| 1925 Detroit Stars | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | Negro National League | |||
| Ballpark | Mack Park | |||
| City | Detroit | |||
| Record | 56–44 (.556) | |||
| Owners | John A. Roesink | |||
| Managers | Bruce Petway | |||
| ||||
The 1925 Detroit Stars baseball team competed in the Negro National League during the 1925 baseball season. The team compiled a 56–44 record (.560) in games against National League opponents. The Stars played their home games at Mack Park located on the east side of Detroit, about four miles from downtown, at the southeast corner of Fairview Ave. and Mack Ave. The team was owned by John A. Roesink and managed on the field by catcher-manager Bruce Petway.
Batting
The Stars led the Negro National League with 628 runs scored and ranked second to the Kansas City Monarchs with a team batting average of .288.
Center fielder Turkey Stearnes was the team's batting star. He led the Negro National Leaghe in hits (135), home runs (19), RBIs (126), and slugging percentage (.668). He also finished second in batting average (.371), one point behind Wilson Redus, and second in runs scored (93), one run behind Cool Papa Bell. Stearnes died in 1979 and was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.
Other key position players for the 1919 Stars included:
- First baseman Edgar Wesley - Wesley compiled a .404 batting average and .715 slugging percentage with 17 home runs and 73 RBIs in 60 games.
- Right fielder Clarence Smith - Smith compiled a .344 batting average and .501 slugging percentage with 10 triples, 84 runs scored, 82 RBIs in 92 games.
- Third baseman Ray Sheppard - Sheppard compiled a .339 batting average and .486 slugging percentage in 52 games.
Pitching
Pitching was the team's weakness. The Stars ranked last in the Negro National League with 562 runs allowed and fifth out of eight teams with an earned run average (ERA) of 5.74.
The bright spot in the pitching staff was Andy Cooper, a left-hander from Texas. Cooper appeared in 30 games (13 as a starter) and compiled a 12-2 win–loss record with a 2.88 ERA and 49 strikeouts. He ranked among the league's leaders in wins (second), winning percentage (second), and ERA (third). Cooper died in 1941 and was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Other pitchers included Harry Kenyon (8-6, 6.41 ERA, 60 strikeouts), and Lewis Hampton (6-1, 4.26 ERA, 29 strikeouts).
Roster
| Name | Image | Position | Height | Weight | Bats/Throws | Place of birth | Year of birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buck Alexander | P | Right/Right | |||||
| Fred Bell | P | Left/Left | Starkville, MS | 1902 | |||
| Slim Branham | P | 6'2" | 198 | Right/Right | Castalian Springs, TN | 1900 | |
| Jack Combs | P | Right/Right | |||||
| Andy Cooper | P | 5'10" | 200 | Right/Left | Washington County, TX | 1896 | |
| Pepper Daniels | C | 5'10" | 192 | Right/Right | Valdosta, GA | 1902 | |
| Sherman Davis | 3B | ||||||
| Lewis Hampton | RF | 5'10" | 180 | Right/Right | 1901 | ||
| Chick Harper | LF | ||||||
| Joe Hewitt | 3B | 5'7" | 140 | Left/Right | New Market, AL | 1885 | |
| Johnny Jones | LF | Right/Right | 1899 | ||||
| Dan Kennard | C | 5'6" | 164 | Right/Right | Vicksburg, MS | 1883 | |
| Harry Kenyon | LF | Right/Right | Arkadelphia, PA | 1894 | |||
| George McAllister | 1B | 5'9" | 143 | Left/Right | Birmingham, AL | 1899 | |
| Yellowhorse Morris | P | 5'8" | 180 | Right/Right | Little Rock, AR | 1902 | |
| Omer Newsome | P | Right/Right | Indianapolis, IN | 1900 | |||
| Bruce Petway | 1B | 5'10" | 159 | Both/Right | Nashville, TN | 1885 | |
| Anderson Pryor | 2B | 5'4" | 146 | Right/Right | Houston, TX | 1900 | |
| Bill Riggins | SS | 5'8" | 160 | Both/Right | Colp, IL | 1900 | |
| Ray Sheppard | 3B | 5'10" | 185 | Right/Right | |||
| Clarence Smith | RF | 5'10" | 185 | Right/Right | |||
| Jim Smith | 2B | ||||||
| Turkey Stearnes | CF | 6'1" | 185 | Left/Left | Nashville, TN | 1901 | |
| Lawrence Terrell | P | 6'2" | 185 | /Left | Moberly, MO | 1906 | |
| Edgar Wesley | 1B | 5'11" | 215 | Left/Left | Waco, TX | 1891 |
Game log
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 26 | Polish Records | Mack Park, Detroit | W 9-4 | |
| May 2 | Kansas City Monarchs | Mack Park, Detroit | W 3-2 | |
| May 3 | Kansas City Monarchs | Mack Park, Detroit | L 1-5 | |
| May 4 | Kansas City Monarchs | Mack Park, Detroit | Rain | |
| May 5 | Kansas City Monarchs | Mack Park, Detroit | W 5-4 | |
| May 7 | Kansas City Monarchs | Mack Park, Detroit | W 8-3 | |
| May 9 | Cuban Stars | Mack Park, Detroit | W 8-7 | |
| May 10 | Cuban Stars | Mack Park, Detroit | L 4-6 | |
| May 11 | Cuban Stars | Mack Park, Detroit | W 9-7 | |
| May 12 | Cuban Stars | Mack Park, Detroit | W 5-3 | |
| May 13 | Cuban Stars | Mack Park, Detroit | L 1-3 | |
| May 17 | Chicago American Giants | Chicago | W 6-2 | |
| September 26 | Chicago American Giants | Mack Park, Detroit | L 2-7 | |
| September 27 | Chicago American Giants | Mack Park, Detroit | L 2-5 | |
| September 28 | Chicago American Giants | Mack Park, Detroit | W 3-0 |
References
- ^ "1925 Detroit Stars". Seamheads.com. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
- ^ "1925 Negro National League I Batting Leaders". Seamheads.com. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
- "Turkey Stearnes". National Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
- ^ "1925 Negro National League Pitching Leaders". Seamheads.com. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
- "Andy Cooper". National Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
- "Stars Win Opener From Record Nine: Negro Team on Long End of 9-4 Score at Mack Park". Detroit Free Press. April 27, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Monarchs Turn Tables on Stars". Detroit Free Press. May 4, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Stars Stopped by Heavy Rain". Detroit Free Press. May 5, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Stars Take Third From Monarchs: Kansas City Club Goes Down to 5-4 Defeat". Detroit Free Press. May 6, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Stars Take Final From Kansas City: Westerners Can't Overcome Early Lead and Lose 8-3". Detroit Free Press. May 8, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Cuban Misplays Help Stars Win: Three Errors in Ninth Give Detroiters Game, 8 to 7". Detroit Free Press. May 10, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Cuban Stars Win and Even Series". Detroit Free Press. May 11, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Rally in Seventh Gives Stars Game: Detroiters Score Seven and Defeat Cubans, 9 to 7". Detroit Free Press. May 12, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Cubans Defeated in Fourth Contest: Detroit Stars Come From Behind to Win, 5 to 3". Detroit Free Press. May 13, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Errors by Stars Give Cubans Game: Islanders Take Last Game of Series By 3-1". Detroit Free Press. May 14, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Detroit Stars Lose To Giants". Detroit Free Press. September 27, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
- "American Giants Win Second Game". Detroit Free Press. September 28, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Giants Lose Third To Stars". Detroit Free Press. September 29, 1925 – via Newspapers.com.
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