Negro Leagues Game of the Day on This Date in 1928 (May 16th)
May 16, 2020 by Kevin Johnson · 2 Comments
Wednesday, May 16th – The Memphis Red Sox are scheduled to play a double header with the Birmingham Black Barons at Rickwood Field. The teams have split the first two games in the series. Rain is in the forecast.
Here are the starting lineups for game #1:
Memphis Red Sox
1. Kid Lowe, 3B
2. J.C. McHaskell, 1B
3. Pinky Ward, CF
4. Bob Miller, 2B
5. Earl Gurley, LF
6. Dan Thomas, SS
7. Wesley Hicks, RF
8. Larry Brown, C
9. Cliff Bell, P
Birmingham Black Barons
1. Geechie Meredith, 2B
2. George McAllister, 1B
3. Roy Parnell, RF
4. Sandy Thompson, CF
5. Ray Sheppard, 3B
6. Will Owens, SS
7. Chuffy Alexander, LF
8. Bill Perkins, C
9. Robert Poindexter, P
Long-time Kansas City Monarch Cliff Bell is the staring pitcher for Memphis. He is opposed by Robert Poindexter, who was 10-15 in 1927.
The game is a back and forth affair, with Memphis scoring a run in the top of the first, then Birmingham responding with 2 in the bottom of the inning. Memphis scores 2 in the top of the 2nd to take a 3-2 lead, but Birmingham scores a run in the bottom and another in the 3rd for a 4-3 lead.
In the top of the fourth, Wesley Hicks opens the inning with a single, and Larry Brown homers to put Memphis in front 5-4. At that point, interim manager (for Poindexter Williams, who was recovering from a broken leg) Charles Wesley brings in the 21 year-old Satchel Paige, who had not accompanied the team on their initial road trip and was making his first appearance of the year. Paige proceeds to shut down Memphis for the next 4 innings, while Birmingham scores 4 runs in the 5th and 1 in the 6th to take a 9-5 lead.
After 7 innings the rain sets in hard and does not let up in time for the game to continue or to have the 2nd game played, and the Black Barons are declared 9-5 victors.
NOTES: Satchel Paige pitched 4 scoreless innings in relief for the win, allowing no runs, only 2 hits, 1 walk and striking out 5. Paige was also an unexpected hero at the plate, going 2-3 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored.
Other NNL Scores:
Birmingham Back Barons vs. Memphis Red Sox Game 2 cancelled
ECL Scores:
Baltimore Black Sox-13, Philadelphia Tigers-0 (Tate Field, Richmond, VA)
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Jim – thanks for reading and for the kind words.