The New York Black Yankees

[Digitalballparks]

I'm sure we've all heard about this before... but the New York Yankees used to have a Negro League Counterpart called the New York Black Yankees.

The team played at Hinchliffe Stadium a 15k seat oval in Paterson NJ for almost 2 decades. We photographed the ballpark last week, and it is currently online at www.digitalballparks.com as the ballpark of the week.

[Mattingly]

Several years ago, I asked on another site (a Yankee board), and the History Mod replied that there was no connection between the Yankees and the Black Yankees. Other than their having played at Yankee Stadium, I only see them as being our "counterparts" in name only.

I very much admire whatever the Negro Leaguers have done during their storied history, but would you prefer that this thread be moved to the Negro Leagues forum?

http://www.nlbpa.com/new_york_black_yankees.html

[Imgran]

Ehh, the Mets are the Yankees' "counterparts" in the National League. Being a counterpart doesn't really suggest affiliation, jut similarity.

[Mattingly]

Ehh, the Mets are the Yankees' "counterparts" in the National League. Being a counterpart doesn't really suggest affiliation, jut similarity.

I'd likely say that the Braves, after so many playoff appearances, would be the Yanks' NL East counerpart. I'd say that the Mets would be the Yanks' geographic counterpart, but not their NL counterpart. I think that only when you consider the NYC area would the Mets be considered. Otherwise, I think they're two very different teams.

In either case, I catch your drift and stand corrected.

I still don't see what this thread has to do about the NY Yankees, since the ballpark that was photographed is in New Jersey.

Moving to the Negro Leagues forum.

[Urbanshocker13]

I have been interested in the NY Black Yankees not only because they have the same name as the Yanks but because they relocated at one point to my home town of Albany, NY before ending their run in Rochester, NY. Satchel Paige played on the NY Black Yankees, one of the meny teams he playyed on. There is a photo of him at Yankee stadium with a Black Yankee uniform on (their uniforms looked alot like the New York Yankees uniforms) Seeing that photo I could only think if he pitched for the Yanks in his prime!

[Digitalballparks]

I've been wanting to add Hawkins Stadium in Albany to my collection... we have the reservoir that the A's used to play in (Bleecker Stadium) and of course Heritage Park and Troy's new stadium.

I can't find photographs anywhere of Hawkins except for that same old exterior photo. I have no idea what it looks like inside.

I've been wanting to add that stadium to my Negro Leagues gallery (which is now up by the way).

Eric

https://www.digitalballparks.com

[Urbanshocker13]

I have actually only seen that same outside photo as well, that and the photo of Ruth in Hawkins that about every bar in Albany has, you can't see any of the stadium in the ruth photo though. There is probally photos somewhere of inside the park, but woulldn't surprise me if there isn't Albany is weird like that. If I run into any I will let you know!

Bleecker is still a "stadium"(more like a ppark with art deco walls) not a reservior yet, I doubt that it will ever be made back into a reservior, I also doubt that it will be fixed up anytime soon either. Alot of stuff in Albany that is said dosen't happen, eccept if it has to do with State workers, down town or college kids. My Dad's friend use to own a bar across the street from bleecker. I actually played at Heratage park my 14 year old Babe Ruth Championship was at Heratage park!

There were actually several Minor Nergo Leauge teams in Albany, like the Albany Black Giants. I am not sure where they played, might have been Hawkins or even Bleecker. If I find anything more on parks in Albany (Schenectady and Troy) I will let you know, and you do the same

[Paul Wendt]

The State Library has a lot of newspapers. If/when you have time it may be worth a visit. I know of it only because it comes up as a place to visit for its newspapers. For example NYPL has many newspapers but directs users to Albany for others.

[BSmile]

NY Black Yankees

Here's a broadside for an exhibition game between the New York Black Yankees and the Savitt Gems in Hartford,CT - 1945. The Gems were an amatuer team put together by the Hartford jewelry store - Savitt's Jewelry, made up of mostly semi-pro, white players. In fact, Babe Ruth played some exhibition games as part of the Savitt team in this era. It's possible that he took part in this game, although I have no direct evidence of it...other than the attached photo of The Babe shaking hands with Bill Savitt (owner) in Hartford...attributed to be 1945. Unfortunately, I have no specific details of the game that was played on this particular day. I would assume that more than one game was played by the Gems in 1945...but I don't know for sure.

Cheers! ~B

[Urbanshocker13]

The State Library has a lot of newspapers. If/when you have time it may be worth a visit. I know of it only because it comes up as a place to visit for its newspapers. For example NYPL has many newspapers but directs users to Albany for others.

If that guy didn't steal all of them and sold them on EBAY!

[Digitalballparks]

Paul, that is an interesting idea. I'm sure there have to be photographs imbedded somewhere in a newspaper. Only problem is getting a day to spend in a Albany library. I have to get Schenectady too of course, so maybe I can kill two birds with one stone.

Eric
President

https://www.digitalballparks.com

[Digitalballparks]

BSmile, what a great broadside!!! Thanks for that! How awesome. I wish we had photographs of Bulkeley Stadium in Hartford, to go with it! hehe. That's a story I had never heard about as well... Babe Ruth playing for the Savitt Gems in Hartford. Probably got a lot more per game than the Boston Braves were paying him before he retired.
He had to be 50 by then didn't he? He looks pretty good for 50 considering his condition. Did he die 3 years later? I guess he was still doing the amateur thing until the very end. Talk about a picture telling a 1000 words...

Eric
President

https://www.digitalballparks.com

Watch for digitalballparks.com on the History Channel's Modern Marvels coming in March!

[Urbanshocker13]

Paul, that is an interesting idea. I'm sure there have to be photographs imbedded somewhere in a newspaper. Only problem is getting a day to spend in a Albany library. I have to get Schenectady too of course, so maybe I can kill two birds with one stone.

Eric
President
www.digitalballparks.com

I doubt that would be that hard, Schenectady and Albany are so close they are basically the same city, I actually live in schenctady now. The Schenctady Library actually is a little better than the Albany one, so there might be more info there. If you are interested you should check out the SUNY Library in Albany that's real good and really big, also if you are in the area should check out Troy too. It is derectly across the river from Albany and has a very rich baseball history. (the National Leauge Troy Trojians) That's the good thing about the capital district, there is a ton of history (back to 1609) and it's real close together.

[disgrig]

1948 move to Rochester and Buffalo

I just came across an article in the Baltimore Afro American about the NY Black Yankees announcing their move out of New York City and scheduling their home games in Rochester and Buffalo for the 1948 Negro National League season. The competition for fans was tight with the NY Cubans and the Black Yankees decided to move to a new area. Some of the games were planned for Syracuse and Montreal, as well.