The following is a timeline of the evolution of major-league-caliber franchises in Negro league baseball. The franchises included are those of high-caliber independent teams prior to the organization of formal league play in 1920 and concludes with the dissolution of the remnant of the last major Negro league team, the Kansas City Monarchs then based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, in about 1966. (The Indianapolis Clowns continued on through about 1988, but they had morphed into an entertainment act much as the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team of today.) All teams who played a season while a member of a major Negro league are included. The major leagues are the original Negro National League, the Eastern Colored League, the American Negro League, the East–West League, the second Negro National League and the Negro American League. Teams from the 1932 original Negro Southern League are also included which allows for the inclusion of the few high caliber minor Negro league teams.
Graphical timeline
The two thick gray lines represent trying times: the first is the Panic of 1893 and the second is the Great Depression in 1933. Both crisis led to financial ruin and collapse of most teams and leagues. The two thick black lines represent the formation of organized league play in 1920 and the integration of Major League Baseball in 1946. After integration, the level of play deteriorated rapidly and dramatically. By 1950 all teams were considered to be of minor league status.
1920–1948: Negro major leagues 1920: Establishment of the Negro National League (NNL)
The NNL was established with eight teams, the first black baseball league to be designated a major league. Team withdrew after this season ^^ + 1920 Negro major league teamsNNLChicago American GiantsChicago GiantsCuban StarsDayton Marcos^^Detroit StarsIndianapolis ABCsKansas City MonarchsSt. Louis Giants
1921 The Dayton Marcos departed as an independent team. A new Columbus Buckeyes joined. The Cuban Stars became the Cincinnati Cuban Stars. Team folded after this season ^ Only season in NNL § + 1921 Negro major league teamsNNLChicago American GiantsChicago Giants^Cincinnati Cuban StarsColumbus Buckeyes§Detroit StarsIndianapolis ABCsKansas City MonarchsSt. Louis Giants
1922 The Chicago Giants and Columbus Buckeyes folded. The Cleveland Tate Stars and Pittsburgh Keystones joined. The Cincinnati Cuban Stars became the Cuban Stars again. The St. Louis Giants became the St. Louis Stars. First season in NNL * Only season in NNL § + 1922 Negro major league teamsNNLChicago American GiantsCleveland Tate Stars*Cuban StarsDetroit StarsIndianapolis ABCsKansas City MonarchsPittsburgh Keystones§St. Louis Stars
1923: Founding of the Eastern Colored League (ECL) The ECL was established with six teams. The Pittsburgh Keystones folded. The Milwaukee Bears joined the NNL. The Cleveland Tate Stars departed from the NNL as an independent team and were replaced by the Toledo Tigers. The Toledo Tigers then folded mid-season, and the Cleveland Tate Stars returned to the NNL as an associate member to finish the season. Only season in NNL § Only season in NNL, folded mid-season §§ + 1923 Negro major league teamsNNLECLChicago American GiantsAtlantic City Bacharach GiantsCuban Stars (West)Baltimore Black SoxDetroit StarsBrooklyn Royal GiantsIndianapolis ABCsCuban Stars (East)Kansas City MonarchsHilldale ClubMilwaukee Bears§New York Lincoln GiantsSt. Louis Stars Toledo Tigers§§
1924 The Milwaukee Bears folded. The Birmingham Black Barons and Cleveland Browns joined the NNL. The Harrisburg Giants and Washington Potomacs joined the ECL. The Indianapolis ABCs temporarily dropped out for the season in June and were replaced by the Memphis Red Sox. First season in NNL or ECL* Only season in NNL § + 1924 Negro major league teamsNNLECLBirmingham Black Barons*Atlantic City Bacharach GiantsChicago American GiantsBaltimore Black SoxCleveland Browns§Brooklyn Royal GiantsCuban Stars (West)Cuban Stars (East)Detroit StarsHarrisburg Giants*Indianapolis ABCsHilldale ClubKansas City MonarchsNew York Lincoln GiantsMemphis Red Sox*Washington Potomacs*St. Louis Stars
1925 The Cleveland Browns folded. The Indianapolis ABCs returned to the NNL. The Washington Potomacs moved to Wilmington, Delaware and became the Wilmington Potomacs and then folded mid-season. Team folded mid-season ^ Team withdrew after this season ^^ + 1925 Negro major league teamsNNLECLBirmingham Black Barons^^Atlantic City Bacharach GiantsChicago American GiantsBaltimore Black SoxCuban Stars (West)Brooklyn Royal GiantsDetroit StarsCuban Stars (East)Indianapolis ABCsHarrisburg GiantsKansas City MonarchsHilldale ClubMemphis Red Sox^^New York Lincoln GiantsSt. Louis StarsWilmington Potomacs^
1926 The Cleveland Elites joined the NNL and folded mid-season. The Dayton Marcos returned to the NNL and departed mid-season as an independent team. The Newark Stars joined the ECL and folded mid-season. The Birmingham Black Barons and Memphis Red Sox departed the NNL and joined Minor League Baseball's Negro Southern League (NSL).
