Sol White
Encyclopedia
King Solomon White was an American professional baseball
infielder
, manager
and executive, and one of the pioneers of the Negro Leagues
. An active sportswriter for many years, in 1907 he wrote the first definitive history of black baseball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006
.
Born in Bellaire, Ohio
, White's playing career lasted from 1887 to 1912, followed by several additional seasons of managing. He played a major role on many of the greatest teams throughout that era. While enrolled at Wilberforce University
, White joined the 1887 Pittsburgh Keystones of the world's first Negro League the National Colored Base Ball Leaguehttp://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_460150.html as a second baseman and was batting .308 when the league after a week of play. He then joined the Wheeling (West Virginia) Green Stockings of the Ohio State League and batted. 371. White made a name for himself in the predominately white minor leagues of the time and batted .385 for Fort Wayne, Indiana
of the Western Interstate League in 1895. He played for the New York Gorhams in 1889 which was a black team that played in the otherwise white Middle States League and won that league's championship. Also in 1895, White played for Bud Fowler's barnstorming Page Fence Giants
team, batting .404 as the Giants
finished with a terrific 118-36-2 record and played in 112 towns in 7 states.
He was instrumental in the 1902 formation of the Philadelphia Giants
and the later development and operation of various leagues.
The 1907 book Sol White's History of Colored Baseball was the first volume to discuss black baseball. White's History begins with the organization in 1885 of the first professional colored baseball team, discusses the brusque removal of all black players from predominantly white teams during the next four years, and then traces the growing strength of "colored base ball" into the early years of the twentieth century. This short book-within-a-book is history, but it can also be described as an almanac, a scorecard, an archive, a who's who of African-American baseball up to 1907.
White died at age 87 in Central Islip, New York
. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Frederick Douglass Cemetery in the Oakwood
neighborhood of Staten Island, NY.
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...
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...
, 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...
and executive, and one of the pioneers of the 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...
. An active sportswriter for many years, in 1907 he wrote the first definitive history of black baseball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006
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...
.
Born in Bellaire, Ohio
Bellaire, Ohio
Bellaire is a village in Belmont County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,278 at the 2010 census. The village is located along the Ohio River...
, White's playing career lasted from 1887 to 1912, followed by several additional seasons of managing. He played a major role on many of the greatest teams throughout that era. While enrolled at Wilberforce University
Wilberforce University
Wilberforce University is a private, coed, liberal arts historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans...
, White joined the 1887 Pittsburgh Keystones of the world's first Negro League the National Colored Base Ball Leaguehttp://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/pirates/s_460150.html as a second baseman and was batting .308 when the league after a week of play. He then joined the Wheeling (West Virginia) Green Stockings of the Ohio State League and batted. 371. White made a name for himself in the predominately white minor leagues of the time and batted .385 for Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
of the Western Interstate League in 1895. He played for the New York Gorhams in 1889 which was a black team that played in the otherwise white Middle States League and won that league's championship. Also in 1895, White played for Bud Fowler's barnstorming Page Fence Giants
Page Fence Giants
One of the top black baseball teams of the 1890s, the Page Fence Giants were based in Adrian, Michigan and named after the Page Woven Wire Fence Company. The team was sponsored by the company's founder, J. Wallace Page....
team, batting .404 as the Giants
finished with a terrific 118-36-2 record and played in 112 towns in 7 states.
He was instrumental in the 1902 formation of 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...
and the later development and operation of various leagues.
The 1907 book Sol White's History of Colored Baseball was the first volume to discuss black baseball. White's History begins with the organization in 1885 of the first professional colored baseball team, discusses the brusque removal of all black players from predominantly white teams during the next four years, and then traces the growing strength of "colored base ball" into the early years of the twentieth century. This short book-within-a-book is history, but it can also be described as an almanac, a scorecard, an archive, a who's who of African-American baseball up to 1907.
White died at age 87 in Central Islip, New York
Central Islip, New York
Central Islip is a hamlet and census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, U.S.. The population was 31,950 at the 2000 census.-History and overview:...
. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Frederick Douglass Cemetery in the Oakwood
Oakwood, Staten Island
Oakwood is the name of a neighborhood located in east central Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, USA. It lies near the southern shore, and is bordered by Ebbitts Street ; the Atlantic Ocean ; Great Kills Park ; and the Staten Island Railway...
neighborhood of Staten Island, NY.
External links
- 2006 Hall of Fame Inductee: Sol White (video) – unknown content, URL confirmed 2010-04-16