Porter Moss facts for kids

Porter Moss (June 10, 1910 – July 16, 1944) was an American Negro league baseball submarine style pitcher. He played mostly for the Cincinnati Tigers and the Memphis Red Sox. He was chosen three times for the Negro League All-Star game. Sadly, Moss passed away suddenly at the age of 34 after an incident while traveling.

Early Life

Porter Moss was born on June 10, 1910, in Cincinnati, Ohio. His mother's name was Ida Calloway. One of Moss's teammates, Verdell Mathis, once said that Moss was a college-educated person. The first time Moss was mentioned as a baseball pitcher in Cincinnati newspapers was in 1933.

Baseball Career

Starting Out

In 1933, Porter Moss played as a pitcher for the Goodyear Shoe Repair Team. This was a local Class A team in Cincinnati. Moss quickly showed off his skills. On April 30, 1933, he struck out 15 batters in one game. He did this again just a week later. A newspaper article from July 10, 1933, talked about a "thrilling pitchers’ duel" between Moss and another pitcher. Moss struck out nine batters in that game.

Cincinnati Tigers

In 1934, Porter Moss joined the new Cincinnati Tigers team. This team was started by DeHart Hubbard, an Olympic gold medalist from Cincinnati. The Tigers were part of the Negro Southern League at first. They also joined the Indiana-Ohio League.

Moss had some great games for the Tigers in 1934. On June 3, he struck out 13 batters in a win against the Louisville Black Caps. On July 13, he helped the Tigers win against the Baltimore Black Sox by striking out 12 batters.

Moss continued to pitch for the Cincinnati Tigers in 1935. The Tigers played as an independent team, meaning they weren't tied to one league. Moss even pitched in a game where the Tigers beat the Japanese All-Star Tokyo Giants. He also went on a tour to Canada with the team. In 1935, Moss reportedly won 35 out of 39 games he started.

In 1936, Moss was chosen for the East Team in the East-West All-Star game. He was also picked for the North-South Game. Even though he didn't play in the East-West game that year, he had some good wins against professional teams.

The Cincinnati Tigers joined the Negro American League in 1937. Moss kept pitching for them. He had 59 strikeouts in 86.1 innings that year. This means he averaged about six strikeouts for every nine innings he pitched. Moss was again chosen for the East-West All-Star game. He pitched six innings in that game.

Memphis Red Sox

In late 1937, the Cincinnati Tigers team was sold. Many of their players, including Moss, joined the Memphis Red Sox. Moss started eight games for the Red Sox and won four of them. He continued to strike out about six batters per nine innings. The Memphis Red Sox, with their new players, won the first half of the Negro American League championship. Moss was chosen for the East-West Game and the North-South Games again. He pitched a full game in the Negro American League Championship against the Atlanta Black Crackers, helping the Red Sox win. Memphis was later awarded the league championship.

Moss also played baseball in the winter. In 1937 and 1938, he played in the California Winter League. In 1938, playing for the Philadelphia Royal Giants, Moss won all three of his games, which was the best record in that league.

The 1939 season was a tough one for Moss. He lost all three games he started against professional teams. He was still chosen for the West All-Star team, but he didn't play in the game.

There aren't many records of Porter Moss playing in the Negro Leagues in 1940. However, immigration records show that in January 1941, Moss traveled to Miami from Havana, Cuba. He was with other famous players like Cool Papa Bell, Sam Bankhead, and Bud Barbee, who were known for playing overseas.

Moss's performance improved in 1941 and 1942. In 1941, he started seven games, winning three and losing two. On September 18, 1941, he had a fantastic game against the New York Black Yankees. He pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only one hit and striking out eleven batters. In 1942, Moss continued to win games against teams like the Cincinnati Clowns and the Kansas City Monarchs. He also returned to the East-West All-Star game.

Moss was selected for the East-West All-Star game again in 1943. He pitched in the ninth inning to help his team, the West, win a close game. Later that year, on September 27, Moss had an amazing game where he allowed no runs and no hits in nine innings against the Cincinnati Clowns.

The 1944 season was another strong year for Moss. In the half-season he pitched, he won 3 out of 4 games he started. His strikeout rate was back up, and his earned run average was very good. The Pittsburgh Courier newspaper even said in July that Moss was "almost a sure bet for the East-West game this season."

Tragic End

On the night of July 15, 1944, the Memphis Red Sox team bus broke down. The team had to take a train to get to Memphis for their next game. On the train, there was an incident involving a passenger named Easley. Porter Moss tried to help calm things down.

As the train stopped in Camden, Tennessee, Easley fired a gun. The bullet hit Moss in the stomach. His teammates carried him to the baggage car. At the next stop, Waverly, no doctor could be found to help Moss. A doctor did board the train later to help a white passenger, but refused to help Moss because of his race.

An hour later, the train arrived in Jackson, Tennessee. An ambulance was waiting to take Porter to the hospital. By the time he arrived, he had lost too much blood. Doctors could not save him, and he passed away on July 16, 1944. His death was announced at a baseball game later that day. Fans stood silently for one minute to remember him.

In October 1944, Easley pleaded guilty to causing Moss's death and was sentenced to ten years in prison. Five of Moss's teammates were there to testify, but they were not called to speak.

Porter Moss left behind his wife, Artie Moss. He was buried in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was born.