Only season in NNL or ECL, folded mid-season § Team folded after this season ^ Last season in NNL, withdrew mid-season ^^ + 1926 Negro major league teamsNNLECLChicago American GiantsAtlantic City Bacharach GiantsCleveland Elites§Baltimore Black SoxDayton Marcos^^Brooklyn Royal GiantsCuban Stars (West)Cuban Stars (East)Detroit StarsHarrisburg GiantsIndianapolis ABCs^Hilldale ClubKansas City MonarchsNew York Lincoln GiantsSt. Louis StarsNewark Stars§
1927 The Indianapolis ABCs folded. The Birmingham Black Barons and Memphis Red Sox returned to the NNL. The Cleveland Hornets joined the NNL.
Team rejoined from minor league Negro Southern League ** Only season in NNL § Last season in NNL or ECL ^ Team departed after this season ^^ + 1927 Negro major league teamsNNLECLBirmingham Black Barons**Atlantic City Bacharach GiantsChicago American GiantsBaltimore Black SoxCleveland Hornets§Brooklyn Royal Giants^Cuban Stars (West)Cuban Stars (East)Detroit StarsHarrisburg Giants^Kansas City MonarchsHilldale Club^^Memphis Red Sox**New York Lincoln GiantsSt. Louis Stars
1928: Last ECL season The Cleveland Hornets folded. The Brooklyn Royal Giants, Harrisburg Giants, and Hilldale Club withdrew from the ECL as independent teams. The Cleveland Tigers joined the NNL. The Philadelphia Tigers joined the ECL. The ECL then disbanded mid-season. Only season in NNL or ECL § + 1928 Negro major league teamsNNLECLBirmingham Black BaronsAtlantic City Bacharach GiantsChicago American GiantsBaltimore Black SoxCleveland Tigers§Cuban Stars (East)Cuban Stars (West)New York Lincoln GiantsDetroit StarsPhiladelphia Tigers§Kansas City Monarchs Memphis Red SoxSt. Louis Stars
1929: American Negro League's (ANL) only season The ANL was established with six teams. Five of those teams were from the ECL. The independent Homestead Grays also joined the ECL. The Cleveland Tigers folded. The Philadelphia Tigers folded.
Team folded after this season ^ Team independent after this season ^^ + 1929 Negro major league teamsNNLANLBirmingham Black BaronsAtlantic City Bacharach Giants^Chicago American GiantsBaltimore Black Sox^^Cuban Stars (West)Cuban Stars (East)^Detroit StarsHilldale Club^^Kansas City MonarchsHomestead Grays^^Memphis Red SoxNew York Lincoln Giants^^St. Louis Stars
1930 The Atlantic City Bacharach Giants and the Cuban Stars from the ANL folded. The Baltimore Black Sox, Hilldale Club, Homestead Grays, and New York Lincoln Giants became independent teams. The ANL disbanded. The Louisville Black Caps and Nashville Elite Giants joined the NNL.
