1910 St. Paul Gophers

A Calendar, Including Newspaper Clippings, of the 1910 St. Paul Gophers

1910 St. Paul Gophers

Stories are placed in order of the date they appeared.

April 15, 1910

Long Prairie, MN
"Ollie Roth of Long Prairie, formerly of this city, returned home Saturday after a couple days' visit here. While here he stated that he may play with the Long Prairie team this summer, which is to have a colored battery, one of the members of the Colored Gophers being secured in addition to Rat Johnson."

April 16, 1910

Indianapolis, IN
"Championship Race to be Hot. - Teams All Over the Country Will Fight for it. - Perhaps the most talked about event in baseball that is to happen this season will be the try-out for the world's colored championship by the most prominent colored baseball clubs in the country. It is expected that the world's series will begin immediately after the closing games of the various leagues throughout the United States. There is a longer list of teams of standing which will compete for the pennant than last year, and every one of them is working hard to get into the championship ranks, so that they might be given a chance at winning the flag. So far the list is quite limited as to the teams that will compete for the supremacy mark. It includes Leland's Chicago Giants, Leland Giants, Cuban Giants, St. Louis Giants, Birmingham, Alabama Giants, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Giants, Royal Giants of Brooklyn, New York, Kansas City Kansas Giants, Kansas City, Missouri Royal Giants, Louisville Cubs, St. Paul Gophers, and Minneapolis Keystones. - Should Award a Cup. - The Freeman is of the opinion that the various managers should get together and make the contest the more interesting by appropriating a certain amount to use for prizes. A loving cup of real silver should serve as the price to be won by the club winning the world's championship. It is also slated that these games are to be played in Chicago this year, where baseball is being richly supported each year, although much talk is going the rounds concerning the idea of holding the battles in New York."

"The St. Paul Colored Gophers, 1909. - Standing, from Left to Right: John Taylor, p; Barton, c.f.; Marshall, 1st b.; Philip Reid, manager; Davis, p; McMurray, c; Wallace, 2nd b. and captain. - Sitting, from Left to Right: McDougall, ss; Milliner, l.f.; Jas. Taylor, 3rd b; Binga, r.f.; London, p."

"For the past three years the city of St. Paul, Minnesota has possessed among its assets the famous Colored Gophers Baseball Club, financed and managed by the well-known Negro sportsman and prince of good fellows, Mr. Philip E. Reid, and under the personal direction of Mr. Irving Williams this remarkable organization did more to advertise the city of St. Paul than any other single institution ever did, and were a great credit to the city, the game and their race. During the three years of their activity they visited all the more important cities of Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, North and South Dakota, and from the press and public everywhere visited reports have come testifying to the high regard in which the team is held because of the thorough gentlemanliness of its members, who have never once engaged in any riotous proceeding. Never has it left the field, never has it celebrated victory with undue levity, but with dignity, order and honesty this famous aggregation of Negro ball players toured the great Northwest and have established for themselves their race and their city a reputation and a record never before equalled by a top-notch independent aggregation in America. The Colored Gophers in its three seasons of play against the worthiest foes outside the big leagues have won a total of 305 games out of 365 played, 54 defeats and 6 games tied - giving them the remarkable percentage of .353. In the season of 1907, under the personal field direction of that clever and able little field general, J.H. Smith, of Chicago, former manager of the Leland Giants, they won 37 consecutive victories, including a no-run, no hit game against the La Crosse, Wisconsin State League team, defeating the same season the St. Paul American Association team 2 out of 3 games for the Northwestern championship. To the management is due much credit for this clever Negro aggregation, the most sensational as well as conservative team of players that the great Northwest ever seen, for with their superb play, marvelous fielding and clever base-running, along with some of the ... baseball, they have startled the entire fandom throughout the Western States and fandom throughout the Western States and further evidenced the fact that the Negro race stands for clean sport and is equal, if not superior, to his white brother in athletics. During the series in St. Paul last July, when they defeated the then world's colored champions, the Leland Giants, of Chicago, 3 out of 5 games for the title, sporting experts of the Twin City papers declared that the games in question constituted the finest and brainiest exhibition of the national game ever witnessed in St. Paul and further credited the Gophers of 1909 as being one of the most wonderful baseball machines ever known to the semi-pro ranks. Not only did this famous organization in 1909 succeed in winning America's colored championship, but met and defeated all comers, showing clearly their superiority over all the semi-pro and independent teams in the West and Middle West during the seasons of 1907-8-9. Promient on the team of 1909 were Bobby Marshall, the noted ex-University of Minnesota football and baseball star; George 'Chappie' Johnson, the greatest Negro catcher ever known to baseball; Felix Wallace, second base, one of the brainiest and cleverest infielders ever produced in the Negro ranks, and the famous Taylor brothers of Birmingham, Alabama; Steel Arm Johnnie Taylor, pitcher, and James Taylor, third base, all of whom have been signed to play with Frank C. Leland's Giants this season, a member of the City League. The fourth season for this famous aggregation will start about May 1, and already several games have been booked with the Minnesota and Wisconsin State League teams, and the management is looking forward to another prosperous season. Most of last season's great team has been retained with some formidable new talent that will doubtless help the far-famed Colored Gophers maintain their high standing on the baseball fields of the great Northwest and further help establish the worthy, honest and high standing..."

