1909 Philadelphia Giants
A Calendar, Including Newspaper Clippings, of the 1909 Philadelphia Giants
- Known Roster
Charlie Batson
Frank Duncan
John Emory
Jerry Fisher
Bill Francis
- Henry Hannon
Sy Hayman
Knucks James
Jamison
John Henry Lloyd
Danny McClellan
- James Patton
Bruce Petway
Spottswood Poles
Pratt
Big Bill Smith
Ray Wilson
1909 Philadelphia Giants
Stories are placed in order of the date they appeared.
February 12, 1909
Chicago, IL
"They are building a new ball park in Chicago, to be devoted exclusively to colored teams, with the celebrated Philadelphia Giants as the principal attraction. The Cuban Giants and the Leland Giants will be two strong rivals of the Philadelphia giants. Most of the colored clubs take the name of Giants."
February 19, 1909
Chicago, IL
"Cuban Notes From Harry Daniels. - Munyon, second baseman of this year's Royal Giants, is playing the greatest game of his life in the Cuban League, with the Fea's team, at third base. Petway, the great receiver for Philadelphia Giants, who is receiving for the Fea's team, has proven to be the greatest throwing and running catcher ever seen in Cuba. The Cuban people are going wild about his wonderful throwing. Buckner has jumped the Fea's team and signed with the Havana team. Lloyd, of the Philadelphia Giants, joined the Havana team last week. This makes four colored players playing with the Havana team. Francis, who was with the Matanza team, was made a special offer to finish out the season with the Miami team, of the Florida Hotel League, which he has accepted, and joined them last Wednesday. Dunbar, of the Royal giants, and Pete Hill, of the Leland Giants, are having a great time fighting for batting honors in the Cuban League. At present Dunbar leads. Harris, second baseman of the Leland Gaints, is second in stolen bases."
April 3, 1909
Omaha, NE
"Edward F. Leahy, formerly of the Philadelphia baseball club, died last week in Cincinnati, Ohio."
April 9?, 1909
Indianapolis, IN
"Indianapolis lost its first exhibition game to Philadelphia by a score of 4 to 3, but won the second, 4 to 1."
April 26, 1909
Wilmington, DE
"Atlantics Get Another Game - Beat Out Philadelphia Giants in Fast Game, 10 to 3 - In their first of a series of two games with the Philadelphia Giants, the Wilmington Atlantics won easily yesterday by a 10 to 3 score. The visitors outbatted the local team but took the baloon at critical points. All in all it was a good game. Wilmington continued to play in good form. Yerkes started to do the pitching but was relieved by Nichols after the visitors had scored two runs on clean hitting off him. The colored men touched Nichols hard, too, but clean fielding on the part of the locals kept down the runs. The Giants went to the bad in the sixth and again in the seventh inning. Neither side scored in the first inning. The visitors batted out two runs in rapid succession in the second inning and the locals did not tie it up until the third. Then Nichols slammed out a two-bagger and was followed by Watson, who reached first safely, Nichols going all the way round to second on a single by Watson. O'Neil followed with a two-bagger and the first two men on bases scored, tying the score. In the second half of the sixth Wilmington got four more, in the seventh they got one and in the eighth ran in three. The Giants scored their third run in the sixth. Swiggett, for the Giants, kept the boys guessing for the first five innings. Score by innings: Wilmington 10, Quaker Giants 3."
April 27, 1909
Wilmington, DE
"Weather Cold, Game Called Off - It was too cold to play baseball yesterday. Wilmington Atlantics and the Philadelphia Giants were scheduled to play a second game at South Side and at the opening hour there were several hundred fans within the park. The sudden change in the weather, however, caused manager Stirlith to cancel the game. The Giants went to Allentown to play two games. Wilmington will play Chester here tomorrow."
April 28, 1909
Allentown, PA
"The Giants went to Allentown to play two games."
May 27, 1909
Washington, DC
"Philadelphia Giants Coming. - On May 27, 28, and 29, the Washington Giants will face the Philadelphia Giants, one of the strongest teams in the colored association. Although it is the opinion that the home team will be outclassed, the visitors will have to play some to win. Manager Jones has cut the admission price - 15 cents for bleachers and 25 cents for grand stand."
Washington, DC
"Philadelphia Giants Today. - Washington Colored Professionals Play Quakers. - The Philadelphia Giants, one of the strongest teams in the colored professional association, will meet the Washington Giants today at Union League Park. These two teams will play a series of three games, the Philadelphians having just finished a series with the Baltimore Giants, beating them 10 to 3 and 7 to 0. The Washington Giants are aware of what they are going up against and are full of confidence, believing that they will get at least one game out of the three. Manager Jones will personally look after his lineup and will use his two southpaws in the first two games. The prices have been cut to 15 cents and 25 cents, and the games will be called at 5 o'clock sharp."
May 28, 1909
Washington, DC
"Philadelphia Giants at Washington Giants, May 28."
