Negro Leagues Game of the Day on This Date in 1928 (June 17th)

Sunday, June 17th – The Atlantic City Bacharach Giants play a Sunday afternoon double-header versus the Baltimore Black Sox at Maryland Park. 3B Jud Wilson is out of the lineup for Baltimore due to an ankle sprain.

Here are the starting lineups for Game #1:

Atlantic City Bacharach Giants (8-10-1)
1. Fats Jenkins, LF
2. Eggie Dallard, 1B
3. Chaney White, CF
4. Luther Farrell, RF
5. Dick Lundy, SS
6. Ambrose Reid, 3B
7. Willie Jones, C
8. Jimmy Sheilds, 2B
9. Ping Gardner, P

Baltimore Black Sox (14-8)
1. Dick Jackson, 2B
2. Crush Holloway, LF
3. Rap Dixon, RF
4. Pete Washington, CF
5. Ben Taylor, 1B
6. Mack Eggleston, C
7. Clarence Lindsey, 3B
8. Scrappy Brown, SS
9. Laymon Yokely, P

Veteran Ping Gardner, a league average-ish, #3 starter innings eater, opposes Laymon Yokely, the 22-year-old, now “Ace” of the Baltimore staff.

In the top of the first, Fats Jenkins singles to lead off, but Atlantic City fails to do anything else. Baltimore strikes first in the bottom of the first inning. Dick Jackson singles on the first pitch from Gardner, and Crush Holloway follows with another single. Rap Dixon flies out to CF Chaney White. Pete Washington takes a called third strike from Yokely. 39-year-old player/manager Ben Taylor singles to right, scoring Jackson, but Taylor is out trying to take second on the throw home, ending the rally. 1-0 Baltimore after one inning.

In the bottom of the third, Holloway walks, and Dixon again flies out to CF White. A SS Dick Lundy error on Washington’s liner off his glove sends Holloway to third with Washington safe at first. Washington attempts to steal second but is gunned down by C Willie Jones. Ben Taylor walks, and Mack Eggleston hits a long fly to right field for a triple, scoring Holloway and Taylor. Clarence Lindsey flies to right-fielder Luther Farrell, ending the inning. 3-0 Baltimore after three innings.

On to the top of the sixth inning, where Chaney White singles for the second Bacharach Giant hit of the game, but Yokely fans both Farrell and Lundy to end the threat.

In the top of the seventh, Ambrose Reid strikes out, but Willie Jones walks. Jimmy Shields singles, and P Ping Gardner bunts the runners to second and third. Fats Jenkins singles, scoring both runners. Eggie Dallard lines to 1B Taylor to end the inning. Now 3-2 Baltimore.

The Atlantic City eighth inning opens with Chaney White popping up to 2B Dick Jackson. Farrell singles and Dick Lundy follows with a double, sending Farrell to third base. Ambrose Reid pops out, then John Cason, pinch-hitting for C Willie Jones, hits a high fly ball to LF Holloway to end the inning with Atlantic City failing to score.

In the top of the ninth, Yokely retires Jimmy Shields and then Curtis Green, pinch-hitting for the P Gardner, but Fats Jenkins singles and Dallard follows with another single, sending Jenkins to third with the tying run, and Dallard to first with the potential go-ahead score. Chaney White hits a fly ball to right field, where Rap Dixon snares it, ending the last hope for Atlantic City. 3-2 Baltimore is the final score.

NOTES: Yokely goes 9 innings, giving up 2 runs, 9 hits, walking 3 and striking out 9. Ping Gardner is almost equally effective, in his 8 innings giving up 3 runs (2 earned), 7 hits, walking 4 and striking out 2. Fats Jenkins is 3 for 5 with 2 RBI. Mack Eggleston, with the big 2 RBI triple, is the hitting star for the victorious Black Sox.

Other Eastern Scores:
Baltimore Black Sox-4, Atlantic City Bacharach Giants-2 (Game #2, Maryland Park)

NNL Scores:
Cleveland Tigers-9, Memphis Red Sox-4 (Game #1, Luna Park)
Memphis Red Sox-10, Cleveland Tigers-6 (Game #2, Luna Park)
Detroit Stars-7, Birmingham Black Barons-6 (Mack Park)
St. Louis Stars-6, Chicago American Giants-3 (Schorling Park)

Laymon Yokely 1970s. Baltimore Sun photo.