Jackson advocate., 1947-03-08
Radcliffe Barred
From Organized
Baseball

''Doubleduty" Radcliffe, catcher
for the Homestead Grays last sea
son and before that with Chica go
Birmingham Memphis, and sew
eral other Negro Amedican League
clubs, felt the wrath of the owners
in the Negro Amedican Leagues,
in Joint sessions. Radcliffe was
barred from Negro organized base
ball for having jumped his con-
tract five days before the season
ended to play in foreign country.
"Pecks Bad Boy" as Double
duty is known to Negro baseball
owners, will not be allowed to play
with any club in the leagues or
against any non-league club even
in any exhibition game or games.
The two leagues met on Monday
and Tuesday, February "a at the
Appomattox club, 1892 South Park
way, and on Tuesday, February
25, at the Hotel Grand.
In joint session, the owners de-
cided to start the regular season
the first Sunday in May and close
on Sept. Is. The same number of
games will be played in each lea
que. There will be a split season
but the total number of games
won and lost during both halves
will detremine the league champ
ions. This eliminates a playoff.
In the event Of a tie the best two
out of three games will recide the
winner. The world series will come
earlier. The East VS.. West game
will be played in Chicago, the
date to be set at the June meeting
in New York.
The Negro American League vo-
ted franchise to the Detroit Sena-
tors, owned by Attorney Joseph
A. Brown, Michigan state senator
from Detroit; Jesse Owens, Cecil
Rowlette and w s.. Welch, former
manager of the Cincinnati Cres-
cents, and the st. Louis Stars,
George Mitchell, manager. The De
troit club has six Sunday dates
in Briggs Stadium, home of the
Detroit Tigers of the American
League.
Absent from the meeting was
Eddie Gottleib, Philadelphia book
ing agent, and Abe Saperstein,
Chicago booking agent and owner
of the Cincinnati Crescents. The
Crescents, through William Mar
golis, representing Saperstein,
were denied an application for a
franchise.
The Rev. John Johnson, pastor
of st. Martins Protestant Episcop-
al Church, New York City and
newly elected president of the
Negro National League, presided
over the eastern group sessions.
1t was learned that the New York
Yankees would continue to use the
Yankee Stadium in New York City
as their home grounds but will
not have to play there through
the booking of Gottleib thus saw
ing some heavy operating expen-
ses which, including the booking
aent's fee, promotion fees and $500
for busting off the chairs in the
park after the park rental, help,
umpires, balls, etc., had been paid.
The New York Cubans will play
at home in the Pole Grounds.
The Newark Eagles will play
several series at the Brooklyn bod
gers Park.
Attending the Negro National
League meetin were Jim Semler
and his wife, Mrs. Maude Semler
New York Yankees; Ed Bolden
Philadelphia Stars; Rufus Jack
son. Mrs. Cumberland Posay and
Seward Posey, Homestead Grays;
Vernon Gren, Baltimore Elite
Giants; Ale Pompez, New York
! Cuban Stats; Mr.. and Mrs. Abe
Manley, Newark Eales (Negrc
World Champions); Bill Lousch
, ner, New York booking agent and
Tom Wilson. farmer league presi
dent, and now head Negro South
ern League.
DR.. J. B. Martin, president OF
/ the Negro National League, pre-
sided at his leagues meeting and
acted as chairman durin the joint
sessions. Attending the western
groups meetings were ]. L. Will
kinson, Tom Baird and Richard
Wilkinson, Kansas City Monarchs
State Senator Brown and w. S
Welch, Detroit Senators; Tom Hay
es. Jr. Birmingham Black Barons,