The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1942-05-23
Black Barons
Foe In Twin Bill
AT Sportsman
Both Teams Have
Strong Lineups
For Two Games

overcoming almost unsurmount-
able odds. the Detroit Black Sox are
ready to open the baseball season
here May "a against the strong
Birmingham Black Barons. The
game will be played at the Bob
Sage Sportsman Park. Livernois
and Elmhurst. The two teams will
meeting in a double-header. the first
game scheduled for 1880 pm.
Louis r. Taylor. president of
the Detroit Black Sox, arrived in
Detroit three weeks ago from the
South where he had been on the
training trip with his team. He
was faced with serious problem
when he arrived home as the Motor
Speedway, which the club had plan
ned TO use. was unattainable So
Taylor had to 60 searching for a
new site. Bob Sage's Sportsman
park is the result of the search.
Teams used Bob Sage's Sports
man Park in 1910 II was there
that Leroy "Satchel" Paige at
tracted crowd OF more than 10000
in September OF that year.
Manager Charles Henry Of the
Black Sox brought back to Detroit
a team OF good players. both
youngsters and experienced men.
TO represent Detroit In the newly
formed Negro Major Baseball
league.
For instance. there's Ted (Red)
Alexander, hefty Highlander who
has pitched for the Black Yankees
and Kansas City Monarchs. serving
with the latter club last year.
Alexander is one OF the best OF the
Black Sox pitching stan.
A Detroit boy who has shown
plenty on the training trip is Ulys-
SEES (Slim) Evans. 6 feet 2iz inch
former Michigan State college star.
Evans has plenty OF speed. a good
curve ball and fine control. He's
20 years of age and Is graduate OF
Cass Technical High school.
Willis Davis. 24-year-old North
Carolinian. is another former Ne
gro National league pitcher in the
Black Sox fold. Davis. a righthand-
er, was with the Newark Eagles in
1910 and 1871. He left the Eagles
to join the Black Sox.
The catchers are Ralph Christie
pher and Rufus Hatton. Christie
pher was with the West Indian
team in 1871, and Hatton was chief
receiver for the Ethiopian Clowns
for three years, doing the back
stopping in 1872 games last year.
The Black Barons fought the
Kansas City Monarchs to the final
games IN the championship fight in
the Negro American league last
year, losing to the Kansas City
team in the final weeks. This year
W. s. Welch. manager OF the Bar
ons. has stronger team under his
command. This was demonstrated
Easter Sunday when the Barons
split n double-header with the Mon
archs.
The infield Is composed OF Lester
Lockett. third base: Tommy Samp-
son. second base and one OF tho
best hitters in the league. Alfred
Saylor. first base. John Thompson
Is holding down the short stop po-
sition.
The outfelders are Lloyd "Ducky"
Davenport. Reese Goose" Tatum.
and the hard-hitting Jesse War
rem. James Hardy. formerly with
the Chicago American Giants. is
doing the bulk Of the catching.
Dan Bankhead. one OF the famous
Bankhead brothers. Is the ace Of
the pitching STAFF. representing the
West in the 1871 East-West game.
Ted Double Duty" Radcliffe. for
mer manager Of the Memphis Red
Sox. and two southpaws. Pipkin.
formerly OF the Kansas City Mon
archs. and Gread Lefty McKin-
MES.
Ben Linton. treasurer OF the
Black Sox. said Senator Charles c.
Diggs would take part in the open
ing day ceremonies. One OF the To-
cal bands will play music for the
ceremonies.
The Barons and Black Sox will
'play in windsor Saturday. May o.