Pittsburgh Keystones (baseball) facts for kids
The Pittsburgh Keystones was the name of two different professional baseball teams. These teams played in the Negro leagues, which were special baseball leagues for African-American players. This was during a time when they were not allowed to play in the main major leagues. The first Keystones team played for a very short time in 1887. The second team played in the early 1920s.
Quick facts for kids Pittsburgh Keystones |
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| Information | |
| League |
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| Location | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Ballpark |
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| Year established | 1887 |
| Year disbanded | 1922 |
Contents
The First Pittsburgh Keystones Team
The very first Pittsburgh Keystones team played in 1887. They were part of the first-ever black baseball league, called the League of Colored Baseball Clubs. This league, however, only lasted for one week!
During that short time, the Keystones played seven games. They won three games and lost four. Two famous players were on this team: Weldy Walker and Sol White. Weldy Walker was only the second African-American player to play in the major leagues. Sol White later became a very important person in baseball history and is now in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The Second Pittsburgh Keystones Team
A new Pittsburgh Keystones team was started much later, in 1921. This team was founded by Alexander McDonald Williams. He was an immigrant from Barbados who owned a pool hall in Pittsburgh.
Where Did They Play?
The Keystones' home field was Central Park. This park was located in a part of Pittsburgh called the Hill District. A famous African American architect named Louis Arnett Stuart Bellinger built the park. He later designed another well-known baseball field, Greenlee Field, for the Pittsburgh Crawfords team.
Playing in the Negro National League
In their first year, 1921, the Keystones were "associate members" of the Negro National League. This meant they played against teams in the league but weren't full members yet. Their manager was Fred Downer. They ended the season with 7 wins, 14 losses, and 1 tie.
In 1922, the Keystones became full members of the Negro National League. They finished in sixth place that year. They won 14 games, lost 23, and had 2 ties. They had two different managers that season: Dizzy Dismukes and Dicta Johnson. After the 1922 season ended, the team stopped playing.
Notable Players
Some of the players who played for the Pittsburgh Keystones included:
- William Wilson
- Vic Harris
