Pittsburgh Crawfords facts for kids

The Pittsburgh Crawfords, often called the Craws, were a famous professional Negro league baseball team. They were based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team was first known as the Crawford Colored Giants. They got their name from the Crawford Bath House, a fun place in Pittsburgh's Hill District.

In 1931, Gus Greenlee bought the Crawfords. He was a successful African-American businessman in Pittsburgh. In 1933, he started the second Negro National League. He also built Greenlee Field as a special ballpark for his team. In the mid-1930s, the Crawfords were one of the strongest Negro league teams ever.

Team History

The Crawfords started as a local team of young players. They played baseball together in the Hill District of Pittsburgh. This area was home to both Black families from the South and European immigrants. Everyone came to Pittsburgh for jobs in the city's factories.

As these local teams became better, they also became more organized. Bill Harris and Teenie Harris helped form these teams. Bill Harris played for and managed a team from McKelvey High School. Teenie Harris's team came from the Watt School. Their teams played each other twice, with Teenie's team winning both games. After this, the two managers decided to combine their teams. They created a strong team made mostly of Black players.

Gus Greenlee bought the team in 1931. At this time, the big African-American baseball leagues of the 1920s had ended. This was due to the Great Depression. By the end of 1931, Greenlee signed many top African-American stars. The most famous was Satchel Paige.

In 1932, Greenlee hired Oscar Charleston as the team's playing manager. He also added other future Hall of Famers. These included Josh Gibson, Judy Johnson, and Cool Papa Bell. Other great players like William Bell, Jimmie Crutchfield, and Ted Radcliffe joined too. The Crawfords played as an independent club. They quickly became known as one of the best Black baseball teams in the United States.

The Crawfords played at the new Greenlee Field. It was named after Gus Greenlee, who built and owned it. This was one of the few ballparks owned by a Negro League team. After games, Paige and Gibson often relaxed at the Crawford Grill. This was a popular spot in Black Pittsburgh. Famous singers like Lena Horne and dancers like Bill "Bojangles" Robinson performed there.

Playing in the League

The Pittsburgh Crawfords team in 1932.

In 1933, Gus Greenlee started a new Negro National League. He was also its president. His Crawfords team was one of the first members. The team almost won the first half of the season, losing to the Chicago American Giants. Both teams claimed the second-half title. Greenlee, as league president, gave it to his Crawfords. The overall championship was never fully decided that year.

The next season, in 1934, Josh Gibson hit 16 home runs, leading the league. Satchel Paige won 20 games. The Crawfords were near the top of the standings. However, they did not win either half of the season. If you look at all their games, not just official league games, the Crawfords had the best record in 1934.

In 1935, Satchel Paige missed most of the NNL season. He went to play for a semi-pro team in North Dakota. Even without him, the Crawfords won the first half of the season. They had a great record of 26 wins and 6 losses. They then beat the New York Cubans in a close seven-game series. This was their only clear NNL championship. Many historians believe this Crawfords team was the greatest Negro league team ever. It had four Hall of Famers. Plus, pitcher Leroy Matlock won 18 games without a single loss.

In 1936, the Crawfords had a so-so first half. But they came back strong to win the NNL's second half. Paige had returned and won 11 games. The playoff against the first-half winners, the Washington Elite Giants, only lasted one game. The Elite Giants won, but the series was stopped for unknown reasons. Greenlee still gave the championship to the Crawfords.

Players Leaving the Team

In 1937, Satchel Paige led several Crawfords players away. These included Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and Sam Bankhead. They went to the Dominican Republic to play for a team there. Because of these losses, the Crawfords dropped to fifth place in their league. They had a record of 12 wins and 16 losses.

The next season, they played a bit better, finishing third. But many of the original star players had moved to other teams. Only 41-year-old Oscar Charleston remained, and his playing career was almost over.

Team's End

The Crawfords faced more problems. Fan attendance dropped. This happened after changes were made at Greenlee Field. These changes meant that Black people were no longer allowed to work in certain jobs at the ballpark, like ushers or ticket-takers. This made many fans stop coming.

Gus Greenlee sold the club. Greenlee Field was torn down. The Crawfords then moved to Toledo, Ohio, in 1939. They joined the Negro American League and became the Toledo Crawfords. In 1940, they moved again to Indianapolis, Indiana. They were called the Indianapolis Crawfords for that season. After 1940, the team stopped playing.

Later Revival

In 1945, Gus Greenlee started a new Pittsburgh Crawfords team. This team was part of Branch Rickey's new United States League. However, this league and the new Crawfords team only lasted for two seasons.

MLB Throwback Jerseys

Major League Baseball teams sometimes honor the Negro Leagues. They do this by wearing special throwback uniforms.

• On June 28, 2008, the Pittsburgh Pirates wore Crawfords uniforms. The Tampa Bay Rays wore Jacksonville Red Caps uniforms.
• On July 5, 2008, the Pirates wore Pittsburgh Crawfords uniforms. The Milwaukee Brewers wore Milwaukee Bears uniforms.
• On June 12, 2010, the Pirates wore Pittsburgh Crawfords uniforms. The Detroit Tigers wore Detroit Stars uniforms. They did this again on May 19, 2012.
• On August 21, 2010, the Pirates wore Pittsburgh Crawfords uniforms. The New York Mets wore New York Cubans uniforms.
• On July 18, 2015, the Pirates wore Pittsburgh Crawfords uniforms. The Milwaukee Brewers wore Milwaukee Bears uniforms.
• On July 13, 2018, the Milwaukee Brewers wore Milwaukee Bears uniforms. The Pirates wore Pittsburgh Crawfords uniforms.
• On June 1, 2019, the Milwaukee Brewers wore Milwaukee Bears uniforms. The Pirates wore Pittsburgh Crawfords uniforms at PNC Park.
• On September 9, 2022, the St. Louis Cardinals wore St. Louis Stars uniforms. The Pirates wore Pittsburgh Crawfords uniforms.