Negro American League


The Negro American League was one of the several Negro leagues created during the time organized American baseball was segregated. The league was established in 1937, and disbanded after its 1962 season.

Negro American League franchises

Major league prior to 1950; minor league after 1950.

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bar:CHI # Chicago American Giants
bar:KCM # Kansas City Monarchs
bar:MEM # Memphis Red Sox
bar:BIR # Birmingham Black Barons
bar:CIN # Cincinnati Tigers
bar:DET # Detroit Stars
bar:INA # Indianapolis Athletics
bar:STL # St. Louis Stars
bar:ATL # Atlanta Black Crackers / Indianapolis ABCs
bar:NOS # Indianapolis ABCs / St. Louis Stars / New Orleans–St. Louis Stars
bar:JAC # Jacksonville Red Caps / Cleveland Bears
bar:CRA # Toledo Crawfords / Indianapolis Crawfords
bar:BUC # Cincinnati-Cleveland Buckeyes / Cleveland Buckeyes
bar:CLO # Cincinnati Clowns / Cincinnati–Indianapolis Clowns / Indianapolis Clowns
bar:BAL # Baltimore Elite Giants
bar:NYC # New York Cubans
bar:PHI # Philadelphia Stars
bar:HNO # Houston Eagles / New Orleans Eagles
bar:DNO # Detroit Stars / Detroit Clowns / Detroit Stars / Detroit-New Orleans Stars
bar:LOU # Louisville Clippers
bar:NOC # New Orleans Crescent Stars
bar:MOB # Mobile Havana Cuban Giants
bar:NEW # Newark Indians
bar:RAL # Raleigh Tigers
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  1. Note on dates: A team's bar begins with the season that team played its first game, and ends with the season after that team played its last game. For example, the Indianapolis ABCs played their first game in 1938 and played their last game in 1939. Therefore, their bar goes from 1938 to 1940.
bar:CHI from:1937 till:1953 color:sand text:"Chicago American Giants" $RightIn
bar:KCM from:1937 till:1963 color:orange text:"Kansas City Monarchs" $RightIn
bar:MEM from:1937 till:1960 color:iceblue text:"Memphis Red Sox" $RightIn
bar:BIR from:1937 till:1939 color:yellow text:" " $Right
bar:BIR from:1940 till:1963 color:yellow text:"Birmingham Black Barons" $RightIn
bar:CIN from:1937 till:1938 color:brown text:"Cincinnati Tigers" $Right
bar:DET from:1937 till:1938 color:teal2 text:"Detroit Stars " $Right
bar:INA from:1937 till:1938 color:darkred text:"Indianapolis Athletics" $Right
bar:STL from:1937 till:1938 color:navy text:"St. Louis Stars " $Right
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bar:CLO from:1946 till:1955 color:brightgreen text:"Indianapolis Clowns" $RightIn
bar:BAL from:1949 till:1952 color:yellow2 text:"Baltimore Elite Giants"
bar:NYC from:1949 till:1951 color:purple text:"New York Cubans"
bar:PHI from:1949 till:1953 color:redorange text:"Philadelphia Stars"
bar:HNO from:1949 till:1951 color:lightorange text:"Houston Eagles" $RightMargin
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bar:LOU from:1954 till:1955 color:claret text:"Louisville Clippers"
bar:NOC from:1957 till:1958 color:lightpurple text:"New Orleans Crescent Stars"
bar:MOB from:1957 till:1958 color:limegreen text:"Mobile Havana Cuban Giants"
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Pennant winners

From 1939 through 1942 and 1944 through 1947, the team in first place at the end of the season was declared the Pennant winner. Due to the unorthodox nature of the schedule, some teams frequently played many more games than others did in any given season. This led to some disputed championships and two teams claiming the title. Generally, the team with the best winning percentage was awarded the Pennant, but other times it was the team with the most victories. The "games behind" method of recording standings was uncommon in most black leagues.
† – Pennant was decided via a split-season schedule with the winner of the first half of the season playing the winner of the second half of the season.
‡ – Pennant winner went on to play in the Negro World Series.

Post-integration champions

† – Pennant was decided via a split-season schedule with the winner of the first half of the season playing the winner of the second half of the season.

League play-offs

From 1937 through 1938, and again in 1943 and 1948, the NAL split the season into two halves. The winner of the first half played the winner of the second half for the league Pennant. As mentioned above, disputes also occurred in the split season finishes.
For the duration of the league, a Negro World Series took place seven times, from 1942 through 1948. The NAL Pennant winner met the champion of the rival Negro National League. Five out of the seven years, the Negro American League team succumbed.