St. Louis Stars (baseball)
Encyclopedia
The St. Louis Stars were a Negro League baseball
team that competed in the Negro National League
from 1922 to 1931. Founded when Dick Kent and Dr. Sam Sheppard took over the St. Louis Giants
franchise from African-American promoter Charlie Mills
, the Stars eventually built one of the great dynasties in Negro League history, winning three pennants in four years from 1928 to 1931.
The Stars inherited almost the entire roster of the 1921 Giants (who had finished in second place), with the exception of Hall of Fame center fielder Oscar Charleston
. Without Charleston, the Stars dropped to fourth place in 1922, though with a creditable 35-26 record. In 1923 they slipped badly, finishing with 28 wins and 44 losses, good for only sixth place. Midway through the year they acquired several players from the Toledo Tigers
when that team folded, including new manager Candy Jim Taylor
. A 37-year-old third baseman, Taylor tied for the 1923 league lead with 20 home runs (19 hit in St. Louis).
More importantly, over the next few years Taylor put together one of the most impressive assemblages of talent in Negro League history, including Cool Papa Bell, whom Taylor converted from a left-handed pitcher into a brilliant defensive center fielder and leadoff man; Mule Suttles
, first baseman and all-time Negro League home run king; Willie Wells
, considered by many historians to be John Henry Lloyd
's only serious rival as greatest shortstop in Negro League history; and Ted Trent, pitcher and wielder of one of the most effective curve balls in the league.
and the Kansas City Monarchs
. When Taylor left to manage the Detroit Stars
and Cleveland Elites in 1926, the Stars slumped to 49-30, good for third place overall, though Mule Suttles enjoyed an historic season at bat. According to John Holway's Complete Book of the Negro Leagues, he hit .498, and led the NNL in doubles (27), triples (21), and home runs (27, the all-time Negro League single season record). He returned in 1927, and in 1928 the Stars took over the league, winning the first half going away, and compiling the best overall record by a good margin (66-26). They defeated the Chicago American Giants
, second-half winners (and Negro League world champions for two years running) in an exciting playoff series, 5 games to 4.
The Stars continued their winning ways in 1929, but were just edged out in both halves of the season by the Kansas City Monarchs
, despite Willie Wells's 27 home runs (tying Suttles's 1926 record). The following year they took their second NNL pennant, defeating the Detroit Stars
in the playoff. In 1931, the Stars were awarded the pennant when the league disintegrated partway through the season; unfortunately, the club folded along with the league.
as a charter member and played in that circuit until 1939, but this was an entirely different organization.
have honored the Stars by wearing replica uniforms during regular-season baseball games on several occasions, including July 4, 1997 (at home vs. Pittsburgh), August 1 and 2, 1998 (at Atlanta), June 29, 2003 (at Kansas City), August 12, 2006 (at Pittsburgh), and August 14, 2007 (at Washington), and July 23, 2011 (at Pittsburgh).
ground located in St. Louis, Missouri
at the southeast corner of Compton and Laclede avenues. The ground was home to the St. Louis Stars of the Negro National League
from 1922 to 1931. The stadium was one of the few ballparks purposely built for a negro league team. It had a capacity of 10,000 people.
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...
team that competed in the Negro National League
Negro National League (the first)
The Negro National League was one of the several Negro leagues which were established during the period in the United States in which organized baseball was segregated. Led by Rube Foster, owner and manager of the Chicago American Giants, the NNL was established on February 13, 1920 by a...
from 1922 to 1931. Founded when Dick Kent and Dr. Sam Sheppard took over the St. Louis Giants
St. Louis Giants
The St. Louis Giants were a Negro League baseball team that competed independently from as early as 1906 to 1919, and joined the Negro National League for the 1920 and 1921 seasons. After the 1921 season, the franchise was sold to another group of investors, who built a new park and renamed the...
franchise from African-American promoter Charlie Mills
Charlie Mills
Charles F. Mills was a Major League Baseball catcher. He played for the New York Mutuals in 1871 and 1872, appearing in 38 games and hitting .226. He died on April 9, 1874 in Brooklyn, New York.-External links:...
, the Stars eventually built one of the great dynasties in Negro League history, winning three pennants in four years from 1928 to 1931.
Founding
The club played in Stars Park (SE corner of Compton and Laclede, 38.632193°N 90.226014°W), completed in mid-season 1922 as one of the few ballparks built expressly for the Negro Leagues. The park became famous for its 269 foot left field wall, built to accommodate a trolley car barn. Despite special rules that in some seasons counted home runs hit over the car barn as ground-rule doubles, the park proved very friendly to power hitters over the years.The Stars inherited almost the entire roster of the 1921 Giants (who had finished in second place), with the exception of Hall of Fame center fielder Oscar Charleston
Oscar Charleston
Oscar McKinley Charleston was an American center fielder and manager in baseball's Negro leagues from to ....
. Without Charleston, the Stars dropped to fourth place in 1922, though with a creditable 35-26 record. In 1923 they slipped badly, finishing with 28 wins and 44 losses, good for only sixth place. Midway through the year they acquired several players from the Toledo Tigers
Toledo Tigers
The Toledo Tigers were a Negro National League team that operated during the season, its only season in the league, representing Toledo, Ohio. It played its home games at Toledo's Swayne Field, home of the minor league Mud Hens....
when that team folded, including new manager Candy Jim Taylor
Candy Jim Taylor
James Allen "Candy Jim" Taylor was an American third baseman and manager in Negro league baseball.-Biography:Born in Anderson, South Carolina, Taylor was one of four brothers who played in the Negro Leagues, along with Ben, C. I. and "Steel Arm" Johnny...
