Baltimore Colored Giants vs Joe Pirrones’ All Stars California Winter League (1943)

This program is from a California Winter League game between the Baltimore Colored Giants and the Joe Pirrone’s All Stars. California Winter League games were played at Hollywood Ball Park during the 1943 California Winter League season. The center section of this program includes preprinted lineups and batting orders for both teams for the game. The Baltimore Colored Giants behind the pitching of Satchel Paige won the game 11-8.

There were only two teams, Baltimore Colored Giants and Joe Pirrone’s All Stars, in the 1943-44 California Winter League. The Baltimore Colored Giants won the championship with a record of 7-5-1. There were supposed to also be teams from San Diego, Long Beach and service teams participating in the league. Details of what happened to these teams are not documented. These teams don’t show up in the official statistics for the league. Tommy “Sam” Sampson won the league batting title with a .433 batting average. Satchel Paige led all pitchers with three wins and one loss.

The Baltimore Colored Giants were virtually an all star team from the Negro Leagues. The starting lineup and batting order for Baltimore for this game were:

Player

Cowan Hyde      Memphis Red Sox      right field

Cool Pappa Bell  Homestead  Grays    center field

Clyde Spearman  Birmingham Black Barons  left field

Buck Leonard   Homestead Grays    first base

Howard Easterling.   Homestead Grays   third base

Sam Sampson      Birmingham Black Barons  second base

Ted Radcliffe      Chicago American Giants     catcher

Jesse Walker        Birmingham Black Barons     short stop

Satchel Paige     Kansas City Monarchs      pitcher

Tom Moss           pitcher

Joe Pirrone’s All Stars team was made up of Major League players who came to the west coast to play winter league ball to earn extra money. The starting lineup and batting order for Pirrone’s All Stars were:

Player                         

Peanuts Lowery    Chicago Cubs      shortstop

Charlie English      Cincinnati Reds  third base

George Mettkovich  Boston Braves      right field

Andy Pafko         Chicago Cubs          center field

Gerry Priddy      Washington Senators     second base

Rip Russell       Chicago Cubs           left field

Larry Barton               first base

Roy Partee          Boston Braves    catcher

Bobo Newsom   Washington Senators    pitcher

Newell Kimball      Philadelphia Phillies  pitcher

An interesting footnote to this program is that it is autographed by Satchel Paige.