Sunday, August 12, 2018 Last Update: 6:47 PM ET
Nashville, TN
"A Brief History of the Nashville Standard Giants Baseball Association. - Nashville, Tennessee - Ten years ago, when baseball was emerging from the field of darkness into the dim light of athletic fame, the present Standard Giants baseball team sprang into existence. At that, their baseball uniforms consisted of different colors, every man wearing a different suit and stockings. Suddenly athletic fame took a rise in the minds of the people of Nashville, and under the leadership of Mr. John W. White and other distinguished colored gentlemen, took possession of the famous Standard Giants baseball team. Inch by inch these people fought their way through obstacles. They were of the type of men that put heart, soul, zeal and inspiration into their work and made it the pride of their lives. Enthusiasm was another important factor in the rise and progress of the Standard Giants. To be enthusiastic colored gentlemen forgot these obstacles and difficulties behind them, but they reached forth unto the successful things before them. Every great and commanding movement in the annals of the world is the triumph of enthusiasm, and the Standard Giants plugged along. So, marvel not, when I tell you that baseball among the negroes of Nashville has worked up to such a pitch that you may easily see from 1,000 to 3,000 people attend a game. Today, we have at the head of the Nashville Standard Giants four distinguished gentlemen who are hard, energetic workers and able to overcome all obstacles that may confront them in this line of work. In person, I refer to Messrs J. W. White, Lee Grooms, C.F. Stringer and J.A. Newton. They are the type of men that will promote this branch of athletics and place baseball on a higher pinnacle before the negroes of America. Like all other business starting in life, they had to crawl before they could walk. The road was difficult and taxing at first to the Standard Giants. But what cared they about difficulties? They had longed to leave a record in the south in baseball that would make for themselves a monument that would reach the sky. The Standard Giants have had a very successful season this year and still have a few more games to play away from home. They leave on Wednesday, September 9, on a trip west for five games at Jackson and Memphis, and return home and end the season with six games. The Standard Giants are looking forward to the season of 1915, as they have some great things in store for the baseball fans. To the chief executive holding office in the Nashville Standard Giants Association, may your future years be pleasant, profitable and entertaining. J. Arthur Newton."