. A 37-year-old third baseman, Taylor tied for the 1923 league lead with 20 home runs (19 hit in St. Louis).
More importantly, over the next few years Taylor put together one of the most impressive assemblages of talent in Negro League history, including Cool Papa Bell, whom Taylor converted from a left-handed pitcher into a brilliant defensive center fielder and leadoff man; Mule Suttles
Mule Suttles
George "Mule" Suttles was an American first baseman and outfielder in Negro league baseball, most prominently with the Birmingham Black Barons, St. Louis Stars and Newark Eagles...
, first baseman and all-time Negro League home run king; Willie Wells
Willie Wells
Willie James Wells was an American shortstop who played from -48 for various teams in the Negro Leagues.Wells was born in Austin, Texas...
, considered by many historians to be John Henry Lloyd
John Henry Lloyd
John Henry "Pop" Lloyd was an American baseball player and manager in the Negro leagues. He is generally considered the greatest shortstop in Negro league history, and both Babe Ruth and Ted Harlow, a noted sportswriter, reportedly believed Lloyd to be the greatest baseball player ever.He was a...
's only serious rival as greatest shortstop in Negro League history; and Ted Trent, pitcher and wielder of one of the most effective curve balls in the league.
Championship years
In 1924, the Stars improved to 42-34 and fourth place. The next year they won the second-half title with an impressive 38-12 record after only narrowly losing the first half (69-27 overall), but lost the playoff series to Bullet RoganBullet Rogan
Charles Wilber "Bullet" Rogan, also known as "Bullet Joe" , was an American pitcher and outfielder for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro baseball leagues from 1920 to 1938...
and the Kansas City Monarchs
Kansas City Monarchs
The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro Leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri and owned by J.L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 1930. J.L. Wilkinson was the first Caucasian owner at the time...
. When Taylor left to manage the Detroit Stars
Detroit Stars
The Detroit Stars were a United States baseball team in the Negro leagues and played at historic Mack Park.- Founding :Founded in 1919 by Tenny Blount with the help of Rube Foster, owner and manager of the Chicago American Giants, the Detroit Stars immediately established themselves as one of the...
and Cleveland Elites in 1926, the Stars slumped to 49-30, good for third place overall, though Mule Suttles enjoyed an historic season at bat. According to John Holway's Complete Book of the Negro Leagues, he hit .498, and led the NNL in doubles (27), triples (21), and home runs (27, the all-time Negro League single season record). He returned in 1927, and in 1928 the Stars took over the league, winning the first half going away, and compiling the best overall record by a good margin (66-26). They defeated 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...
, second-half winners (and Negro League world champions for two years running) in an exciting playoff series, 5 games to 4.
The Stars continued their winning ways in 1929, but were just edged out in both halves of the season by the Kansas City Monarchs
Kansas City Monarchs
The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro Leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri and owned by J.L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 1930. J.L. Wilkinson was the first Caucasian owner at the time...
, despite Willie Wells's 27 home runs (tying Suttles's 1926 record). The following year they took their second NNL pennant, defeating the Detroit Stars
Detroit Stars
The Detroit Stars were a United States baseball team in the Negro leagues and played at historic Mack Park.- Founding :Founded in 1919 by Tenny Blount with the help of Rube Foster, owner and manager of the Chicago American Giants, the Detroit Stars immediately established themselves as one of the...
in the playoff. In 1931, the Stars were awarded the pennant when the league disintegrated partway through the season; unfortunately, the club folded along with the league.
NAL reincarnate
In 1937, another club named the St. Louis Stars joined the Negro American LeagueNegro American League
The Negro American League was one of the several Negro leagues which were created during the time organized baseball was segregated. The league was established in 1937, and continued to exist until 1960...
as a charter member and played in that circuit until 1939, but this was an entirely different organization.
MLB throwback jerseys
The St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
have honored the Stars by wearing replica uniforms during regular-season baseball games on several occasions, including July 4, 1997 (at home vs. Pittsburgh), August 1 and 2, 1998 (at Atlanta), June 29, 2003 (at Kansas City), August 12, 2006 (at Pittsburgh), and August 14, 2007 (at Washington), and July 23, 2011 (at Pittsburgh).
Stars Park
Stars Park is a former baseballBaseball
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...
ground located in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
at the southeast corner of Compton and Laclede avenues. The ground was home to the St. Louis Stars of the Negro National League
Negro National League (the first)
The Negro National League was one of the several Negro leagues which were established during the period in the United States in which organized baseball was segregated. Led by Rube Foster, owner and manager of the Chicago American Giants, the NNL was established on February 13, 1920 by a...
from 1922 to 1931. The stadium was one of the few ballparks purposely built for a negro league team. It had a capacity of 10,000 people.
Hall of Famers
Below are the three men who played for the St. Louis Stars and were later inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. After the player's name is their primary position, years played with the Stars and year inducted into the Hall of Fame. An asterisk denotes the Stars were also their primary team.- Cool Papa Bell*, outfielder, 1922-1931, inducted 1974
- Willie WellsWillie WellsWillie James Wells was an American shortstop who played from -48 for various teams in the Negro Leagues.Wells was born in Austin, Texas...
*, shortstop, 1924-1931, inducted 1997 - Mule SuttlesMule SuttlesGeorge "Mule" Suttles was an American first baseman and outfielder in Negro league baseball, most prominently with the Birmingham Black Barons, St. Louis Stars and Newark Eagles...
, firstbase, 1926-1930, inducted 2006