Bill Monroe (baseball player)
Encyclopedia
William S. Monroe was an American
infielder
in baseball
's Negro leagues
. He was also known by the nickname of "Money." During a 19-year career from 1896 to 1914, he played on many of the greatest teams in black baseball. He was a good hitter and slick fielding third base
and second baseman
who was compared to major league
star Jimmy Collins
. Monroe played all four infield positions, but spent his prime seasons at third base and second base.
Monroe was known for his showmanship, and entertained crowds with feats such as catching "Texas Leaguers" behind his back and kicking ground balls to make them bounce into his hands. In a 1952 Pittsburgh Courier
newspaper poll to select the greatest Negro League ballplayers of history, Monroe was named as the third-team second baseman behind Jackie Robinson
and Bingo DeMoss
. He was one of 94 Negro League candidates initially recommended by the National Baseball Hall of Fame
's screening committee for the 2006 Hall of Fame election
by the Committee on African American Baseball, though he did not make the list of 39 names that ultimately appeared on the ballot.
; his father was a minister. As a youth he developed a reputation throughout the South as an outstanding athlete and baseball player. By 1896 he was playing professionally, and in 1899 he joined the Chicago Unions
as a shortstop
.
In 1900–1901 Monroe played for the Cuban X-Giants
—John Holway reports that he played second base, and Clark and Lester report that he played shortstop. From 1903 to 1905 he played for the Philadelphia Giants
, which were perhaps the top team of that period. Clark and Lester show him playing shortstop in 1903 and 1904, and third base in 1905, while Holway lists him at first base in 1903, shortstop in 1904, and utility
in 1905. Statistics are scarce during this period; Holway gives statistics for a 1903 playoff between the Philadelphia Giants and the Cuban X-Giants, where Monroe batted
3 for 11 (.273), which was the second highest average on his team. In a 3-game playoff with the X-Giants in 1904, Monroe went 0 for 7(.000), and in a 3-game playoff with the Brooklyn Royal Giants
in 1905, he went 2 for 8 (.250). Philadelphia won the championships in 1904 and 1905.
James Riley tells a story that Hall of Famer Joe McGinnity was once paid $500 by a semi-professional team to pitch against the Philadelphia Giants. After seven scoreless innings, Monroe came to bat and pointed his bat at McGinnity, taunting him. McGinnity knocked Monroe down with his next pitch, but Monroe kept up the taunting. He then bet McGinnity $500 that he'd hit a home run
. The pitcher accepted the bet and fired a fastball, which Monroe hit for a home run which would ultimately win the game for the Giants. Monroe continued his taunting by running the bases backward.
In 1906, Monroe played part of the season for the Philadelphia Giants, then moved to the Brooklyn Royal Giants, where he played third base until 1908 and second base from 1909 to 1910. Holway lists his 1906 batting average as .500, but without indicating how many at bat
s were recorded; his 1909 his batting record was listed as 6 for 8 (.750), and in 1910 it was .171. The Royal Giants were the eastern champions in 1910.
A somewhat more complete statistical record comes during this period from his play in the Cuban League
during the winters of 1906–1907 and 1907–1908, and from series played in Cuba in the fall of 1908. During 1906–1907, in 14 games he hit 18 for 51 (.353) with a triple
and a home run (.451 slugging percentage) and 4 walks
and 3 times hit by pitch
(.431 on-base percentage). The following winter, he played 16 games and went 23 for 72 (.319) with two double
s and a triple (.375 slugging). Then, in the fall of 1908 the Royal Giants toured Cuba, playing against Habana
and Almendares
, the top teams in Cuba. Monroe played 15 games and went 13 for 56 (.232) with one triple and three walks. During the same tour, he participated in a series against the major league Cincinnati Reds
. In two games he went 3 for 8 (.375) with three runs scored and one walk.
In 1911, Monroe moved to the Chicago American Giants
, which were the preeminent team of that era and one of the great Negro league teams of all time. His first season, he played second base and hit cleanup
behind Pete Hill
. According to Holway, in 1911 Monroe hit .297, in 1912 he hit .208, in 1913 he hit .268, and in 1914 he .239. A popular player, he was called the "king of second basemen," "idol of all the ladies," and "the most sensational player on the American Giants' team." In 1914 the American Giants easily won the western title and swept the eastern champion Brooklyn Royal Giants in four straight games, with Monroe hitting fifth.
