The current inclusion of Negro League statistics into the Main League Baseball report e-book has not solely additional legitimized the careers of legends like Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Cool Papa Bell, however has additionally highlighted the careers of lesser-known Negro League gamers.
Listed here are 5 of these gamers, who at the moment are among the many all-time leaders in a number of statistical classes:
CF-1B Oscar Charleston
1920-1941 (18 years) with 9 groups
Charleston was a prolific left-handed hitter with velocity, an amazing bunter and an impressive defensive centerfielder.
His .363 lifetime batting common is now third all-time behind Gibson and Ty Cobb. Charleston’s profession 1.063 OPS is fifth and his .449 on-base proportion is sixth.
CF Turkey Stearnes
1923-1940 (18 years) principally with the Detroit Stars and Chicago American Giants
Stearnes was a five-tool participant, who Paige mentioned: “(Was) one of many best hitters we ever had. He was nearly as good as Josh (Gibson). He was nearly as good as anyone who ever performed ball.”
Stearnes’ .348 profession common is sixth in historical past, his .616 slugging proportion is fifth and his 1.033 OPS is ninth.
1B Buck Leonard
1935-1948 (14 years) all with the Homestead Grays
An awesome pure hitter, Leonard’s tenure with the Grays was the longest of a participant with one staff in Negro League historical past. Leonard additionally performed in a league-record 11 East-West All-Star Video games.
He has the fifth-highest lifetime on-base proportion of .452, and a 1.042 OPS, which is seventh. Leonard’s .345 batting common is eighth all-time and his .590 slugging proportion is eleventh.
1B-LF Mule Suttles
1924-1944 (21 years) with h seven totally different groups
He was a strong hitter who, for no matter purpose, didn’t get the publicity that lots of his fellow Negro League greats garnered.
Suttles’ .621 profession slugging proportion is fifth and his 1.031 OPS is tenth.
RF-2B-CF Charlie “Chino” Smith
1925-1927, 1929 with the Brooklyn Royal Giants and New York Lincoln Giants.
Smith solely performed 4 seasons in leagues which are acknowledged by Main League Baseball and died on the age of 30 in January 1932.
His 1929 marketing campaign with the New York Lincoln Giants of the American Negro League produced three all-time top-five single-season marks: a .451 batting common (second), .551 on-base proportion (fourth) and .870 slugging proportion (additionally fourth). Smith additionally had 22 homers, 29 doubles, 4 triples, 16 steals and 81 RBI in 66 video games.
