BATTER UP! Learn More About the History of Black Baseball in Washington DC
Pictured: Team photo of Homestead Grays 1931. Credit: SABR
What do you know about the Homestead Grays of Washington, D.C.? The Homestead Grays, known as one of the winningest Black franchises of all time, were Washington, D.C.'s baseball team that played in the Negro Leagues in the United States.
Originally founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1910, the Homestead Grays split their time between the Steel City and the nation's capital beginning in 1940. They played half of their games at Griffith Stadium, eventually becoming one of the most successful teams in D.C. history.
Under the tutelage of Cumberland Posey, their inaugural manager, the team grew into an unstoppable force. Posey also discovered slugger Josh Gibson and is credited with turning the club into a profitable venture that even withstood the Great Depression.
Notable players include:
James “Cool Papa” Bell, who played four seasons with the Grays. Bell stole 132 bases, according to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and collected more than 1,000 hits with 700 runs scored. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. -
Ray Brown, who played 14 seasons with the Grays and posted a career record of 92-41, as noted by the Baseball Hall of Fame, into which he was inducted in 2006. -
Buck Leonard, who spent his entire 17-year career with the Grays, making him the longest-tenured player with one team in Negro Leagues history.
During their run, the Grays solidified their legacy by capturing three Colored World Series titles. They won their first championship on October 5, 1943, and successfully defended their title the following season. On September 24, 1944, they won again at Griffith Stadium.
Four years later, on October 5, 1948, the Grays claimed their third championship on the road, which also marked the final Negro World Series game played. The team officially disbanded in 1950 after the merger of the Negro National League and the Negro American League. With their historic run, the Homestead Grays are noted “as one of the great Black franchises of all time.”
So, next time you enter Nationals Park this baseball season, remember the legacy and impact of this monumental team.