April 23, 1910

St. Paul, MN
"St. Paul Gophers Will Stay. - Manager Phil Reid Decides to Keep His Strong Colored Team Together for Another Year. - The St. Paul Colored Gophers will not disband after all. The announcement that the team would not reorganize caused such a protest, and resulted in five men coming forward offering to finance a movement to keep the team going, that Owner Phil Reid decided to keep the team here. Mr. Reid's coming trip to Europe had lead him to decide to give up the team. This aroused interest made him change his mind. Several star players got away and signed with the Leland Giants, due to the announcement that the team would not reoganize, but nevertheless a strong aggregation has been secured, including seven of last year's best players. Barton, Davis, McDougall, London, Binga, and McMurray will all be back. Bowman, second base; Pangborn and Donaldson, pitchers, and Armstrong, catcher, are among the new men secured. The Colored Gophers are the independent champions of the world, having beaten the Leland Giants last year. In the three seasons of the team's existence, the Gophers have played 365 games and won 311, a record never before equaled by a professional independent team in America. They played the best teams in the country outside of the big leagues. They will play extensively through the West this year, opening their season May 1 and playing 110 games this year."

April 29, 1910

Watertown, SD
"Watertown is figuring on opening its season with the Colored Gophers of St. Paul."

May 4, 1910

Eau Claire, WI
"Gophers Fail to Solve Nicholson - Eau Claire Pitcher Holds Colored Crew to One Hit - New Infielder is a Wonder. - News Tribune Special. - Eau Claire, Wisconsin, May 4. - With Nicholson on the mound, the local Minny league team had an easy time defeating the colored Gophers of St. Paul here again today, the score being 5 to 0. Nicholson let the visitors down with one blow and had them completely at his mercy all the way. An unexpected surprise was shown in the gran performance of Moore, the new third baseman that the locals just secured and who made his initial appearance this afternoon. He was at the bat four times and secured three singles and a triple. He accepted a number of difficult chances without making a skip."

May 16, 1910

Aberdeen, SD
"Colored Men Play Fast Ball - Gophers Coming Next Week to Cross Bats with Aberdeen Ball Team - Aberdeen fans are greatly interested in the games scheduled for next week with the Gophers of St. Paul. This aggregation has a reputation for fast playing and will give the locals something worth while in the way of defending the home diamond. The Gophers are colored fellows and are right up to the top notch in the independent baseball lists. While the Aberdeen team realizes the gravity of the situation in the contest with the colored men they are going to put up the battle of their lives and make it interesting for the visitors. The probable lineup for Aberdeen will be Metz, pitcher; Gregory, pitcher; Nystrom, first base; Freer, second base; Barbour, short stop; Osgood, third base; Crow, center; Young, right field; Jacques, left field."

St. Paul, MN
"The St. Paul Colored Gophers with Irving Williams, manager, began their fourth season May 16th at Aberdeen, South Dakota."

May 22, 1910

Chicago, IL
"Phil E. (Daddy) Reid, the owner of the St. Paul Colored Gophers, was at the game Sunday and was an interested spectator. He was tendered a reserved seat. Four of his men of 1909 are now with the Leland Giants. They are: Marshall, Taylor, Wallace, and Steel Arm Johnny Taylor. Mr. Reid congratulated Mr. Foster on the very large crowd and the appearance of his park."

May 27, 1910

Aberdeen, SD
"Aberdeen Team, Winners. - Aberdeen, South Dakota, May 27. - The Aberdeen baseball team has so far played an unbroken series of victories this season, the teams it has vanquished being the St. Paul Gophers, twice; the Verdon, South Dakota team once; The Linton North Dakota team four times."

Aberdeen, SD
Same article, this time printed in the Omaha Daily (Sunday) Bee.

May 28, 1910

Hampden, ND
"It is well known that Hampden has one of the fastest baseball teams in the state, and the management is at present negotiating with the St. Paul Colored Gophers for a number of games early in July. Anyone wishing to see a genuine baseball game, should make it a point to be present."

Chicago, IL
"Barton is booking players for the St. Paul Gophers, season of 1910"

May 29, 1910

St. Paul, MN
"Base Ball. - Conrads vs. Gophers. The second game of the series was played last Sunday at Lexington Park. The conrads losing Saturday's game. Bad weather had its usual effect on the players and attendance. The Conrads scored first run in the third inning. The Gophers, by placed hits from Armstrong and Bowman, scored three runs in the fourth. The game later became more interesting when the Conrads rallied and piled up runs on the Gopher's errors. The score stood 5 to 6 in the ninth with two Conrads on bags; but by the fast work of McDougall and Marshall they were left there. The features of the game were, the pitching of Pangborn and overhead catch of Binga running towards the oufield and a one-hand catch of a hard line drive by a player of the Conrads. The Gophers had a good chance to lose. The team is very strong and they have many hard teams to play during this month. But they can go some. Every player is above the average. What? Whose condition? Well say they are hard as pig-iron and quick as chain lightening; and will be able to hold their Colored World's Championship, which is to be the great event this year. Bring 'em in Irving, with bells. Among the attendance we noticed Phil. Reid, Jno. Hirschfield, Joe Brown, Teddy Gus Henry and Sig Harris, of St. Paul, and Bob Glenna and Handsome Jim Smith, of Minny. The St. Paul Colored Gophers, with Irving Williams, manager, began their fourth season May 16th at Aberdeen, South Dakota. The team this year contains six members of the last season's team which won the undisputed championship among the negro clubs, as well as the independent championship among the negro clubs, as well as the independent championship of the Northwest. They have been reinforced by several new star players, who give promise to help maintain the record achieved by this organization in the past three years. Team of 1910 is as follows: Davis, Ford and Pangbroke, pitchers; Armstrong, Wesley, catchers; Embry, first base; Bowman, second base; Binga, third base and captain; McDougall, shortstop; Barton, Millner, Gaylor, outfielders. The Gophers played the Leland Giants, of Chicago, for the world's championship in 1909, and won three games in the series of five."

