Waaaaay back... Frank Stewart, other 1860s, 1870s black players

[DTF955]

Chadwick's article which he posted about pre-Negro Leaguers of the 19th century got me wondering if ;there were stories of some of the best ones of the 1860s, before even the National Association was formed. I figured I'd probably find some info about Octavius Catto and his Philadelphia Pythians. I also found this interesting article mentioning a couple players, including one Frank Stewart (said to be the best player in New York, white or black) and Charles Bannister who played in one game for a white team against a black one. Nothing is mentioned about Bannister's position or anything, but it's mentioned that Stewart, years before that 1870 game, was a member of the Eleventh Rhode Island Colored Infantry Division.

So, there is some info on some of the top amateurs of that era, although I'm not able to find what position Stewart played, either. (Note - this link suggests it was the 14th Infantry and gives some more details, including the Unexpecteds formed in 1866)

The same result may have happened anyway if they had tried to integrate by playing a black player or two on a white team in the 1860s and early 1870s as happened OTL; after all Frank Grant did last 3 years in the International League and they then put up the color barrier there. It's one reason why in "If Baseball Integrated Early" I posit a white superstar who is the anti-Anson, by force of will, insisting on playing on integrated teams. However, it is nice to think that, if there were to have been enough money behind it, maybe an integrated team like that Buffalo one and a few others could have won out and allowed at least one major league to remain integrated, if they had started early enough.

I'll post a poll similar to one on alternatehistory.com here, anyway, since I am planning to try an alternate history with more American history to it that has a few such owners. BSo, feel free to vote if you want.

But, what I'm really curious about is who these men were. And, if Frank Stewart was looked upon that highly in other sources; I know Octavius Catto who seen as one of the better ballplayers of his time.

I added a poll about where an integrated team might work best if it starts from the owners' side, not a superstar player's like in "If Baseball Integrated Early." The plurality of votes was for New York then Brooklyn & Boston are tied, on alternatehistory.com, but Philacelphia has also garnered support. In IBIE I started in PHilly for a cople years then moved my white superstar to New York.

[TonyK]

There were at least 143 black ballplayers who played minor league ball during the 19th Century. S. K. Govern baited white teams made up of ethnic groups to play a series of games against the best black ballplayers for a purse. He got no takers. I wish the Cuban Giants and NY Gorhams had been able to have a combined team entered in the major leagues to see how they would have fared.