Although still a good player in 1914, Monroe did not live to see the next baseball season. On March 16, 1915 he died of tuberculosis
at his parent's home in Chattanooga, Tennessee
at the age of 38. His obituary reported that Hall of Fame manager
John McGraw had once said, "Monroe was the greatest infielder he had ever seen," but that he "could not use him on account of his color
."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
's Negro leagues
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
. He was also known by the nickname of "Money." During a 19-year career from 1896 to 1914, he played on many of the greatest teams in black baseball. He was a good hitter and slick fielding third base
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
and second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
who was compared to major league
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
star Jimmy Collins
Jimmy Collins
James Joseph Collins was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century who was widely regarded as being the best third baseman prior to Brooks Robinson...
. Monroe played all four infield positions, but spent his prime seasons at third base and second base.
Monroe was known for his showmanship, and entertained crowds with feats such as catching "Texas Leaguers" behind his back and kicking ground balls to make them bounce into his hands. In a 1952 Pittsburgh Courier
Pittsburgh Courier
The Pittsburgh Courier was an American newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which was published from 1907 to 1965. Once the country's most widely circulated Black newspaper, the legacy and influence of the Pittsburgh Courier is unparalleled.A pillar of the Black Press, it rose...
newspaper poll to select the greatest Negro League ballplayers of history, Monroe was named as the third-team second baseman behind Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
and Bingo DeMoss
Bingo DeMoss
Elwood "Bingo" DeMoss was a baseball player and manager in the Negro Leagues from 1905 to 1943. He was born in Topeka, Kansas. It was in Topeka that he began his playing career in 1905 with the Topeka Giants. He is considered the finest fielding second baseman of the 1910s and 1920s Negro Leagues...
. He was one of 94 Negro League candidates initially recommended by the National Baseball Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
's screening committee for the 2006 Hall of Fame election
Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 2006
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 2006 proceeded in keeping with rules enacted in 2001, augmented by a special election; the result was the largest class of inductees in the Hall's history, including the first woman elected. The Baseball Writers Association of America held an election to...
by the Committee on African American Baseball, though he did not make the list of 39 names that ultimately appeared on the ballot.
Baseball career
Monroe was born in TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
; his father was a minister. As a youth he developed a reputation throughout the South as an outstanding athlete and baseball player. By 1896 he was playing professionally, and in 1899 he joined the Chicago Unions
Chicago Unions
The Chicago Unions were a professional, black baseball team that played in the late 19th century, prior to the formation of the Negro Leagues.- Founding :...
as a shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
.
In 1900–1901 Monroe played for the Cuban X-Giants
Cuban X-Giants
The Cuban X-Giants were an African-American professional baseball team for about ten seasons around 1900. Originally most of the players were former Cuban Giants, or ex-Giants....
—John Holway reports that he played second base, and Clark and Lester report that he played shortstop. From 1903 to 1905 he played for the Philadelphia Giants
Philadelphia Giants
The Philadelphia Giants were a Negro league baseball team that played from 1902 to 1916. From 1904 to 1909 they were one of the strongest teams in black baseball, winning five eastern championships in six years. The team was organized by Sol White, H. Walter Schlichter, and Harry Smith.- Founding...
, which were perhaps the top team of that period. Clark and Lester show him playing shortstop in 1903 and 1904, and third base in 1905, while Holway lists him at first base in 1903, shortstop in 1904, and utility
Utility infielder
A utility infielder is a baseball player, usually one who does not have a regular starting role on the team and who is capable of playing more than one of the four defensive infield positions: second base, third base, shortstop, and less typically first base...
in 1905. Statistics are scarce during this period; Holway gives statistics for a 1903 playoff between the Philadelphia Giants and the Cuban X-Giants, where Monroe batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
3 for 11 (.273), which was the second highest average on his team. In a 3-game playoff with the X-Giants in 1904, Monroe went 0 for 7(.000), and in a 3-game playoff with the Brooklyn Royal Giants
Brooklyn Royal Giants
The Brooklyn Royal Giants were a professional baseball team based in Brooklyn, New York which played in the Negro Leagues. They were one of the premier professional teams before World War I, winning multiple championships in the East.- League play :...
in 1905, he went 2 for 8 (.250). Philadelphia won the championships in 1904 and 1905.