May 29, 1909
Washington, DC
"Philadelphia Giants at Washington Giants, May 29."
August 16, 1909
Detroit, MI
"Philadelphia Giants Subdue Leland Giants - Easterners Lose First Game, but Win Second and Third - Foster's Loss Felt by the Chicagoans. - Special to the Freeman. - Detroit, Michigan. - The crack Philadelphia Giants are on a Western trip, where so far they have made good. On Monday of last week they met the Leland Giants of Chicago in this city, during the Elks convention, and lost 3 to 1, after a great struggle, the Philadelphians going to pieces in the sixth inning and allowing the Windy City boys to score three runs, after Ray Wilson, the captain and first baseman, had to retire from the game with a badly wrenched foot, which will keep him out of the game for several weeks."
August 17, 1909
Detroit, MI
"On Tuesday the Philadelphians found the Lelands easy picking, and Hayman let them down with four hits."
August 18, 1909
Detroit, MI
"Heyman was so pleased with his success of Tuesday that he asked to be allowed to take em again on Wednesday, and this time he gave them one more hit, but a worse beating, the score being 9 to 1 in favor of the Quaker city lads. A triple play by Lloyd, Francis and James and a home run with the bases full by James were the features of this game. Norman, of the Lelands, was driven out of the box in the second inning."
August 20, 1909
Elizabeth, NJ
"The following teams have already been booked: Royal Giants, Philadelphia Giants, Andy Coakley's Manhattans, Rahway and Ironsides of Newark, who defeated the Elizabeth Atlantic League this season."
August 21, 1909
Chicago, IL
"Games at Gunther Park. - Saturday - Cuban Stars vs. Philadelphia Giants. During the absence of the Gunthers on Saturday the Cuban Stars and the Philadelphia Giants will play at Gunther Park."
August 22, 1909
Chicago, IL
"Games at West End Park. - Sunday - Philadelphia Giants. - Two splendid games have been scheduled at West End Park for this Saturday and Sunday, and the big army of rooters for the WEst Ends are already counting on two victories. Anson's Colts will play today and the champion colored team of the East, the Philadelphia Giants, will come Sunday. Manager McNichols has strengthened his team and from now on will be a hard team to beat."
August 25, 1909
New Brunswick, NJ
"Saturday's Game at Brunswick - New Brunswick, New Jersey, August 19: - The best Saturday game of the local baseball season will be pulled off here on Saturday, September 25, and although the visiting team has not as yet been decided upon, it will probably be some fast colored traveling organization, possibly the Cuban, Brooklyn Royal, or Philadelphia Giants."
August 28, 1909
Indianapolis, IN
"Who holds the title, the Gophers or the Philadelphia Giants?"
Chicago, IL
"Games at West End Park. - Saturday - Philadelphia Giants and River Forests. - The Philadelphia Giants will play the River Forests at the West End grounds on Saturday."
September 6, 1909
New Brunswick, NJ
"New Brunswick, September 3. - On Monday morning the greatest of traveling teams will be here - the famous Cuban Stars. - In the afternoon another equally as famous a team will play the Brunswicks - the Philadelphia Giants. This will be the rubber game, and the appearance of the Colroed Giants always draws big. Cy. Haymon, the best of colored twirlers, is now on the straight and narrow path and doing great work for the Giants. He may be used in the box here."
September 11, 1909
Indianapolis, IN
"The Kansas City, Kansas Giants now claim the world's colored baseball championship since they defeated the Leland Giants. The Philadelphia Giants claim it, and the St. Paul Gophers claim it. Who's who? The St. Paul Gophers have the strongest claim. They beat the Lelands in a five-game championship series the last of July. The other two teams defeated the Chicago aggregations after they had surrendered the title."
September 12, 1909
Bronx, NY
"Wilhelm to Pitch for New York Nine - With Wilhelm who never did much in Perth Amboy, in the box, and Bridges of the Northampton, Connecticut League team, who has signed with Pittsburg, behind the bat, the fast Bronx Athletics will tackle the crack Philadelphia Giants on Sunday at Bronx Oval, 163rd street and Southern Boulevard, New York. Pastor, whom Amboyans remember, captain and manager of the Northampton team, will cover second base for the Athletics."
