Wednesday, January 22, 2025 Last Update: 2:09 PM ET
Louisville, KY
"Louisville Giants Open Season with Atkins - Now Owned by a Stock Company - Have Own Park - Will Open Spring Practice April 1. - Louisville, Kentucky - Special - The Louisville Giants Club announces that they have formed a stock company for the season of 1909, and they will have a stronger team than last season, with the success of securing some few players that are well known throughout the country. Some of the old faces will be seen on the field when the open the season with one of the strongest white teams in Indiana, known as the Atkins baseball team, on the 28th of April The Giants have also secured the best amateur baseball grounds in Louisville, which is known as the Old League Park. It is located at Twenty-eighth and Broadway streets. The stockholders are arranging to make the park a success and will rent it for picnics or any other pleasure that the public may desire. For information you may see Clark Jefferson, park commissioner, Home phone 6060. Manager Lancaster says that he will have one of the strongest teams on the road this season. Headquarters are at Tom Cole's saloon, Tenth and Walnut streets. Thomas Young, president of the company, states that this will be one of the greatest ball seasons of history, and that the club is open to meet all comers for 1909 in baseball. The company is composed of Thomas Young, president; Alfred Hamilton, vice-president; Clarence Coleman, secretary; Alfred Brown, treasurer; Clark Jefferson, park commissioner; Ed Lancaster, manager; Charlie Williams and Andrew Cambrage. The Giants' new players will report April 1 for practice."
Louisville, KY
"Shenny Primm will catch for the Louisville Giants."
"Roland Griffin, brother of Leonard Griffin, of the Louisville Giants, is anticipating organizing a baseball team among the localities. Roland, when in shape, is one of the best infielders in the city, and ought to get together a pretty good bunch of tossers."
"Ed Lancaster, manager of the Louisville Giants, promises to put one of the fastest teams south of the Ohio on the diamond this season. The following will be seen in the Giants' uniform when they open their season: John Pugh, formerly of the Cuban Giants, shortstop; Dallas Carter, third base; B. James Emery, right field; Nomie Walters, left field; Bert Woods, center field; James Shawler, first base; George Brown, second base; Herman Hale, Leonard Griffin (captain) and Willie Williams, pitchers; Shenny Primm and Clarence Coleman, catchers, and Eddie Pierce, utility."
Louisville, KY
"The Louisville Giants are expected to play in this city (Chicago) during the season."
Louisville, KY
"Louisville Giants Play. - Open Season Tomorrow Afternoon - Have a Lot of New Material. - Louisville, Kentucky. - Special. - The Louisville Giants expect to maintain the record this season that they held last year as being the champions of the South. They play their first game of the season tomorrow. Manager Lancaster has secured the following new players: James Emery, from Louisville, right field; Bert Wood, from Danville, Illinois, center field; Ronie Walton, from Memphis, Tennessee, left field; Dallas Carter, from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, third base; John Puegh, from Memphis, Tennessee, shortstop; George Brown, from Paducah, Kentucky, second base; Edward James, from Houston, Texas, first base; Willie Williams, from Cairo, Illinois, pitcher; Hale, from Paducah, Kentucky, pitcher; Tom Means, from Indianapolis, Indiana, pitcher; Clarence Coleman, catcher and Captain; James Shawler, first base, and Claude Sheets, Catcher."
Louisville, KY
"Determined to be Champions of the South - Ed Lancaster, Manager of the Louisville, Kentucky Giants, Opens Season with Champions of Indiana Semi-Professionals. - Louisville, Kentucky - Manager Ed Lancaster, of the Louisville Giants, states that his warriors are in perfect shape, and that he is willing to put them up against any team in the country. So determined is he to maintain the championship of the South that he says "it is next to impossible to lose that honor." The Giants played their first games of the season with the Atkins Saw Works team of Indianapolis. The following was the lineup: Giants - Pugh, Shortstop; Woods, center field; Walton, left field; Williams, right field; Carter, 3rd base; Brown, 2nd base; James, 1st base; Sleet or Coleman, catcher; Hales, Croxton or Hall, pitcher. Atkins - Churchill, short stop; Meyers, center field; Murphy, left field; Mitchwll, right field; Doyle, 3rd base; Baerer, 2nd base; Chase, 1st base; Cook or Harris, catcher; Milam, Avery or Croffke, pitcher."
