Negro Leagues

Below are names of players listed on rosters of Negro League teams from Nashville, beginning with the Elite Giants 1928-1934; Black Vols, Cubs, Stars, and Standard Giants.

Nashville Elite Giants owner Tom Wilson entered a team in the highly successful (and integrated) California Winter League (1932-33, 1933-34, 1934-35, 1935-36). In many records these teams are known as “Wilson’s Elite Giants”; since these teams did not call Nashville “home” those players are not included.

There were several lesser known teams of Black players, too: Morocco Stars, New Era Stars, Nashville Cardinals, Nashville Royal Giants and Nashville Crawfords, and the L & N Railroad and DuPont sponsored teams, too. Player listings are difficult to acquire for these clubs.

It is no easy feat to determine which team is the correct one when a newspaper names a team “Stars” on one date, then reports them as “Giants” in the box score. It appears that even in reported conversations an interviewee states “Black Vols” when the correct team name should have been “Cubs”. Care has been made to keep separate notes on varying club names, but it should be understood that the listings below are not all-inclusive.

Research sources are listed below; often these vary in the year a player was on a team. Note that a separate reference to a player may have been located by one writer or researcher than another . With that in mind, all years found for any player are included on the roster of a team.

Duplication of names are possible; often player names did not include a first name, or misspellings occurred in scorecards or team records (such as “Wood” for “Hood”). Names include the year(s) spent with the ball club.

By clicking on an underlined name, a player’s biography may be posted at sabr.org (Society for American Baseball Research) as part of the organization’s Baseball Biography Project, an ongoing effort to research and write comprehensive biographical articles on people who played or managed in the major leagues, or otherwise made a significant contribution to the sport.

Special thanks to Rory Costello and Gregory H. Wolf, co-directors, for their willingness to allow biographies to be linked to this site. A bio has not been written or submitted on every player; should you wish to learn how you can participate in this project, send your inquiry here:  [email protected].

