1920 Gilkerson Union Giants

A Calendar, Including Newspaper Clippings, of the 1920 Gilkerson Union Giants

1920 Gilkerson Union Giants

Stories are placed in order of the date they appeared.

February 21, 1920

Kansas City, MO
"Negro Base Ball League Assured. - The Peace Dove Soared Over Camp of the Organizers and Harmony Prevailed. - (By Dave Wyatt.) - Kansas City, Missouri - The much heralded Negro Base Ball League was launched into actual being when a three-day deliberation by the high statesites of the diamond pasttime ended one of the most successful and (illegigle) gatherings ever witnessed among our people; most especially so when the interests involved, sacrifices made, financial considerations and many other features, any one of which is enough to cast one into deep depression, is taken into account. The initial efforts, prior to the real formation of a league, was a grand success. In order not to misguide our followers, it can safely be said that the league is not as yet in existence. The parent body of the organization was put into activity at the Kansas City session, from it will spring the real league. The clubs that are members of this tentative organization and that were represented at the meeting were: Chicago Giants - Joe Green; Detroit Start - Tenny Blount; Indianapolis A.B.C.'s - C.I. Taylor; St. Louis Giants - Charlie Mills; Dayton Marcos - J. Matthews; Gilkerson's Union Giants - Attorney Scott; Kansas City Monarchs - J.L. Wilkinson; American Giants - Andrew Foster; Cuban Stars - A. Molina. These clubs are the foundation upon which the league will be built. This present association of clubs is known as the Western Circuit of Negro National Base Ball League. Affiliated with this circuit are clubs extending from Omaha, Nebrask a to and including Nat C. Strong's New York Base Ball enterprises. Fans, who are fortunate to be in the cities which form this circuit will, beyond the shadow of a doubt, witness the grandest exhibition of the national pasttime among our people that has been observed since the Negro took this form of athletic endeavor. The old rule of things as heretofore existed, ahs been waived aside. Each and every manager was forced to give up valuable players, when who, if placed upon the base ball market would bring thousands of dollars. These valuable assets were given up without the exchange of a penny and all for the good of this organization. The idea was to have all clubs composing this circuit to be just as evenly balanced in playing strength as could be. Fro the lineups comprising the various clubs it will be seen that the idea has been carried out to the complete satisfaction of all the owners and manager and no doubt exists over the manner in which this new turn of affairs will be viewed by the fan public who support the game. The biggest sensation ever experianced in the history of baseball was hurled into the opening meeting the first day. Andrew "Rube" Foster, who perhaps has more at stake than any fifty men in baseball that could be named, hurled a huge boom into the magnate's camp, when he arose and declared, "Gentlemen, the assets of the baseball club which I represent is more than all the Negro baseball clubs in existence, still if it pleases you all, I am willing to throw all these assets upon the mercy of the decision of this body of newspapermen who are present." The news writers then were unanimously chosen to settle all questions arising disputes over players, disposition of players and many other vexatious problems. The news men present were Elwood Knox, Indiana Freeman; Dave Wyatt, Indiana Ledger; Carry Lewis, Chicago Defender; A.D. Williams, Indiana Ledger."

April 30, 1920

Spring Valley, IL
"Spring Valley, Illinois, April 30. - Gilkerson Union Giants' base ball team assemble here for spring training and Gilk has succeeded in lining up a fast collection of players. The Giants were hit hard by the new circuit, as Rube Currie, Boyd, Hill, McNair and the American Giants' star on the pitching mound, Jack Marshall were all lifted from this club. After a ten days' work out the club will start West, opening at Dubuque, Iowa, about the 22nd of May. The Unions will be located at Lakeview, Iowa, and their home grounds is Lakewood Park. They are about 100 miles from Omaha, Nebraska, the same distance from Sioux City, not far from Des Moines on the N.W.R.R. The Unions have the following men on the roster; Clarence Coleman, catcher; Turner, 1b; Fields, 2b; Williams, ss; Lowe 3b; Bingham, right field; Lynch, center field; Blackburn, Hardy, Smith and Poston, pitchers; G. Jones utility, W. Jones Utility infielder."

May 1, 1920

Indinapolis, IN
"Circuit Notes - Benny Hunt claims to have the rag all cinched. He is figuring on what his club done to all comers last year, including the American Giants. Tenny Blount has a world of good material and if afraid to weed out for fear a find will get away. Such has already occured in the person of Jack Marshall, whose record with the Gilkerson Union Giants was known by Rube Foster."

May 10, 1920

Spring Valley, IL
"Gilkerson's Union Giants - Spring Valley, Illinois, April 30. - The Union Giants will start training here May 10, the uncertain weather making a late start necessary. After losing Eddie Boyd, Jack Marshall, Rube Currie, Cunningham, Harris, and Hurley McNair to the new circuit, we still will be able to put out a team that will not suffer in comparison, with the teams in the new circuit, who are as yet, only great on paper. After the usual two weeks' period of training we start West, opening at Dubuque, Iowa on May 22-23. We will be located at Lakeview, Iowa where we have a park for Sunday playing, and we travel week days throughout the Northwest. We are located an equal distance from Omaha and Sioux City, Iowa, 103 miles, and 139 miles from Des Moines. We have the following players, Clarence Coleman, Turner, Fields, W. Jones, Williams, Lowe, Bingham, Lynch, Blackburn, Hardy, G. Jones, Smith, Poston. Write Robert Gilkerson."

