Baltimore Elite Giants Celluloid Stadium Souvenir Pin (c. 1940’s)

This souvenir pin is from the 1940’s and was sold at ballparks where the Baltimore Elite Giants played. During the 1940’s and 1950’s, celluloid team pins were probably the most popular souvenir fans could buy at the ballpark to support their team. The souvenir pins were cheap and could be worn all over town, long after the game was over.

Baltimore Elite Giants - Negro National League

The Baltimore Elite Giants franchise originated in Nashville, Tennessee when owner Thomas T. Wilson took the Nashville Standard Giants (local semipro team) and changed their name to the Nashville Elite Giants in 1921. From this point forward the franchise like Negro League baseball had a history of twists and turns as they moved around the country trying to find a home and fan base to financially support their team. The franchise history and cities in which the Elite Giants played are as follows:

Nashville Standard Giants 1920.    Local Nashville semipro team

Nashville Elite Giants       1921-1925

Nashville Elite Giants       1926       Negro Southern League

Nashville Elite Giants       1930     Negro National League

Cleveland Cubs                1931      Negro National League

Nashville Elite Giants       1932     Negro Southern League     

Nashville Elite Giants.      1933-1934   Negro National League

Columbus Elite Giants.    1935.          Negro National League 

Washington Elite Giants.  1936-1937. Negro National League

Baltimore Elite Giants.     1938-1948   Negro National League

Baltimore Elite Giants.     1949-1951.    Negro American League

Tom Wilson sold the team to Vernon “Fat” Green in 1946. In 1948 Green placed Dick Powell in charge of running the team. The highlight of the Elite Giants franchise history came in 1949 when they won the Negro American League championship under manager Lennie Pearson. In 1951 the team sold again, this time to William “Soo” Bridgeforth of Nashville for $ 11,000. After the season the team was disbanded and the history of the Elite Giants came to an end.

During the their Negro National League career, the Baltimore Elite Giants constantly battled the Homestead Grays for dominance in the Negro National League. Unfortunately, the Homestead Grays usually came out on top. The Elite Giants were not without their own star players. Leon Day, Bill Hoskins, Henry Kimbro and Wild Bill Wright all played for the Baltimore Elite Giants. In addition, the Baltimore Elite Giants developed a number of young ball players who would go on to find success in the Major Leagues, once integration had occurred. These players were: Roy Campanella, James “Junior” Gilliam and Joe Black.