December 11, 1909
Indianapolis, IN
"Colored Association of Baseball Clubs to Meet - Negro Ball Magnates to Hold Session in World Building in New York. - The annual meeting of the National Association of Colored Baseball Clubs of the United States and Cuba will take place at the World Building, New York City, next week. The following members are expected to be present: H. Walter Schlichter, Philadelphia Giants; J.M. Bright, Cuban Giants; Manuel Camps, Cuban Stars, and John W. Connors, owner of the champions of the league of 1909. Samuel Houston and Harry A. Smith, on behalf of the Pittsburg Giants, will ask for membership in the league for their team. The Royal Giants will be represented with the pennant. The most important business to take place at this meeting will be to do away with the $100 a month salary limit. The motion will be made by the man who is interested in the future welfare of ball players in the eastern part of the United States - Nat C. Strong. Other business of importance will be the extension of the number of games to be played for the championship of 1910. The Cuban National League of Baseball Clubs will open its season as usual the early part of next month in Cuba. It is composed of the following teams: Havana, last year's champions; Almenderas, Matanzes and Fe. With the exception of the Almenderas all the teams will have two or more American colored players on the teams. Havana has the choice of them in Grand (Home Run) Johnson, manager and captain of the Royal Giants; P. Hill, of the Lelands, and Petway and Lloyd, the two wonderful players of the Philadelphia Giants. The Fe team is in hopes of signing Earl Munyon and Dunbar, of the Royal Giants, and the Matanzes have cabled for Francis and Duncan of the Philadelphia Giants, Ball of the Lelands, Gatewood of the Keystones, and Steel Arm John Taylor of the Gophers. Regardless of all rumors, Ray Wilson will be retained as manager of the PHiladelphia Giants by H. Walter Schlictner, owner of the team. Manager Wilson has been requested by Mr. Schlicther to sign regardless of salary the very best players obtainable, as he is desirous of regaining the lost prestige the team formerly had. Yours truly, Harry Daniels, New York City."
June 5, 1909
New Brunswick, NJ
"New Brunswick, June 5. - Manager Shine of the New Brunswick Baseball Club, has arranged with Nat C. Strong, of New York, a booking agent, to place the New Brunswicks on his playing circuit and will hereafter play away from home. Some of the clubs in this circuit include the Murray Hills, Hobokens, Cuban Giants, Philadelphia Giants, Brooklyn Royal Giants, Cuban Stars, and others."
June 29, 1909
Bridgeton, NJ
"Park Wins In 10 Innings - It was a great game at the Park Tuesday afternoon, an exhibition of base ball that had the spectators going from the moment Umpire McGear called play until the last man was out in the 10th and Bridgeton had the best end of a 4 to 3 score. Manager Adams selected Moser to do the twirling for the Park team and the youngster was good all the way. The black fellows hit hard, but the southpaw kept the hits scattered and when hits meant runs he was most elusive. His support was fine. Birmingham made the only miscue of the 10 innings and it was this error that gave the Giants an opportunity to score the 3 runs. It was in the 6th inning with one down, a hard hit went to Birmingham and he had a splendid opportunity for a double play. In his anxiety to be fast he messed up things and neither man was put out. Then some hard swats scored 3 runs for the visitors. The locals made 3 runs in the 4th by good hard punching, 2 two-baggers being contributed in succession by Brady and Martin. In the 9th it looked dangerous for Bridgeton. Two out and three were on bases when Francis hit a screamer to right, looking good for two bases. Wisler made a great catch and the game was over with the colored champions beaten. Bridgeton batted hard, there being 11 safe bingles with 6 of them for 2 bases. Brady contributed a couple of doubles. Fitzgerald played a star game behind the bat and had 3 hits, one of them for an extra base over the left field fence. Webb was the only man who did not hit safely. There was a lot of action in the game. Bridgeton had 8 men left on bases, while the Giants had 7 left. Bridgeton 4, Philadelphia Giants 3."
July 8, 1909
North Adams, MA
"North Adams was defeated Thursday 16 to 9 by the Philadelphia Giants."
July 18, 1909
New York, NY
"The Philadelphia Giants will play the Manhattans at Manhattan Field, Broadway and 232rd street, next Sunday afternoon. Andy Coakley will pitch for the Manhattans and Meyers of the Giants will be the umpire."
New York, NY
"Philadelphia Giants to Play Here. - The Philadelphia Giants will play the Manhattans at Manhattan Field, Broadway and 232rd Street, this afternoon. Andy Coakley, who is now managing the Manhattans, has a fast team and has secured several new players."
New York, NY
"Manhattans in Tie Game. - Darkness stopped hostilities in the eleventh inning at Manhattan Field yesterday, with the score a tie, 3 to 3. Coakley, who was on the mound for the Manhattans against the Philadelphia Giants, was in good form, striking out thirteen men, allowing nine hits and giving no passes. The Giants had the opportunity to sew up the game in the tenth inning, with men on second and third, but Coakley was equal to the emergency and fanned the batter, retiring the side. the score follows: Philadelphia Giants 3, Manhattans 3. Batteries - Fisher and Petway, Coakley and Lamar. Umpire - Meyers."
July 25, 1909
Ridgewood, NJ
"Hobokens to Play at Ridgewood. - New York, July 22: - Next Sunday's double-header in Meyerrose Park, Covert Avenue "L" Station, Ridgewood, will bring together three strong teams. The first game will be between the famous Hobokens and the Philadelphia Giants. The Quakers have been greatly strengthened by the addition of several new players. McClelland and O'Brien will do the box work in the Hoboken-Philadelphia Giant set-to. The winner of this game then will meet the Ridgewoods, whose pitcher will be Lindemann. The first contest will start at 1:30 o'clock, the second at 3:30 o'clock."