May 16, 1920

Chicago, IL
"Semi-Pro Baseball Today. - Union Giants, at Pyott Field."

Chicago, IL
"Kilby Homer Wins for Pyotts From Union Giants - A home run by Roger Kilby with Blank on base won a 3 to 1 game for the Pyotts against the Union Giants at Pyott Field. Joe Benz held the negroes to five hits. The Giants' only run was counted in the first when Harris registered on a foul fly to Cronin. Both teams played well in the field."

Chicago, IL
* Same game, article from the Chicago Defender

Chicago, IL
* Same game, article from the Chicago Daily Tribune

May 22, 1920

Dubuque, IA
"After a ten days' work out the club will start West, opening at Dubuque, Iowa about the 22nd of May."

May 31, 1920

Waggoner, IL
"Union Giants Win at Waggoner, 9-8 - Springfield's colored diamond representatives defeated Waggoner in a hotly contested game Sunday by a 9-8 score. Norman and Jones worked for the Union Giants while Govan and Marsh officiated for Waggoner. The Giants have an open date for next Sunday and would like to arrange a game. Apply to George Taylor, 1125 East Madison Street, or call Main 931."

June 1, 1920

Waterloo, IA
"Union Giants Win Again. - Waterloo, Iowa, June 1. - Gilkerson's Union Giants again defeated the local Moose team."

June 12, 1920

Waterloo, IA
"Waterloo, Iowa. - Robert Gilkerson's Union Giants are making a great record, having played thirteen games, winning eleven and losing one. The headquarters of the team is at Lake View, Iowa."

June 16, 1920

Boone, IA
"Union Giants Still Winning - Boone, Iowa, June 16. - Gilkerson's Union Giants continued their winning streak of nineteen straight games, having won twenty-one out of twenty-three games played this season."

June 26?, 1920

Waukegan, IL
"Waukegan 4, Giants 1 - Waukegan defeated the Union Giants, 4 to 1, at Waukegan. Johnny Overlock pitched his first game of the season and stopped the Giants after the first inning."

June 27, 1920

Carnovon, IA
"Union Giants Win Two. - Carnovon, Iowa, June 27. - Gilkerson's Union Giants added two more to their season's record, making twenty-eight games won out of thirty-two played."

July 3, 1920

Lakeview, IA
"Gilkerson's Giants on Rampage. - Lakeview, Iowa, July 2 - The base ball team that Robert Gilkerson has assembled to represent this city has so far piled up a record for continuous wins that cannot be surpassed by any club in the country today. Playing the majority of their games upon foreign territory, they have managed to win 22 out of 24 games played this season. They have scored more than twice as many runs as their opponents, stabbed up nearly double the number of hits, and their fielding has been remarkable. Clarence Coleman, the veteran first string receiver, has been doing highly effetive work in handling the young pitchers on the staff, while Edgar Burch and Smith have proven puzzling enigmas to all batsmen who have tried to solve their baffling delivery. The team has traveled throughout all parts of Iowa, North and South Dakota and their sensational playing has been a revelation to the fans all along the route. The team has been playing to capacity audiences at all points, and the fans and admirers of the team here, where the Union Giants home Sunday park is located, are so enthusiastic over the progress of the team that the management has encountered difficulty in furnishing the proper accommodation for the huge gathering that comes in from all parts to witness the fast play of the home team. This season has been a grand sucess, so far, both from a paying and a box office standpoint. The players are working right up to the standard set in former years, and the club looks good to cop the State title of champions in the tournament which will be played soon. The following is the Union Giants' record against the strongest teams out here this season:"

Lakeview, IA
* Same article, from the Chicago Defender.

July 4, 1920

Girard, IL
"Union Giants vs. Girard at Girard."

July 5, 1920

Ottawa, IL
"Ottawa, 4; Union Giants, 3"

July 11, 1920

Omaha, NE
"Armours vs Union Giants - One of the fastest colored aggregations ever gotten together - including Bingham the funny man. - Saturday, July 10 Game called at 3:30p.m."

July 11, 1920

Chicago, IL
"Union Giants at Melrose Park."

Chicago, IL
"Melrose, 5; Union Giants, 2. - Timely hitting by Melrose Park carried the home team to a 5 to 2 victory over the Union Giants."

Omaha, NE
"Armours vs Union Giants - One of the fastest colored aggregations ever gotten together - including Bingham the funny man. - Double Header Sunday, July 11 - Game called at 2:15 p.m. - At Rourke Park - Music by Armours Band"

July 23, 1920

Yale, IA
"Union Giants 5, Tennessee Rats 4 At Yale, Iowa - Gilkerson's Union Giants nosed out the Tennessee Rats in an interesting battle here today. The uphill fight of the Rats was the feature."

Yale, IA
"At Yale, Iowa, July 22 - Tennessee Rats 4, Robert Gilkerson's Union Giants 5."

July 25, 1920

DeKalb, IL
"DeKalb, 6; Union Giants, 3."