St. Paul, MN
"St. Paul Colored Gophers vs Leland's Chicago Giants - at Lexington Park - July 24-25-26-27-28 - What will unquestionably prove to be the most important event staged in semi-professional baseball this season, to fans and lovers of the great national game, in and around the Twin Cities will be the series between the champion Colored Gophers of St. Paul and Frank Leland's famous Chicago Giants, for the world's championship. The games will be played at Lexington Park, starting Sunday July 24, with four days to follow, July 25-26-27-28. Last season when these teams met the Gophers after five fierce struggles, captured three out of the five games played, in what critics and newspaper experts declared was an exhibition of some of the fastest and brainiest playing of the national game ever seen in St. Paul. With a majority of last season's lineup and several new stars added, the Gophers still maintain one of the fastest semi-professional clubs in the country, and the boys to promise to make a gallant stand to retain their title. Out of 68 games played thus far this season, 62 have been victories. With Lefty Pangburn, Johnny Davis and Louis Johnson, the Gophers can boast of one of the best pitching staffs in the country. Bobby Marshall, McDougal, Bowman and Taylor make up the infield; Barton, Binga, and Wesley the outfield. Special street car service will be furnished with preparations for handling one of the largest crowds ever assembled at Lexington Park on the opening day, Sunday July 24. The Chicago Giants is a member of the Chicago City League and has in its lineup: Rat Johnson, LIttle Wallace, and Steel Arm Johnny Taylor, prominent players in last season's champion Gopher team. Lovers of baseball that is baseball don't want to miss these games."

June 1, 1910

Decorah, IA
"Base Ball - St. Paul Colored Gophers vs. Caledonia, Minnesota - This great game will take place at the Fair Grounds at 3:30p.m. The Colored Gophers need no introduction here. The Caledonia team is the fastest in Southern Minnesota, and have defeated the Gophers."

Decorah, IA
(rough translation from Danish newspaper in Decorah, Iowa) "Don't miss the baseball game between St. Paul Colored Gophers and Caledonia, Minnesota. An Automobile Parade will also be organized, making it possible to give all those attending an automobile ride in the city."

Decorah, IA
"Base Ball - St. Paul Colored Gophers vs. Caledonia, Minnesota - This great game will take place at the Fair Grounds at 3:30p.m. The Colored Gophers need no introduction here. The Caledonia team is the fastest in Southern Minnesota, and have defeated the Gophers."

"One of the big events of the day will be the base ball game, between the Colored Gophers of St. Paul and the Caledonia, Minnesota team. This promises to be the best game in Decorah this season. Nearly everyone knows that the Gophers have one of the snappiest and best teams ever seen here, and Caledonia has already defeated them once and will make an effort to do so again. Caledonia has one of the best teams in Minnesota and a fine game may be anticipated."

Decorah, IA
"After dinner, at 1:30 o'clock, the prize drill contest will take place on Water street, at least two teams, West Union and Alpha, competing. Following this there will be the base ball game at 3:30 o'clock between the famous Colored Gophers of St. Paul and the Caledonia, Minnesota team. A very close and interesting contest is looked for."

Decorah, IA
"Soon afterward the band started for the base ball grounds, and the crowd began to wind its way thither, for nothing will attract a crowd of Americans like the great national game. Everybody knew that the Colored Gophers of St. Paul were a great ball team, and inasmuch as Caledonia had defeated them once and strengthened up for this game, it was anticipated that it would be close, but the Gophers got away with four scores right on the start, and had no difficulty in defeating their opponents, score 12 to 5. A very large crowd witnessed the game."

June 4, 1910

Chicago, IL
"Jimmie Taylor has gone to the Gophers. Frank Leland has sold him to his original team."

June 15, 1910

Aberdeen, SD
"Fifteen Innings of Great Ball - Gophers Win Long Drawn Out and Spectacular Game Here Yesterday - A thousand or more Aberdeen fans saw a great game of baseball yesterday when the colored Gophers won the second game from the local team. Fifteen innings were necessary, and it was throughout a nerve-wracking contest. There were several sensational plays, considerable hard hitting, especially the first few innings, fine fielding, and much argument. The umpire received more criticism yesterday than in any game played here this year, and several of his decisions looked badly off color to spectators and players alike. Binga, first of the visitors to go to bat, led off well by hitting the first ball thrown with such good effect that he made third on it, and later scored. The locals did not accomplish anything in their half of the first and the Gophers went to bat again in the second, getting Marshall to second base, dying there, Marshall plays baseball much as he did football in the days when he was one of the stars on Minnesota's best eleven, using his head and covering the ground at racing speed throughout the game. He plays first and was on the job every second. Freer started things in the second with a two-bagger, Bowers knocked one into Marshall's hands. Nystrum was hit and got first on that, Young knocked a fly to short stop and then Gregory made first on a muff of the pitcher, who ran in to cover first for Marshall's ball. Both Freer and Nystrum scored and Osgood got first on balls. Harkins made third man out on a fly to center. Young's Sensational Play - The third inning resulted in one, two, three for the colored players. Barber got to first on balls and later scored, making it 3 to 1 for the locals at the beginning of the fourth, when the Minnesota players got busy. McDougall, familiarly known as the Billiken; Wesley and Marshall chased around the diamond, accumulating three scores. Young led off for the grays and brought in the tie score, leaving it 4 to 4 at the close of the fourth inning. Taylor made second in the fifth, but no further. Aberdeen got three players as far as first, but let it go at that. In the sixth, three men went to bat and out in rapid succession for the visitors, then Osgood lead off for Aberdeen with a home run. Marshall went to bat first for the colored bretheren, making second sack and then scoring, again tying the score 5 to 5. There it stayed until the fifteenth, eight innings of hard play and constantly increasing excitement. The seventh came to a close with a most spectacular play by Young, who caught a fly just a few inches off the ground, threw it in to Freer, retiring the runner at second, then Freer sent it to Nystrum, catching the third man at first. - The Winning Scores - Inning after inning went by; Davis, the Gophers' star pitcher, went up in place of Pangborn; Jacques replaced Gregory, and fielders as well as pitchers seemed to improve in speed and accuracy. Finally the fifteenth came, nearly 7 o'clock, and but few people had left the grounds. Binga, heavy slugger from St. Paul, was first batter up. He made first, Taylor followed him with a two-bagger, Bowman was caught out on a fly to right field, Armstrong made first, as did Barton, while Binga and Taylor, the latter still vigorously chewing gum, both crossed the plate, Seven to Five. Nystrum led off, striking out; Young sent a long fly to right field, which was caught and Gregory's high ball was also caught, bringing to a close about as pretty a game of ball as one could wish to see."

