Baltimore Black Sox  Mc Callister Trophy (1919)

The Baltimore Black Sox were awarded the Mc Callister Trophy in 1919 signifying that they won the Colored Amateur Championship of the South.

The Baltimore Black Sox started out as an independent team in 1916. The team was owned by George Rossiter and Charles Spedden. They played an independent schedule from 1919 until 1923 when they entered the Eastern Colored League. The Black Sox played in the Eastern Colored League from 1923 to 1928. In 1929 they joined the newly formed American Negro League and won the league championship with a record of 49-21. The American Negro League only lasted one year, so the Baltimore Black Sox returned to an independent schedule. In 1932 they joined another start-up league, the East-West League. The Black Sox again dominated play and won the league championship with a 20-9 record before the league folded. Over their championship run, the Baltimore Black Sox roster included some of the best Negro League ball players of their day. Players from these Black Sox teams included: Rap Dixon, Scrip Lee, Jesse Hubbard, Dick Lundy, Oliver Marcelle, Frank Warfield, Nip Winters, Laymon Yokeley and Jud Wilson.

Joe Cambria bought the Baltimore team in 1933 and entered them into the Negro National League. Cambria’s ownership only lasted for one season before he sold the team to Jack Farrell of Chester, Pennsylvania. Farrell had the Black Sox back in the Negro National League for the 1934 season. The team folded with the end of the Negro National League season.

Over the years, the Black Sox played most of their home games at Maryland Park, Westport Park and Bugle Field. They consistently fielded competitive teams. Future Hall of Famers Satchel Paige (1931) and Leon Day (1934) also played with the Black Sox.

A summary of the Baltimore Black Sox league history is as follows:

• 1916-1923: Independent
• 1923-1928: Eastern Colored League
• 1929: American Negro League
• 1930-1931: Independent
• 1932: East-West League
• 1933-1934: Negro National League