James Riley tells a story that Hall of Famer Joe McGinnity was once paid $500 by a semi-professional team to pitch against the Philadelphia Giants. After seven scoreless innings, Monroe came to bat and pointed his bat at McGinnity, taunting him. McGinnity knocked Monroe down with his next pitch, but Monroe kept up the taunting. He then bet McGinnity $500 that he'd hit a home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
. The pitcher accepted the bet and fired a fastball, which Monroe hit for a home run which would ultimately win the game for the Giants. Monroe continued his taunting by running the bases backward.
In 1906, Monroe played part of the season for the Philadelphia Giants, then moved to the Brooklyn Royal Giants, where he played third base until 1908 and second base from 1909 to 1910. Holway lists his 1906 batting average as .500, but without indicating how many at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s were recorded; his 1909 his batting record was listed as 6 for 8 (.750), and in 1910 it was .171. The Royal Giants were the eastern champions in 1910.
A somewhat more complete statistical record comes during this period from his play in the Cuban League
Cuban League
The Cuban League was one of the earliest and longest lasting professional baseball leagues outside of the United States, operating in Cuba from 1878 to 1961...
during the winters of 1906–1907 and 1907–1908, and from series played in Cuba in the fall of 1908. During 1906–1907, in 14 games he hit 18 for 51 (.353) with a triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and a home run (.451 slugging percentage) and 4 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
and 3 times hit by pitch
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
(.431 on-base percentage). The following winter, he played 16 games and went 23 for 72 (.319) with two double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
s and a triple (.375 slugging). Then, in the fall of 1908 the Royal Giants toured Cuba, playing against Habana
Habana (baseball club)
The Habana club was one of the oldest and most distinguished baseball teams in the old Cuban League, which existed from 1878 to 1961. Habana, representing the city of Havana, was the only team to play in the league every season of its existence and was one of its most successful franchises...
and Almendares
Almendares (baseball club)
The Almendares club was one of the oldest and most distinguished baseball teams in the old Cuban League, which existed from 1878 to 1961. Almendares represented the Almendares District on the outskirts of the old city of Havana—when the league was founded it was still considered a suburban area,...
, the top teams in Cuba. Monroe played 15 games and went 13 for 56 (.232) with one triple and three walks. During the same tour, he participated in a series against the major league Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. In two games he went 3 for 8 (.375) with three runs scored and one walk.
In 1911, Monroe moved to the Chicago American Giants
Chicago American Giants
Chicago American Giants were a Chicago-based Negro league baseball team, owned and managed from 1911 to 1926 by player-manager Andrew "Rube" Foster. From 1910 until the mid-1930s, the American Giants were the most dominant team in black baseball...
, which were the preeminent team of that era and one of the great Negro league teams of all time. His first season, he played second base and hit cleanup
Cleanup hitter
In baseball, the cleanup hitter is the hitter who bats fourth in the lineup. Although the third man up is generally the hitter with the highest batting average, cleanup hitters often have the most power on the team and are typically the team's best power hitter; their job is to "clean up the...
behind Pete Hill
Pete Hill
* , Personal profiles at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. – identical to Riley -External links:* – unknown content, URL confirmed 2010-04-16...
. According to Holway, in 1911 Monroe hit .297, in 1912 he hit .208, in 1913 he hit .268, and in 1914 he .239. A popular player, he was called the "king of second basemen," "idol of all the ladies," and "the most sensational player on the American Giants' team." In 1914 the American Giants easily won the western title and swept the eastern champion Brooklyn Royal Giants in four straight games, with Monroe hitting fifth.
Although still a good player in 1914, Monroe did not live to see the next baseball season. On March 16, 1915 he died of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
at his parent's home in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
at the age of 38. His obituary reported that Hall of Fame manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
John McGraw had once said, "Monroe was the greatest infielder he had ever seen," but that he "could not use him on account of his color
Baseball color line
The color line in American baseball excluded players of black African descent from Organized Baseball, or the major leagues and affiliated minor leagues, until Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization for the 1946 season...
."
Further reading
- (Riley.) Bill Monroe, Personal profiles at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. – identical to Riley (confirmed 2010-04-16)