June 19, 1910

Minot, ND
"St. Paul Colored Gophers, who are at present on a tour of Northern Minnesota and the Dakotas lost their first game in 24 to Minot, North Dakota, last Sunday, after winning 22 straight victories. Lewis Johnson, a clever pitcher and a former University of Illinois student, has joined the Gophers and pitched the Saturday game in Minot winning by a score of 11 to 1. Manager Williams is enthusiastic over his team's success, and predicts another victory in the coming world championship games to be played in St. Paul in July vs the famous Leland Giants of Chicago."

June 28, 1910

Jamestown, ND
"Gophers Beat Jamestown. - Jamestown, North Dakota, June 29. - The St. Paul Colored Gophers took the second of their series of games with Jamestown last evening by a score of 8 to 2. Davis pitched for the visitors and Jimmy Boyle and Guy Wiertz for the home nine."

June 29, 1910

Valley City, ND
"Valley City Defeats Gophers - Valley City defeated the Colored Gophers from St. Paul two out of three games which were played at that place. The last game, however, was taken by the Gophers, 8 to 1."

Valley City, ND
"Valley City's Fine Record - They defeated the St. Paul Colored Gophers 2 out of 3 and Linton 3 out of 5."

June 30, 1910

Minneapolis, MN
"Sports - A. Card. - There has been no reflection against the Keystones in these columns. A mistake was made by stating that they won 5 games out of a series of four. Should have been 5 games out of (8) two series of 4 each. They are all right, but their manager takes offense at the fact that the Gophers are favored through these columns. I own this paper, and am responsible for all insertions, and that column is a great help if properly quoted, but I will not publish any and everything sent. So keep cool. I know it (the weather) is hot. C.S. Smith."

"Don't forget that the St. Paul Colored Gophers will play their World's Championship games in St. Paul this year."

Hope, ND
"Base Ball - By the Frog - The past week was a disasterous one for the local team. Five games were played on the local grounds and our boys won but one of them. The boys however are not to be blamed as they were pitted against two of the strongest teams in this part of the country for the first four games, and were obliged to play thenm with a badly patched up team. The first game was played with the Colored Gophers of St. Paul, June 30 - The Gophers won a hard fought game by the score of 3 to 2. Neff, a new recruit, pitched the game for Hope and held the Colored sluggers to seven hits. His support in the first inning was a little ragged and the Gophers scored two runs, which gave them a lead that the locals could not overcome. The batting of Lipps, of Hope, was the feature of the game. The second game was also with the Gophers, and as Davis did not allow our boys a hit, they never had a chance to win. Martin was in the box for Hope, and for five innings pitched good ball, but after that he weakened, and a few hits and some loose playing gave the visitors nine runs. Davis pitching was the only feature."

July 1, 1910

Devils Lake, ND
"There are some good games coming for the coming week, including some games with the Colored Gophers of St. Paul. The schedule for the next week is as follows: July 1, Colored Gophers, St. Paul, Chautauqua and Devils Lake."

Devils Lake, ND
"Base Ball - Devils Lake Seems to be Playing Against Hard Luck the Past Week. - Devils Lake's team seems to have lost their rabbit's foot and found a hoodoo, as they have only been able to win one game the past week. True they have been going up against some of the best of them, but their losses, in several instances at least, were due to errors at critical times. Probably the hardest proposition that they have had to meet during the week was the Colored Gophers, of St. Paul and one of the games with them was lost by errors in left field, the score standing at 2 to 4 at the end of the game. In this game the left fielder lost three out of four flies knocked to him, and in two cases let in runs by the muff. The other teams met during the past week were Brinsmade and York, two of the fastest teams in the state. The results were as follows: Friday afternoon, Gophers 7, Devils Lake 0. Friday evening Gophers 4, Devils Lake 2."

July 2, 1910

Hope, ND
"Gophers Won. - Hope, North Dakota, July 2. - The St. Paul Colored Gophers defeated Hope, North Dakota, in a close and exciting game, 3 to 2. Johnson, who pitched, held the Hope team well in hand, aided by the fast fielding of the Gophers. The Gophers took the second game with Hope, North Dakota. Davis pitched splendid ball, holding them to a no-hit, no run game, but one man getting to second on an error, which was the only wobble the Gophers made."

July 3, 1910

Fargo, ND
"Colored Gophers Play Athletics - Arrangements have been definitely completed whereby the Athletics will play a series of three games with the fast Colored Gopher team of St. Paul, during July 3 and 4. This team played here last year and Fargo fans will recall this game as the best of the season."

Fargo, ND
"Baseball - Gophers Showed Up Athletics - Negro Aggregation Had Runaway Match with Locals Sunday - Black Men Too Fast for Amateurs - Some Terrific Swatting in Contest. - The first game of the series of three games between the Fargo Athletics and the St. Paul Colored Gophers Sunday afternoon was a runaway for the visitors, who scored 16 to 5 over the home team. The Gophers were in excellent form and demonstrated some effective team work which was noticable for its apparent ease and lack of effort. Through the numerous errors the home team lost the game. Holstein starred for the locals with the stick and Davis was the swatter for the visitors. The feature of the game, which really started the fire works, in the second inning was his two-sacker with the bases full. Pangburn in left field pulled off the stellar fielding stunt by a spectacular one-handed catch of a long drive."

