Negro Leagues Game of the Day on This Date in 1928 (June 3rd)

Sunday, June 3rd – In a battle for the 1st half pennant, the Detroit Stars host the St. Louis Stars at Mack Park.

Here are the starting lineups:

St. Louis Stars (16-2)
1. Cool Papa Bell, CF
2. Willie Bobo, 1B
3. Willie Wells, SS
4. Mule Suttles, RF
5. Wilson Redus, LF
6. Dewey Creacy, 2B
7. Clarence Palm, C
8. John Henry Russell, 3B
9. John Williams, P

Detroit Stars (19-8)
1. Wade Johnston, LF
2. Halley Harding, SS
3. Turkey Stearnes, CF
4. Ed Rile, 1B
5. Hurley McNair, RF
6. Ted Radcliffe, C
7. Claude Johnson, 3B
8. Grady Orange, 2B
9. George Mitchell, P

Detroit opens the scoring in the bottom of the 1st. With one out, Halley Harding walks, and advances to second on a single to right by Stearnes. Ed Rile singles to left-center, scoring Harding, with Stearnes beating the throw to third, and Rile advancing to second on the throw by LF Wilson Redus. Hurley McNair walked to load the bases. Ted Radcliffe grounded to 3B John Henry Russell, bringing in Stearnes with the second run. Claude Johnson was retired to end the inning. Detroit lead 2-0 after one.

In the top of the second, Clarence Palm drives the ball over the center field fence, cutting the Detroit lead in half. 2-1 Detroit after 2 innings.

In the bottom of the third, Stearnes homers to right, increasing the Detroit lead to 3-1 after three.

On to the top of the 4th, where Palm drives in Mule Suttles and John Henry Russell drives in Palm. The score remains 3-3 thru 5 innings.

In the top of the 6th, St. Louis adds another run, as Henry Williams, who replaced Palm behind the plate in the 5th, singles home Redus. St. Louis now leads 4-3.

To the bottom of the 7th, where Wade Johnston homers over the right field fence, tying the game at 4-4.

In the bottom of the 8th, Claude Johnson singles, and Grady Orange bunts to P John Williams, beating the throw to 1st for a bunt single. P George Mitchell attempts a bunt which he pops up, but John Williams fails to come up with it, and Mitchell loads the bases on the error. Wade Johnston singles both Johnson and Orange home, breaking the tie. Ted Trent relieves Williams, and is able to retire both Harding and Stearnes without runs scoring, but Rile then homers over the short right field fence, increasing the score to 9-4. George Mitchell retires St. Louis in the 9th for the complete game win.

NOTES: George Mitchell gives up 4 runs on only 7 hits, with 1 walk and 6 strikeouts. Ed Rile is 3 for 5, with a double, a home run, 4 RBI and a run scored. Wade Johnston goes 2-5 with a home run, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored.

The Cleveland Tigers, with 4 wins and 20 loses, make wholesale roster changes. Manager/3B Frank Duncan, P Squire Moore, 1B Fred DeWitt, 1B Charlie Wouldridge, 2B Charles Zomphier, SS Ted Stockard, and RF Heavy Johnson are all released.

And the Eastern Colored League (ECL) is dead.

Eastern Scores:
New York Lincoln Giants-6, Cuban Stars (East)-3 (Game #1, Catholic Protectory Oval)
New York Lincoln Giants-12, Cuban Stars (East)-6 (Game #2, Catholic Protectory Oval)
Atlantic City Bacharach Giants-5, Hilldale-2 (Greyhound Park)

Chicago Defender 1928 Jun 9