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The Baltimore Lord Baltimores were a professional pre-Negro league baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in 1887. The Lord Baltimores played as charter members of the short–lived 1887 National Colored Base Ball League, hosting home games at Oriole Park.

History

The 1887 National Colored Base Ball League was an early organization of a professional Negro league, with Baltimore fielding a franchise. The league began play with six charter members: the Baltimore Lord Baltimores, Boston Resolutes, Louisville Fall City, New York Gorhams, Philadelphia Pythians and Pittsburgh Keystones. The Washington Capital Citys and the Cincinnati Browns joined the league on March 15, 1887, although neither team would play a game. In late May of 1887, the National Colored Base Ball League folded permanently.

The team was managed by Joseph Callis and Hugh Cummings. Baltimore won its opening game on May 5, 1887, a 15–12 victory over the Philadelphia Pythians. The Lord Baltimores were soon affected by financial struggles that impacted all teams. After a game in Louisville, the Boston Resolutes franchise discovered that it could not pay for the team to travel to its next game in Pittsburgh, and its players were stranded in Louisville for their next scheduled two-game series against the Lord Baltimores. Boston forfeited both games, although the first forfeit was declined by Baltimore.

When the league collapsed, the Pythians were in first place with a 4–3 record and the Lord Baltimores were in second place at 5–5. Baltimore was led by William Gray, who was hitting .417, and Joseph Stewart, who had a 2–1 record as a pitcher.

Ballpark

The Lord Baltimores secured the use of Oriole Park on 25th Street as their home ballpark, which was possible because the Orioles began the 1887 season on the road.

Notable players

Mainly playing outfield, James W. Wilson of the Lord Baltimores was the first native African to play professional baseball. In the league games for which box scores exist, Wilson batted .296/.321/.444. Originally from Cape Mount, Liberia, Wilson travelled to the United States and studied theology at Lincoln University. Wilson’s professional career predates that of South Africa's Gift Ngoepe by more than a century and that of Alfredo Cabrera of the Canary Islands by two decades.

Timeline

Schedule

See also

• List of minor Negro league baseball teams

References

1. ^ Mars, Ken (August 15, 2017). "The 1887 National Colored League Resource Guide". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
2. Heaphy, Leslie A. (2003). The Negro leagues, 1869-1960. McFarland. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-7864-1380-5.
3. "Sporting Intelligence". The Washington Critic. No. 5803. March 16, 1887. p. 3. Retrieved 8 December 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "The Colored League". The Sun. Vol. LIV, no. 271. New York, New York. May 29, 1887. p. 10. Retrieved 9 December 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Negro League Managers" (PDF). Center for Negro League Baseball Research. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
6. "The Colored League". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, Maryland. May 6, 1887. p. 6. Retrieved 7 December 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Almost Stranded". The Philadelphia Inquirer. May 11, 1887. p. 3. Retrieved 8 December 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Base-Ball Notes". The Baltimore Sun. Vol. C, no. 152. May 12, 1887. p. 6. Retrieved 8 December 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "1887 Baltimore Lord Baltimores". Baseball Reference. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
10. Ashwill, Gary (June 13, 2017). "The First Professional Baseball Player from Africa". Agate Type. Retrieved 10 December 2021.

External links

• Baseball Reference

• Negro league baseball teams
• Baseball teams established in 1887
• Baseball teams disestablished in 1887
• Defunct baseball teams in Maryland
• Baseball teams in Baltimore
• Professional baseball teams in Maryland
• African-American history of Maryland
• 1880s in Baltimore