Louisville, KY
"Kentuckians and New Yorkers Divide - Large Crowds Witness contests - Little Griffin of the A.B.C.s Fails to Win. - Special to the Freeman. - Louisville, Kentucky, April 28. - Four thousand five hundred people saw the Louisville Giants defeat the New York Cuban Giants last Sunday, at the Giants park, Twenty-eighth street and Broadway. The much heralded New Yorkers were completely surprised when the ninth inning came and they had not made a score. In whist parlance it would be called a Boston. Captain Williams, of New York, claimed that his men had never had a practice and had not the chance to learn the signals; at any rate the home boys did not count this an excuse, and they now wear the honor with becoming modesty. The game in many respects was interesting and fast. The best part of the game was played by the local Giants. Every man of them seemed to be screwed up to win. The Kentucky boys just hit the New York pitchers for the fun of it, while Hale, for the Giants, did not allow the New Yorkers to make a hit up to the seventh inning, and succeeded in striking out seven men. Some very excellent work was performed by Gordon and Bedford, of the New York Giants, but their fellow players did not support them. It was evident that Captain Williams' men knew the game, but they lacked practice. Captain Pugh and him men, and especially Dallas Carter, were in the gaes every minute. Every position was well fortified, and the pitching of Hale was pleasing to all. Coleman played splendid first base, and in fact the outfield made a high percentage. Professor Tobe Brown's band was present and played from 1 o'clock until 3 o'clock, at which time Honest Charlie Taylor called the game. The ladies' grandstand was crowded, and they too, enjoyed the game as well as the old time fans. New York 0, Louisville Giants 7."
Louisville, KY
"The second game was played on Monday between the Cuban Giants and Louisville Giants, and 1,000 people saw the Giants of New York, put up a better game than they did on Sunday. It just seemed that a stream of luck was in favor of the Cubans, and they began to hit the ball early in the game. The famous Griffin of the Indianapolis A.B.C.s, was in the box, but he did not succeed in making the Gothan youngsters miss the ball. It was strictly a hitting game for the visitors, but a game of errors for the home boys. Fumbling at first and right field was largely the cause of the Louisville Giants losing the game. In the fourth inning the local boys warmed up and got two men on the bases, and Alexander knocked out a hit, bringing in two men, including Nat Rogers, who had knocked a three bagger. A muff of Bates in right field caused a deep sigh when two New Yorkers walked in home with ease. In the ninth inning the New Yorkers brought in three scores, which made the game 10 to 3 in favor of the visitors. The Colonels came forward, anxious to increase the score. Individual work loomed up forcibly among the Giants, and they began to bat Davis all around. Two men came in, and it looked like the home boys were going to put forth a different tale, but with three men on base and a nice fly, closed with a score of 10 to 6."
French Lick, IN
"The Louisville Giants left Tuesday morning for French Lick Springs, Indiana to play a series of games. Manager Ed Lencaster is much pleased with his men, and says that he has one of the best teams in the country. Captain Williams, of the New York Cuban Giants, states that the local boys are excellent players, and before the summer is over, he expects to hear of them standing high with other semi-professional teams. - Cary B. Lewis."
French Lick, IN
"The West Baden Sprudels defeated the Louisville, Kentucky Giants Tuesday, April 27, by a score of 6 to 5."
Louisville, KY
"The Louisville Giants will play the Birminghams next Sunday. This is a most famous ball team of the South."
