, playing near the basket.
The Pittsburgh Courier, a newspaper, wrote about him. They said he was a "perfect gentleman" and would achieve great things in basketball. They admired his natural talent and how quickly he learned.
Professional Basketball Teams
Moore also played professional basketball for the Loendi Big Five. This was one of the first black basketball teams, part of what was known as the Black Fives era.
In 1927, he was on the Homestead Grays basketball team. This team was led by Cumberland Posey, who also organized the famous baseball team of the same name. Moore also played for the Holy Cross Parishioners. He was known for being a "real offensive threat" who scored many baskets.
In 1930, he played basketball with the Bailey Bige Five. On this team, he played alongside other Negro league baseball players like Vic Harris and Claude Johnson. From 1934 to 1936, Moore played basketball with the Iron City Elks. Here, he played with baseball player Joe Ware and future photographer Teenie Harris.
In 1936, The Pittsburgh Courier described Moore as one of the best "stretch-runners" on the court. They called him a "left-handed hook artist" and a clever all-around player.
Football Quarterback
Moore also played semi-professional football. He was a quarterback for the Garfield Eagles. This team was the football version of the Pittsburgh Crawfords baseball team. In 1931, he also played quarterback for the East Liberty Scholastics. This team was known as "Pittsburgh's outstanding grid eleven" at the time.