July 4, 1910

Fargo, ND
"Gophers Take Second Game - If Jack Johnson has as easy a time this afternoon in annihilating Jim Jeffries as the St. Paul Colored Gophers have had in their two games with the Fargo Athletics Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, he will surely win without the slightest effort. The second of the series of the games between the Athletics and Gophers Monday morning resulted in a score of 4 to 3 in favor of the visitors. Heavy batting was the chief feature of the game and the home team displayed little or no team work and permitted their opponents to win an easy victory."

Fargo, ND
"Baseball - Gophers Swipe Whole Series - The St. Paul Colored Gophers came, saw, and conquered and went away leaving the Fargo Athletics vanquished on the field Monday afternoon, after another game in which they easily won by a score of 6 to 3 from the home team. The game was marked by its heavy batting, which apparently is one of the strongest features of the Gopher's playing. Finnegan pitched for the Athletics in place of Tierney who sustained a sprained ankle at the morning game. Finnegan enlivened the game and kept the visitors guessing most of the time but they connected for six hits."

July 8, 1910

Grafton, ND
"Saw the Grafton Games. - Elmo Robertson, H. Budge, John Woods, R. Ludwig and H. Roy were among the Grand Forks people who saw the Grafton and St. Paul Gopher teams play in Grafton Friday afternoon."

Grafton, ND
"Grafton Loses Two to Gophers - Colored Men Find Opponents for Plenty of Hits and Errors Help Out - Grafton, North Dakota, July 9. - The Colored Gophers of St. Paul proved to be too swift for the local baseball aggregation on Friday afternoon and evening, defeating them in two games. In the first game the colored players found Gilroy for six hits, and succeeded in negotiating as many runs. Spike Spanton fared even worse in the box, and during the second game the ebony hued men bingled ten for him, bringing in six runs. While seven errors were chalked up against the local men in the second game, the visitors escaped with a clean record in this direction."

July 9, 1910

Warren, MN
"The Warren base ball team will cross bats with the Colored Gophers from St. Paul, July 9."

Warren, MN
"Warren vs. Colored Gophers. - The Warren base ball team was defeated by a score of 11 to 1 last Saturday afternoon, when the Colored Gophers, of St. Paul crossed bats with the home team. Our team did good work to hold down the opponents, but they were swift and skilled players. The boys made several good plays both in the in and out field."

July 10, 1910

Grand Forks, ND
"The Colored Gophers of St. Paul will appear here on July 10."

Grand Forks, ND
"Picketts to Play Gophers Sunday - Local baseball enthusiasts are anxiously awaiting the Pickett-Gopher contest scheduled for Sunday afternoon, and a record breaking crowd will undoubtedly be on hand to take in the game. The colored men put it all over their opponents in two games at Grafton Friday so the local men feel the responsibility of showing their superiority over the team they trimmed three times this week still farther by defeating the Gophers against whom Grafton seemed to have no chance at all. The Gophers have been cleaning things up pretty well in this part of the country thus far this season but they will undoubtedly find they have run onto a snag when the Picketts commence worrying them tomorrow afternoon."

July 18, 1910

Fargo, ND
"The St. Paul Colored Gophers are playing great ball on their big tour of the northwest, and to date they have lost only a few games out of about fifty or sixty played. The St. Paul champions will meet the Chicago Lelands in a series at Lexington Park on July 24, 25, 26 and 27."

July 19, 1910

Grand Forks, ND
"Negro Ball Clubs Booked to Battle - Colored Team Which Played Here Will Battle for the Colored Championship - St. Paul, July 19. Manager Irving Williams of the St. Paul Colored Gophers champion negro baseball club of the world, is making great preparations for the season's biggest series, which will bring as an opposition the world's famous Leland Giant club, and the opening game of the four contest card will be staged next Sunday afternoon. Lexington Park has been procured for the big series and Manager Williams expects to handle a record breaking crowd at the Sunday game. The Chicagoans are coming to St. Paul in the best possible condition and will, if possible, win back the coveted title which was dropped to the St. Paul Gophers last year. Leland After Title. - Manager Frank Leland of the Leland Giants had been in the semi-professional game for years and he declares that the club representative of his name this year is stronger by far than any club ever bearing the Leland label. The Chicago colored players are members of the city league and Manager Leland was taxed $100 for the privilege of getting away from his scheduled dates. This fine was gladly paid, however, for the leader of the colored Chicagoans is particularly anxious to regain the title lost in 1909. The Gophers have been touring the west since early this season and Manager Williams has so arranged his dates that the club will be kept in the fray right up to within two days of the opening of the big series with the Chicago crowd. According to reports being received daily from towns throughout the northwest the colored players are displaying marvelous speed and are in the best of condition. Pangburn is Fast. - The pitchers are all working well and especially Lefty Pangburn, who is the leading member of the staff at this date. Davis and Johnson are also in the pink of condition and this trio of stars, backed up by two twirlers of mediocre standard should give the Lelands a tough time on the series. The first game will be played Sunday, July 24, and the other three battles will follow in order on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday."

Fargo, ND
"Manager Irving Williams of the St. Paul Colored Gophers, champion negro baseball club of the world, is making great preparations for the season's biggest series, which will bring as an opposition the world's famous Leland Giants club of Chicago, and the opening game of the four contest cards will be staged next Sunday afternoon. Lexington Park has been procured for the big series and Manager Williams expects to handle a record breaking crowd at the Sunday game. The Chicagoans are coming to St. Paul in the best possible condition and will, if possible, win back the coveted title which was dropped to the St. Paul Gophers last year."