Nashville Elite Giants

Name, Year(s) with club

Clarence Adkins, 1931

Allison, 1921, 1923

Anderson, 1926

William Anderson, 1927, 1930

Tank Austin, 1930

Russell Bailey, 1926

Sam Bankhead, 1932-1934

Barker, 1923

Bas(s)ham, 1921

Bell(e), 1926-1927

Cliff Bell, 1931

George “Jew Baby” Bennette, 1922

William “Kid” Billings, 1921

Charlie Blackwell, 1929

Willie Bobo, 1929-1930

Bright, 1932

Brown, 1927

Blackbottom Buford, 1927-1932

Joe Campbell, 1930

Richard Cannon, 1931-1932

Carney, 1921

Carpenter, 1921

Clay Carpenter, 1926-1927

Alfred Carter, 1934

Red Charleston, 1927, 1929-1932

Daltie “Bullet” Cooper, 1921-1922

Coley, 1931

George “Hippo” Collins, 1927

Sugg Cornelius, 1929

Comer “Hannibal” Cox, 1930-1931

(Will?) Crowder, 1921

Cummings, 1926

Homer Curry, 1933

Ray Dandridge, 1933

Dandy, 1923

Fred Daniels, 1928

J Davis, 1921

Walter Davis, 1934

W Dixon, 1921

Andrew Drake, 1930

Dudley, 1923

Tommy Dukes, 1932-1934

Jack Dunn, 1933

Edwards, 1923

Jesse Edwards, 1928-1931

R. Edwards, 1926

Mack Eggleston, 1934

James Ellis, 1921-1922, 1926

Louis English, 1930

Evitt, 1929

(John) Finner, 1927

Jimmy Ford, 1934

Foster, 1921

Fox, 1930

Geer, 1922

“Frenchy” Gibson, 1921

Willie Gisentaner, 1933

Grady, 1921

Gratton, 1921

Lawence “Cannonball” Graves, 1921

Noel Graves, 1922

Gray, 1929

Gray, 1931

Green, 1922-1923

Vernon “Baby” Green, 1921

Greer, 1921

G. Griffin, 1921

Robert Griffith, 1934

Grover, 1922

Groves, 1921-1922

Earl Gurley, 1928

Jim Gurley, 1922

Hall, 1922

Hall, 1927

Haney, 1923

Paul Hardy, 1934

Harney, 1929

Harris, 1922-1923

Kid Harvey (Lit Harvell, Harney), 1929

Lenon Henderson, 1930-1932

H. Long Henderson, 1932

“Slim” Henderson, 1931

Stokes Hendrix, 1934

Joe Hewitt, 1929-1930, 1932

Hicks, 1923

Hillis, 1926

Hogan, 1922

Robert “Frog” Holsey, 1932

Will Holt, 1922

Hosea, 1932

Hovely, 1932

C. Hubert, 1931

Sammy Hughes, 1932-1934

Jack Jackson, 1929

Jasper, 1928

Jasper, 1931

“Big” Jasper, 1926

Claude “Hooks” Johnson, 1931

Jones, 1923

Jones, 1926

Jones, 1931

Jordan, 1921

Lamont, 1932

Milford “Rick” Laurent, 1927

Milton Laurent, 1932

Lester, 1932

Clarence Lewis, 1934

Lloyd, 1921

William “Kid” Lowe, 1922, 1930-1931

Louie, 1932

Granville Lyons, 1931-1932, 1934

Malloy, 1921-1923

Marable, 1921-1922

Marsh, 1932

B. McCauley, 1930

McIntyre, 1923

H. McMillan, 1923

William McNeil (McNeal), 1926

Means, 1921

Geechie Meredith, 1930

Miller, 1923

Charlie Miller, 1932

Dempsey “Dimp” Miller, 1930-1931

Percy Miller, 1933-1934

S. “Parson” Miller, 1922

Mitchell, 1923

W. Mitchell, 1926

Money, 1922

Roy “Square” Moore, 1922

Moorer, 1921

Al Morris, 1927-1930

Andrew Morris, 1922

William Nash, 1932

(Wild Bill?) Nesbitt, 1921

Nichols, 1926

Eddie Noel, 1921-1922, 1926, 1929

“Bughouse” Norman, 1922

Amos Otis, 1921

Albert “Dumpy” Owens, 1930-1931

Owensby, 1931

Eddie Pace, 1930

Parker, 1923

Tom Parker, 1934

Roy Parnell, 1934

Pennington, 1929

Pennock, 1927

Charlie Petway, 1931-1932

“Hooty” Phillips, 1921-1922, 1926-1927

Piller, 1931

Poole, 1922

Andy Porter, 1932-1934

Posey, 1932

Powers, 1926

Pruett, 1927

Ridley, 1923

Jack Ridley (Risley?), 1926-1933

Roberts, 1921

Robertson, 1934

Ronsell, 1931

Jimpsey Rousell, 1929, 1931

(Sammy?) Routt, 1927

Rowe, 1932

Russell, 1926

Russell, 1929

Branch Russell, 1928, 1931

Scott, 1934

Percy Segula (Wilson?), 1922

Sharp, 1926

Shelton, 1923

Singlong (Sing Long, Singalong), 1929

Smiley, 1928

Smith, 1921

Jake Smith, 1932-1933

Robert Smith, 1932

Felton Snow, 1933-1934

Willie Spearman, 1927, 1929

Spratt, 1922

Stanton, 1923

Norman “Turkey” Stearnes (Hall of Fame, 2000), 1921

Felton Stratton, 1928-1933

Leroy Stratton, 1921, 1923, 1927, 1932

Roosevelt “Speed” Bill Tate, 1932

Candy Jim Taylor, 1933-1934

Terry, 1928

Thomas, 1923

Dave Thomas, 1928

E. Thomas, 1926

Toplin (Topman?), 1923, 1926

Clarence “Harvey” T(h)realkill, 1929, 1931

Ware, 1927

Weston, 1923

Wade, 1921

