Baltimore Elite Giants facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Baltimore Elite Giants |
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| Location | Baltimore, Maryland | ||||
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| Year established | 1920 | ||||
| Year disbanded | 1950 | ||||
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The Baltimore Elite Giants were a professional baseball team. They played in the Negro leagues from 1920 to 1950. The team started in Nashville, Tennessee. It was called the Nashville Standard Giants. This happened on March 26, 1920. Thomas T. Wilson created the team.
In 1921, the team changed its name to the Elite Giants. They moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1938. The team stayed in Baltimore for the rest of its time. Fans said "Elite" like "ee-light."
Contents
Early Years and Traveling Games
The Nashville Standard Giants began as a semi-professional team. This means players were paid, but it wasn't a top league. The team was all-Black. It formed in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 26, 1920. Thomas T. Wilson and other people started the club.
The team's roots came from two local amateur Black baseball teams. These were the Nashville Maroons and the Elites. The Standard Giants played their home games at Sulphur Dell and Greenwood Park. These were parks in the African American community. The team played against any team, even white-only teams. They played independently until the mid-1920s. This was known as "barnstorming." It meant traveling to play games.
The team became the Nashville Elite Giants in 1921. That year, they won against the Montgomery Grey Sox. They won a four-game series. This made them the Southern Colored Champions. They kept playing independently. In 1926, they joined the Negro Southern League. Nashville finished that season with a 15–15 record.
In 1929, Nashville joined the Negro National League. They finished in last place that year. Thomas Wilson built a new ballpark for his team. It was called Tom Wilson Park. Other Negro league teams used it for spring training. Even white minor league teams used it. Famous players like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Roy Campanella played there. The park had a large covered grandstand. It was in Nashville's largest Black community.
Playing in the Negro Leagues
First National League
In 1930, the Elite Giants joined their first organized league. This was the Negro National League. The team finished in seventh place. They had a 39–47 record.
In 1931, Wilson moved the team to Cleveland, Ohio. He renamed them the Cleveland Cubs. They stayed in the same league. The team finished in seventh place again. They had a 25–28 record.
Southern League Return
The Negro National League stopped playing after the 1931 season. The team moved back to Nashville. They became the Elite Giants again. In 1932, they joined the Negro Southern League.
Second National League
A new Negro National League started in 1933. The Elite Giants played in it for two seasons. In 1933, Nashville finished in fifth place. They tied for first in the second half of the season. They lost a playoff to the Pittsburgh Crawfords. In 1934, the Elite Giants finished in fourth place.
In 1935, the team moved to Columbus, Ohio. They became the Columbus Elite Giants. They played only one season in Columbus. They finished in fourth place.
In 1936, the team moved to Washington, D.C.. They were renamed the Washington Elite Giants. In their first season, they finished in fifth place. In 1937, the Elites finished in third place.
The team moved again in 1938 to Baltimore, Maryland. They became the Baltimore Elite Giants. In 1939, the Elites won the Negro National Title. They beat the Homestead Grays. In 1948, they won the first half of the season. But they lost the championship to the Homestead Grays.
American League
In 1949, the Negro National League stopped operating. The Elite Giants then joined the Negro American League. In their first season in the new league, Baltimore won. They captured the Eastern and Western Division titles. This earned them a second Negro National Title.
The Elite Giants played thirteen seasons in Baltimore. For nine of those seasons, they finished in the top three. The club faced money problems. They played one last season in 1950 before the team ended.
Baseball Hall of Fame Players
These players from the Baltimore Elite Giants are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
| Baltimore Elite Giants Hall of Famers | ||||
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| Inductee | Position | Years Played | Inducted | |
| Roy Campanella | C | 1937–1945 | 1969 | |
| Ray Dandridge | 3B / 2B / SS | 1933 | 1987 | |
| Biz Mackey | C / SS / 1B | 1936–1939 | 2006 | |
| Willie Wells | SS / 3B | 1946 | 1997 | |
Many future major league players wore the Elite Giants uniform. This includes Hall of Famers Roy Campanella and Leon Day. Leon Day played with the team in 1949-50. Two future National League Rookie of the Years also played for the Elite Giants. They were Junior Gilliam (1953) and Joe Black (1952). Both played with Campanella for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Championships Won
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