July 23, 1910

Chicago, IL
"On Monday of this week the Chicago Baseball League passed a rule barring games between its members and all visiting colored ball clubs from now on, the rule being made to include the Cuban clubs that have been playing around the circuit the past two years. The rule will work very badly against the Stars of Cuba, who figured on playing on the Chicago League Circuit after the Cuban Stars left the city. This action means that the Chicago Leaguers will not play visiting colored teams any more in the future."

July 24, 1910

St. Paul, MN
"Special Train From Chicago. - A train bearing two special Pullmans will arrive in St. Paul via Northwestern, bearing Maj. R.R. Jackson and F.C. Leland with his Chicago Leland Giants, also their relatives and friends who will visit St. Paul for the World's Championship Games at Lexington Park."

"The St. Paul Colored Gophers - World's Colored Champions - Who will play the Leland Chicago Giants, at Lexington Park, July 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th, for the World's Colored Championship."

"Perhaps the most important series in base ball ever staged in the independent ranks around the twin cities will be the coming battle between the Colored Gophers and Leland Chicago Giants at Lexington Park July 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th, for the world's Colored Championship. These are undoubtedly the two greatest negro teams in the country and the article of Baseball as put up by them is said to equal that of the Big League teams. Last season during their series at the downtown park in which the Colored Gophers captured the coveted title of winning 3 out of 5 games. Newspaper experts and fans of the twin cities declared that the games in question contituted the fastest and brainiest exhibition of the national games ever seen in St. Paul with the exception of Little "Wallace" Steel and Johnny Taylor, the celebrated eccentric pitcher, the champion Colored Gophers maintain about the same lineup as last season on their present long tour of the Dakotas and Minnesota. Consuming about 6 weeks time they have swept everything before them, proving conclusively that they have the material for another championship team in Lefty Pangburn, no hit Johnny Davis, and Louis Johnson, the Ex-university of Illinois star the Colored Gophers can boast of one of the best pitching staffs to be found among negro clubs. Bobby Marshall, our own Bobby, at first, Bowman 2nd, McDougal shortstop, and Captain Jimmy Taylor at 3rd, make up the infield while Wesley, Barton and Binga take care of the outer garden, to date this famous organization has won a total of 62 out of 68 games played with a no hit no run game to the credit of Johnny Davis against the Hope, North Dakota semi-pro team on June 30th at Hope, North Dakota. After the series with the Chicago Giants the Gophers will make a tour of the following cities: Buxton, Iowa, Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri; Louisville, West Baden, Indianapolis, and Chicago. Perhaps the largest crowd that ever saw an independent series in St. Paul will greet these two great teams at Lexington Park, Sunday, July 24th."

St. Paul, MN
"Crack Chicago Colored Team - Who will play the St. Paul Colored Gophers? - The Leland Giants. - Gopher-Leland Series. Opinion of an Ex-Professional. - This being the most scientific game makes it harder to criticise. It is like whist, has many players, but few phenomenal ones. So to get the future series mapped out, or doped, we should compare each team by their respective players and their ability. So we start the catchers - Armstrong and Pettis. Both terrific hitters, good throwers and young catchers, make it an even break, Pettis should be ahead on the coaching of the Peerless Rat or Chappie which give him the finer points behind the bat. Pitchers Ball, Williams and Steel Arm Johnnie are a wonderful trio, Ball is a A1 batter, good thrower, lightning on foot and very heady. Williams is a classy man, but the writer not seeing him work, makes him an unknown quality, although he is well classed by other writers. Johnny Taylor needs no intro, his standing and reputation with the 1909 Gophers is too clear. Pangbourne, Johnson and Davis are all good. Lefty is OK, and if supported properly will be troublesome. For a good left handed makes it very hard for all colored clubs. Davis, the veteran, makes it mournful for all clubs, he even pitches against, matter not how poor an agregation he has behind him. His head work is excellent and he may break up any game, at any time, with his big stick. Johnson, the college man, should be watched. He has been schooled by George Huff, one of our best coachers. The Lelands should lead the series on account of more experienced pitchers. Rat is the king of all negro 1st baseman, Bobby Marshall, one of the best athletes in the West today and some more 1st baseman, having reach, fielding ability, and fearlessness, nothing but a locomotive can hurt him. Harris is better than Bowman at second, and the equal of Charley Grant in his best days. Harris is a wonderful baseman and clever fielder with a McGraw head, a great hitter, and a peerless captain. Wallace and Jim Taylor as 3rd basemen are clever performers, Wallace outclasses Taylor as far as Harris does Bowman. Dick is a hitter, and Mordicai Brown of the Cubs knows it, he is a good base runner and liable to pull off a trick to win. Too much can't be said of these stars. Dougal is a terrific hitter, for a small man, and he has an arm like a mule's hind leg, a fast base runner. Selden of the Giants is unknown to the writer, but he must be a player to play for Frank Leland and the South Side Four of Chicago. As outfielders, Winston and Moore are a tower of strength to their club. Moore is the Ty Cobb of the colored fielders, one of our best hitters, and one of the most gentlemanly players that ever put on a uniform. Bobby Winston, is the left hand hitter who has mastered the art of hitting to left field, and fans know what value that is. Talbert, the utility man, is a number one outfielder, a heady fellow, and a crack base runner, who takes great chances - watch him. But the Gophers have in Barton, a star and mercy! how this boy can throw! He is supposed to be the best thrower in the game today. Binga, of the Gophers is a great asset to his team. He is instinctive, seems to know just where the batter is going to hit. He never forgets a batter, how and where he hits, and he has made 4 or 5 hits in a game. Wesley of the Gophers, unknown to the writer, but Daddy Reid is an old general, and his manager, Mr. Irving Williams knows the goods, I believe that they will make good in the series. After my limited knowledge of each has been summed up. I feel that the Giants have just a shade (just a lighter shade) the better of it. At least, it is my candid opinion, and that's what the editor of the Twin City Star requested. Alex Irvin, ex Ball Player.