Jesse “Hoss” Walker, 1931-1934

Wallace, 1921

Joe Ware, 1921

Washington, 1929

Jim West, 1930, 1933-1934

Westmoreland, 1926

Weston, 1930

White, 1927

Clarence “Red” White, 1926, 1929-1930

Joe Wiggins, 1930-1932

Wigware, 1930

E. Williams, 1932

Henry Williams, 1933

Jim “Bullet” Williams, 1929, 1932

M. Williams, 1932

Nish Williams, 1928-1934

Norm Williams, 1930

Poindexter Williams, 1930, 1933

Williams, 1932

Jim Willis, 1928-1934

Wilson, 1921

Percy Wilson, 1922

Burnis Wright, 1931-1934

Henry “Red” Wright, 1928-1934

Howard Wright, 1933

L. Wright, 1932

Wynne, 1922

Young, 1922, 1926

Nashville Black Vols

Name, Year(s) with club

Bender, 1936

Black Bottom Buford, 1936

Brown, 1945

Leon “Boogie Wolf” Childress, 1945

Jim Gilliam, 1945

Grimes, 1945

Gray, 1936

“Smokey Joe” Hall, 1945

J. Jackson, 1936

Johnson, 1936

Johnson, 1945

Jones, 1936

Henry Kimbro, 1936

Early King, 1945

Red Longley, 1936

Love (Lowe?), 1936

Granville Lyons, 1936, 1945

Frank McAllister, 1936

Patton, 1945

Bill “Pa” Perkins, 1945

Richardson, 1945

Frank Russell, 1945

Stokes, 1936

Thriekill, 1936

Jess “Hoss” Walker, 1936

Doc Wingo, 1945

Johnnie Williams, 1936

Woodrow, 1936

Harvey Young, 1945

“Slow Time” Young, 1936

Nashville Cubs

Name, Year(s) with club

Roy Acklin (Aiken), 1946

Wilbur “Yank” Adkisson (Atkinson), 1946-1947

“Buster” Allen, 1947

James Armistead, 1946

Armstrong, 1946

Otha Bailey, 1949

Norman Banks, 1946

Black, 1947

James Bransford, 1949

Derrick Brooks, 1949

Joe Brooks, 1949

Kelly Brooks, 1948

Alfred “Bomber” “Farmer” Brown, 1946-1949

Jack Bruton, 1949

Burnett, 1946

Calhoun, 1949

Claiborn Cartwright, 1946

Cervantes, 1948

Chyslom, 1949

Curtis Clark, 1948

Melvin “Slick” Coleman, 1948

Luther “Sleepy” Col(y)vin, 1946-1947

Eugene Craig, 1949

James Craig, 1949

James Daly, 1946

Clarence “Spike” Davis, 1946-1948

Gabriel Davis, 1947

Edward “Lefty” Derrick, 1946-1949

Scottie Drake (Duke?), 1949

Edmundson, 1946

Nathaniel Edwards, 1946

Carl Emerson, 1946

Ferras, 1946

Foster, 1947

Roscoe Germany, 1946

Gibson, 1946

Gilby, 1946

Bill “Double Duty” Greason, 1947

Hatten, 1949

Arthur Hefner, 1946

Henton, 1946

Archie Hinton, 1946

Clayton Holt, 1949

Herman Howard, 1947

Floyd Jackson, 1946

“Bullett” Johnson, 1946

James Jones, 1947

Brennan King, 1947

Early King, 1946-1947

Gerry Kizer, 1949

James Knight, 1946

Lanier, 1946

Wesley (Frank) Logan, 1947

Manning, 1948

Clinton “Butch” McCord, 1947-1948

McKenzie, 1949

Fred Miller, 1947

Sack Morgan, 1948

Richard “Cowboy” Murray, 1946, 1949

Naples (Napier), 1949

Nelson, 1949

James Nelson, 1949

Bill (John?) Newberry, 1946

William Norwood, 1949

Judge “Dusty” Owens, 1947

Nathaniel Owens, 1946-1948

Parker, 1949

Bill Patterson, 1947-1948

Rugus “Junior” Patton, 1949

Potter, 1949

Pugh, 1949

Johnnie Richardson, 1947

Frazier “P-80” Robertson, 1946, 1948

Harold Robinson, 1948

Russell, 1946

Russell, 1949

Frank Russell, 1946-1948

John Russell, 1946

William Scott, 1946-1948

Seagraves, 1948

Serves, 1948

Stratten, 1946

Roy Swanson, 1946-1948

Hosea Thomas, 1949

“Horse” Thompson, 1948-1949

Jess “Hoss” Walker, 1948

Williams, 1946

Bob Williams, 1948

E Williams, 1948

Stew Williams, 1948

R Young, 1948

Jim Zapp, 1946-1949

Nashville Stars

Name, Year(s) with club

Robert Abernathy, 1949

W. Abernathy, 1949

Wilbur “Yank” Adkisson, 1949-1951

Black, 1950

William “Soo” Bridgeforth, 1949

Burns, 1949

Cartwright, 1949

Wesley “Doc” Dennis, 1949-1951

Evans, 1950

Heffner, 1950

Marvay, 1950

Orlando “Chico” O’Farrill, 1950

Rouse, 1950

Frank Russell, 1950-1951

Kelly Searcy, 1950-1951

Frank A. “Hoss” Thompson, 1950

E. Williams, 1950

Jim “Zipper” Zapp, 1949-1951

*SourcesBaseball-reference.comNegro Southern League by William Plott, Only the Ball Was White by Robert A. Peterson, Center for Negro League ResearchSABR Biography ProjectCalifornia Winter League – America’s First Integrated Professional Baseball League by William F. McNeil