“People don't know what a great pitcher Leon Day was. He was as good or better than Bob Gibson. He was a better fielder, a better hitter, could run like a deer. When he pitched against Satchel, Satchel didn't have an edge. You thought Don Newcombe could pitch. You should have seen Day! One of the best complete athletes I've ever seen.” – Monte Irvin
Leon Day
Pitcher
Class of
1995
Leon Day
Pitcher
Class of
1995
About Leon Day
The Basics
Birth Year
1916
Died
1995, Baltimore Maryland
Career at a Glance
Played For
Baltimore Black Sox, 1934
Brooklyn Eagles, 1935
Newark Eagles, 1936-1939
Homestead Grays, 1937
Newark Eagles, 1941-1943
Homestead Grays, 1942
Philadelphia Stars, 1943
Newark Eagles, 1946
Career MLB Stats
Games
92
Wins
50
Losses
22
Winning %
.694
Saves
3
Hits
542
Walks
241
Runs
297
Games Started
77
Innings Pitched
616
Completed Games
52
Shutouts
9
Earned Runs
245
Strikeouts
432
ERA
3.58
WHIP
1.270
Leon Day Stories
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Related Hall of Famers
Ray Dandridge
3rd Baseman
Class of
1987
Ray Dandridge
3rd Baseman
Class of
1987
Ray Dandridge stands among the best third basemen in baseball history.
Games
Birth year
About Ray Dandridge
Ray Dandridge never had the chance to play in the American or National leagues. But the record shows he was clearly one of the greatest third basemen of all time.
Born in Richmond, Va., in 1913, Dandridge was signed off a Buffalo, N.Y., sandlot in 1933 by the Detroit Stars of the Negro National League at the age of 19. He was a contact hitter who could hit to all fields, and a fancy fielder at third base who could also play shortstop, second base, and the outfield.
The Basics
Birth Year
1913
Died
1994, Palm Bay Florida
Career at a Glance
Played For
Detroit Stars, 1933
Homestead Grays, 1937
Newark Eagles, 1936-1938
Newark Eagles, 1942
Newark Eagles, 1944
Career MLB Stats
Games
246
At bats
927
Hits
296
Walks
58
Runs
144
Doubles
55
Triples
19
Home Runs
4
RBI
146
Stolen Bases
20
Batting Average
.319
Ops
.793
On Base %
.360
Slugging %
.433
Ray Dandridge Stories
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Effa Manley
Executive
Class of
2006
Effa Manley
Executive
Class of
2006
Effa Manley was a civil rights leader and the first female Hall of Famer.
Primary Team Or Role
Birth year
About Effa Manley
As a businesswoman in a primarily man’s world, Effa Manley wanted to be a winner. Though the only woman among an industry of male owners, Manley got her wish in 1946, when the Newark Eagles, owned by her and her husband Abe, won the Negro League World Series, defeating the Kansas City Monarchs.
Her career is a testament to her commitment to baseball and civil rights – and to her vision and dedication to creating respect for Negro Leagues baseball.
The Basics
Birth Year
1897
Died
1981, Los Angeles California
Career at a Glance
Effa Manley Stories
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Mule Suttles
1st Baseman
Class of
2006
Mule Suttles
1st Baseman
Class of
2006
Noted for his soft-spoken personality, Mule Suttles was one of the Negro Leagues' premier power hitters.
Games
Birth year
About Mule Suttles
George “Mule” Suttles was almost lost to history.
As noted in a Tuscaloosa News article following his 2006 induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame, “He was born at the start of a century that’s passed in a town that no longer exists. He played for teams that have long since folded, in leagues that closed up shop more than 50 years ago.”
Even so, the reputation of Mule Suttles was sufficient to ensure his name would not be forgotten.
The Basics
Birth Year
1900
Died
1966, Newark New Jersey
Career at a Glance
Played For
Birmingham Black Barons, 1923-1925
St. Louis Stars, 1926-1931
Chicago American Giants, 1929
Baltimore Black Sox, 1930
Detroit Wolves, 1932
Chicago American Giants, 1933-1935
Newark Eagles, 1936-1940
Newark Eagles, 1942-1944
Career MLB Stats
Games
906
At bats
3,209
Hits
1,088
Walks
371
Runs
717
Doubles
214
Triples
72
Home Runs
179
RBI
877
Stolen Bases
84
Batting Average
.339
Ops
1.028
On Base %
.410
Slugging %
.618
Mule Suttles Stories
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Monte Irvin
Left Fielder
Class of
1973
Monte Irvin
Left Fielder
Class of
1973
About Monte Irvin
Monte Irvin was not the first African-American player in the modern major leagues, but of all the talented players who made the perilous trip from the Negro Leagues to the American and National leagues in the late 1940s, Irvin may have been the best.
The Basics
Birth Year
1919
Died
2016, Houston Texas
Career at a Glance
Played For
Newark Eagles, 1938-1943
Newark Eagles, 1945-1948
New York Giants, 1949-1955
Chicago Cubs, 1956
Career MLB Stats
Games
1,044
At bats
3,523
Hits
1,076
Walks
474
Runs
580
Doubles
155
Triples
43
Home Runs
139
RBI
684
Stolen Bases
52
Batting Average
.305
Ops
.883
On Base %
.391
Slugging %
.492
Monte Irvin Stories
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