The way it looks to me. - By George Gaines. - Well, here it is at last, real baseball among the colored boys. Mr. Frank C. Leland has his wonders fit for a killing and Daddy Reid is up in the running. So the game will be a record breaker... I have just received the dope from Chicago that they are going after five straight. They bring with them Pettis (the black Johnny Kling), Captain Harris (the second sacker) and one of the best, Home Run Johnson, Bob Winston, (the keeper of the outer garden), Mike Moore (the sure hitter) and Wallace. Well! say what you know about him, wise guy? Who will win? Say? It's a wise man who knows his wants, and a lucky one who gets them. But, Ill buy a ticket for 5 games. Are you on? This is what they bring here. But they will carry back a record. That's all. Defeat to either team is no disgrace. -Georgie.

The Lelands will do the trick, but I hope to see the Gophers win. -Herb Parker

St. Paul, Minnesota
"Sporting. - Cyclone Joe Williams, for the Giants and Lefty Pangburn, of the Gophers, (star hurtlers of their respective teams) will be the feature of the opening game. Rat Johnson may catch Williams, and Armstrong will hold the famous No Hit Davis. Bobby Marshall, the Gopher 1st Sacker, and Wallace, the king of infielders, are also star players. The Gophers have secured for this season a valuable addition to their classy pitching staff, the ex-University of Illinois star, Louis Johnson, and although Johnson (Rat) and Wallace are now with the visitors, the home teams maintain their usual strength, with their reserve which manager Williams has secured."

"Why is it that they have not selected a colored umpire for this series, or one of each race! They really need two, and photo decisionas are up to date in games of this class. There are colored men on hand, who are equal to the task. Billy Williams of St. Paul, or Alex Irwin of Minneapolis. Get a colored umpire! They'll let him live."

"Special Train from Chicago. - Will arrive Sunday morning. - A train bearing two special Pullmans will arrive in St. Paul via Northwestern, bearing Maj. R.R. Jackson and F.C. Leland with his Chicago Leland Giants, also their relatives and friends who will visit St. Paul for the World's Championship Games at Lexington Park."

The "Gophers." - Alex Tucker.

St. Paul, MN
Similar article with different picture, The Appeal Newspaper, St. Paul.

St. Paul, MN
"Great Ball Playing. - Chicago Giants Worst St. Paul Gophers in a Series of Games. - The Chicago Giants, formerly the Leland Giants, and the Gophers of St. Paul, Minnesota, had a great go last week in the latter city. The two clubs are rivals for the distinction of the leading club of colored players in America. The reputation of the Chicago Giants has been enviable. In the last year or so the inclination has been to go against the former Lelands as a sort of test of strength if nothing more. A few clubs, however, have had the hardihood to buck up against the Chicago Giants with the hopes of taking a little of the lustre off of them, among these being the Gophers of St. Paul. The Gophers started in at a merry clip at the initiative number of the series; threatened to make their boast good that they were the invincible; won the first game 4 to 3. About 4,500 people saw the opening number, which required ten innings to complete. Lexington Park, July 24. Time, 2:05. Umpire, Thompson."

July 25, 1910

St. Paul, MN
"July 25. The pace set by the Gophers on the first day aroused the ancient blood of the recognized champions. They came to the diamond with the purpose of sustaining their reputation, which had sufered owing to the Gophers' work on the previous day. The Chicago men were in their old form; won; score, 5 to 1. Time 1:45, Umpire, Thompson."

July 26, 1910

St. Paul, MN
"July 26. Once the fighting blood up it refused to cool; so on the next day the Giants again beat the St. Paul players by a score of 4 to 1. Time 1:40. Umpire Thompson."

July 27, 1910

St. Paul, MN
"July 27. A slugging match for true, the Giants rolling up 8 and the Gophers 5. The Gophers were clearly outclassed by the Chicago bunch, which made good its reputation as the crack team of crack teams of the country. Time 2:00. Umpire, Thompson."

July 28, 1910

St. Paul, MN
"St. Paul base ball fans are all on the 'qui vive' over the series of ball games, St. Paul Gophers vs. Chicago Leland Giants."

"Bar Colored Teams. - Cuban Clubs also Denied Games in Chicago League, but Windy City Giants Remain. - Chicago, July 19. - Colored baseball teams, including the Cuban ball teams will hearafter be barred from participation in games with teams of the Chicago Baseball League. The unexpected action was taken yesterday at the regular meeting of the organization, and is peculiar in that the Chicago Giants, a colored team, will remain in the league. The only reason assigned for the move is that the Cuban teams have been overrunning local territory for the last two years, and the bars are up principally against them. The ruling will work a hardship on the Stars of Cuba, who have been figuring upon playing the Chicago League circuit after the Cuban Stars finish their present series. Spike Anderson, the well known Twin City outfield Star who has managed several League clubs has gotten together an aggregation of bright stars carefully selecting his team, signing up several St. Paul and Minneapolis stars. Among them is our own star Billy Williams, special messenger to Governor Eberhart, who is considered one of the greatest colored ball players in the world, all of other members of this team are white. The star correspondent wishes Billy good luck, we will always be on top with half a chance."

"The Chicago Giants were tendered a reception at the Maceo Club by one of their ex-players, Mr. Alex Irvin."

St. Paul, MN
"Colored Gophers Lose World Title - St. Paul, July 29. - By outhitting and outfielding their opponents, the Chicago Leland Giants defeated the St. Paul Gophers for the third successive time yesterday, bagging the world's colored championship. Eleven hits by the visitors, five bases on ball off Johnson and nine errors by the Gophers is a combination sufficient to win most any game by a wider margin than 8 to 5, which was the county in the fourth game of a five game series."