Louisville, KY
"Louisville Cubs Defeat Two Fast Teams - Indianapolis White Sox and Birmingham, Alabama Giants Victims - Cubs Are Playing Fast Ball. - By Jesse Palmer. - Special to the Freeman. - Louisville, Kentucky. - A crowd of 400 fans witnessed the defeat of the Indianapolis White Sox, Saturday, May 8. They were unable to hit Pitcher Martin, who played a fine game of ball. The Cubs took kindly to Hollingsworth's curves, who had the game well in hand in the fourth inning, when Richenbaugh relieved him. The Cubs played superb ball, their defense being perfect. Stung by defeat from the Sox in April, the Cubs went after them with a vengeance and got it good and plenty. Following is the score: White Sox 2, Louisville Cubs 9."
"The Cubs defeated the strong Birmingham Giants in the best plyaed game of the season. The local boys demonstrated that they are the best players in the South. The battery work of West and Mitchell was the feature of the game. The visitors found West for but three hits, while the Little Bears thumped Taylor, opposing pitcher, for seven hits. Following is the score: Birmingham Giants 1, Louisville Cubs 2. Attendance 600."
"Louisville Notes. - The Cubs have started the season off in first-class style. They have lost but one game so far. The boys are doing some good stick work. With Watson, Booker and Wallace working in good form, and Briscoe and Roberson playing like National Leaguers, the prospects look exceptionally bright. Little Mitchell, the Cubs star catcher, has a fine record this season - and the beauty of it is, he wears the same size hat, just the same. Keep tagging them, old boy. Martin and West are both making good with the willow. Collins is playing fine ball."
Louisville, KY
"Union and Giants to Play Tomorrow Afternoon - First Game of Season Between These Two Teams - Both Confident of Victory - Music for Fans. - Special to the Freeman. - Louisville, Kentucky. - May 11. - The Louisville Unions and the Louisville Giants will play a game of baseball Sunday afternoon, at the Spring Bank Park, Thirty-seventh street and Greenwood Avenue. These two teams will play for the first time of the season, and a large crowd is expected to be present. Manager Ed Lancaster has had his men down at hard practice, and the Unions have been at hard work for the past two weeks. Manager Butler, of the Unions, claims that his men are the better of the two teams, while Manager Lancaster says that his men can not be beaten. A band of music has been employed to entertain the fans before the game is called. Every fan in the city is talking about the game, and from all reports it will be one of the largest crowds ever seen on a local ball field."
"The Birmingham Giants will play the Cubs Sunday."
Louisville, KY
"Suppose you heard about the Louisville Cubs defeating the Giants?"
Louisville, KY
"Louisville Giants to Play for Charity. - Louisville, Kentucky. - The Louisville Giants, which is the most popular baseball club in the city, might give a benefit to the Red Cross Sanitarium, a charitable institution for the training of young colored girls for nurses. This team has the support of the colored people because it is a Negro team, owned and controlled by members of the race. They handle their own tickets, money, and make dates, and a white man has nothing to do with it. They have for the past several years made baseball what it is in the city of Louisville. They deserve the support of the colored people esepecially. We believe that if the Giants would give the net proceeds to such an institution it would go up 100 per cent, in the estimation of those who do not attend ball games regularly or not at all."
Louisville, KY
"Double-Header at Giants' Park. - Louisville, Kentucky, Special. - A double header was played Sunday at the Giants' park. Twenty-eighth street and Broadway. The first game was between the Hermes and the Knights of Pythias. The Hermes won by a score of 6 to 5. The second game was between the Louisville Giants and the Hermes. The Hermes started to batting in the first inning like real players and succeeded in making three scores. The Giants made one and this was duplicated in the second inning. In the third inning the Giants found the weakness of the Hermes pitches and made four scores, while Pugh knocked the ball over the fence. The Hermes, by timely hitting, brought in three scores in the fourth inning, but were unable to score thereafter. In the eighth inning the Giants began fast and snappy ball playing, and four more scores were added to their number. An excellent double play was made by Williams, Jones and Brown, of the Giants. Naughton, of the Hermes, made a long running catch in center field, and Turner, Defoster and John Hermes did some star playing. Hale, of the Giants, pitched a good game, striking out seven men."