First season in NNL * Team folded after this season ^ Team departed after this season ^^ + 1930 Negro major league teamsNNLBirmingham Black Barons^^Chicago American GiantsCuban Stars^Detroit StarsKansas City Monarchs^^Louisville Black Caps*Memphis Red Sox^^Nashville Elite Giants*St. Louis Stars
1931: Last NNL season The Cuban Stars folded. The Birmingham Black Barons, Memphis Red Sox, and Nashville Elite Giants departed the NNL and joined the NSL. The Kansas City Monarchs departed the NNL as an independent team (though remains loosely associated with the league). The Cleveland Cubs and a new Indianapolis ABCs joined the NNL. The Chicago American Giants became the Chicago Columbia Giants. The Louisville Black Caps became the Louisville White Sox. The NNL disbanded mid-season; although, teams continued to play each other as independent teams.
First season in NNL * Team folded after this season ^ + 1931 Negro major league teamsNNLChicago Columbia GiantsCleveland CubsDetroit Stars^Indianapolis ABCs*Louisville White SoxSt. Louis Stars^
1932: Negro Southern League's (NSL) only major league season and East–West League's (EWL) only season The Detroit Stars and St. Louis Stars folded. The Cleveland Cubs moved back to Nashville, Tennessee and became the Nashville Elite Giants again. The EWL was established with eight teams. Three of those teams, the Baltimore Black Sox, Hilldale Club, and Homestead Grays were from the ANL. The NSL was considered a major league for the season with 10 teams. Five of those teams, the Birmingham Black Barons, Chicago Columbia Giants, Indianapolis ABCs, Memphis Red Sox, and Nashville Elite Giants were from the NNL. The Chicago Columbia Giants became the Chicago American Giants again. The Newark Browns departed mid-season as an independent team. The Columbus Turf Club joined in July. The Louisville Black Caps folded in August.
Team rejoined from ANL or NNL ** Only season in NSL or EWL § Only season in NSL, joined/left mid-season §§ Team folded after this season ^ Team departed after this season ^^ + 1932 Negro major league teamsNSLEWLAtlanta Black Crackers^^Baltimore Black Sox**Birmingham Black Barons^^Cleveland Stars§Chicago American Giants**Detroit Wolves§Columbus Turf Club§§Hilldale Club^Indianapolis ABCs**Homestead Grays^^Little Rock Grays§Newark Browns§Louisville Black Caps§§Pollock's Cuban Stars§Memphis Red Sox^^Washington Pilots§Monroe Monarchs§ Montgomery Grey Sox§Nashville Elite Giants**
1933: Establishment of the second NNL The Little Rock Grays and Columbus Turf Club folded. The Atlanta Black Crackers and Birmingham Black Barons withdrew as independent teams. The NSL was demoted to minor league status. The Cleveland Stars, Detroit Wolves, Hilldale Club, and Newark Browns folded. Pollock's Cuban Stars and the Washington Pilots withdrew as independent teams. The Baltimore Black Sox became the Baltimore Sox. The EWL disbanded. The second NNL was established with 7 teams. Five of those teams, the Baltimore Sox, Chicago American Giants, Homestead Grays, Indianapolis ABCs, and Nashville Elite Giants were from the NSL or EWL. The Pittsburgh Crawfords joined the NNL. The Indianapolis ABCs moved mid-season to Detroit, Michigan and became the Detroit Stars. The Columbus Blue Birds joined the NNL. The team disbanded and merged with the independent Akron Black Tyrites after the first half of the split season. The Akron Black Tyrites joined the NNL in place of the Columbus Blue Birds as the Akron Grays before they moved to Cleveland, Ohio and became the Cleveland Giants for one game.
First season in NNL * Team moved from former EWL or NSL ** Only season in NNL, folded mid-season § Only season in NNL, joined mid-season §§ Team folded after this season ^ Team departed after this season ^^ + 1933 Negro major league teamsNNLAkron Grays/Cleveland Giants§§^Baltimore Sox**Chicago American Giants**Columbus Blue Birds§Homestead Grays^^Indianapolis ABCs/Detroit Stars^Nashville Elite Giants**Pittsburgh Crawfords*
1934 The Cleveland Giants and Detroit Stars folded. The Homestead Grays withdrew as an independent team. The Cleveland Red Sox, Newark Dodgers, Philadelphia Bacharach Giants, and Philadelphia Stars joined the NNL. The Baltimore Sox became the Baltimore Black Sox again.