St. Paul, MN
"They came, they played, they conquered. The Leland Giants of Chicago came to St. Paul last week to cross bats with the champions of the world, the St. Paul Gophers. They played a series of five games, beginning last Sunday when the Gophers won, but after that the local team fell down and the Giants won the other four games and crried off the championship, very much to the disappointment of the local fans. However, the lovers of base ball were highly entertained, and hope for better luck for the local team next time."

July 30, 1910

Mankato, MN
"News of General Interest - Colored Gophers Wallop Locals in Second Game. - From Monday's Daily. - Mankato broke even with the fast Colored Gophers of St. Paul Saturday and Sunday, taking the first game 4 to 3 in one of the most exciting contests ever witnessed on a local diamond, but in the second the colored boys just ran away with the bacon, the local never having a look in. Newgard and Rognas were the only Mankato boys to connect safely with Pangburn's benders, Ole three times one for a three-bagger and Rognas got a single. Story Told by Innings. - First Inning - Gophers: McDougal flew out to Newgard. Taylor grounded out, Kinkel to Rognas. Binga singled. Barton hit one to right field, Hensel muffing it, Binga scoring. Brown walked. Barton was caught napping at third. One run. Mankato: Kennedy walked. Rognas flew out to Binga. Frank Wines flew out to Pangburn. Kennedy went to second on a passed ball. Fred Wines grounded out to Bowman. No runs. Second Inning - Gophers: Bowman grounded out to Carlisle. Marshall singled. Pangburn flew out to Frank Wines. Marshall was out for interfering with the throwing from left field to catch him at first on the return. No runs. Mankato: Newgard singled down the third base line. Carlisle hit one over short that Pangburn made a hard run for but couldn't quite get it. Hensel struck out. Kinkel walked filling the bases. Claude Lamb hit a slow roller to McDougal. Ole scoring on the put out at first. Kennedy singled to right field, scoring Carlisle and Kinkel, Kennedy being caught at second on the throw in from right field. Three runs. Third Inning - Gophers: Johnson grounded out to Rognas. McDougal walked. Taylor singled to Hensel, throwing to third to catch McDougal, Wines throwing to second to catch Taylor, McDougal going for home where he was caught, Carlisle to Kinkel, Binga hit to center field, Newgard making a hard catch. No runs. Mankato: Rognas doubled to left. Frank Wines flew out to Bartos, Fred Wines grounded out to Taylor, Rognas going to third. Newgard struck out. No runs. Fourth Inning - Gophers: Barton singled, Brown sacrificed him to second. Barton was caught trying to steal third. Bowman grounded out to Lamb. No runs. Mankato: Carlisle hit a fast one that got away from McDougal. Hensel sacrificed him to second. Kinkel grounded out to Bowman, Carlisle going to third. Lamb grounded out to Marshall. No runs. Fifth Inning - Gophers: Marshall struck out. Pangburn hit to center field for three bases and scored on a wild pitch. Johnson struck out. McDougal grounded out to Carlisle. One run. Mankato: Kennedy flew out to Binga. Rognas popped up a little fly that Marshall missed. Frank Wines hit into a double play, Bowman to Marshall. No runs. Sixth Inning - Taylor singled, the ball getting by Newgard, Taylor going to second but he was caught at third, when Kinkel threw to center field in an attempt to catch him off second, Newgard making a quick return to third base. Binga struck out, Barton singled and went to second on a wild throw to first base. Brown walked. Bowman grounded out to Fred Wines. No runs. Sixth Inning - Mankato: Fred Wines singled. Newgard sacrificed him to second. Carlisle flew out to McDougal. Hensel struck out. No run. Seventh Inning - Gophers: Marshall walked, but was caught in an attempt to steal second. Pangurn struck out. Johnson struck out. No runs. Mankato: Kinkel grounded out to Johnson. Lamb grounded out to Bowman. Kennedy grounded out to Johnson. No runs. Eighth Inning - Gophers: McDougal grounded out to Lamb. Taylor beat out an infield hit to Kennedy. Binga walked. Taylor was cuaght trying to steal third, Binga going to second on the put out. Barton singled, scoring Binga, but was caught between first and second. One run. Mankato: Rognas was safe on McDougal's error. Frank Wines sacrificed him to second. Freddy flew out to Bowman. Rognas scored from second on a wild pitch. Newgard flew out to Barton. One run. Ninth Inning - Gophers: Brown grounded out to Kennedy. Bowman singled. Marchsll grounded out to Carlisle, Bowman going to second. Pangburn flew out to Newgard. No runs."

Chicago, IL
"When it comes to fielding and retiring runners, Bucky Barton of the St. Paul Gophers ranks with the big leaguers. They all fear him."

July 31, 1910

Mankato, MN
"Second Game One-Sided. - The second game was a one-sided affair, as the colored boys took kindly to McCleary's offering and pounded the horsehide to all corners of the lot, securing eight hits off the big Southpaw in two and two-thirds innings. Lamb was then sent in to stem the tide and although he did better, the game was lost and the colored boys couldn't be stopped and they secured six more runs off Claude. Makato was shut out up to the seventh inning and had secured but one lone bingle. In the seventh Fred Wines flew out to Marshall, but Newgard singled and Carlisle got a life on McDougal's error. Lamb then grounded out to Marshall and Kinkel hit up a high one right over second base that Barton came in to get but muffed, Newgard and Calisle scoring. Then in the ninth Newgard drove out a long three bagger over center field and scored when Binga muffed, Lamb's fly to right field. The local played a good game of ball, but the visitors had on their hitting clothes and couldn't be stopped. The only three errors that Mankato had were made by Kennedy, the midget shortstop, and they figured in but one score."

Chicago, IL
"Binga, of the St. Paul Gophers, is one of the veterans who still makes the youngsters hustle."