1913 Cuban Giants

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• 1913 All Nations
• 1913 Leland Giants
• 1913 West Baden Sprudels
• 1913 Cuban Stars of Havana
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• 1913 Chicago Giants
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• 1913 Hilldale Club
• 1913 Philadelphia Giants
• 1913 Cuban Giants

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  Jesse Bragg
  Champ Cooper
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  Gunboat Thompson

1913 Cuban Giants

Stories are placed in order of the date they appeared.

January 31, 1913

Washington, DC
"After Local Players. - Cuban Giants Tender Three Boys Contracts for 1913 Season. - The famous Cuban Giants, of New York City, have forwarded contracts in the care of Tom Johnson, who, in 1911, was one of their mainstays on the slab, to the following local colored ball players, for the coming season: Ed Brown, pitcher; Danny Despert, outfielder, and Herbert Cooper, first baseman. All three players were made flattering offers as to salary."

April 20?, 1913

Brooklyn, NY
"Acosta and Calvo, accompanied by Sporting Editor Conte, hiked to Ridgewood, somewher in the wilds of Brooklyn, to be on hand at the battle between the Lincoln Giants and Cuban Stars. Polo Grounds and Polo Grounds crowds have evidently spoiled the dusky skinned athletes for a bush league park like Ridgewood, and they only stayed a few innings."

August 30, 1913

Washington, DC
"Giants v Giants. - Two Fast Independent Teams to Meet This Sunday. - The Washington Giants will probably cross bats with the well-known Cuban Giants, of Philadelphia, at Vigilant Park next Sunday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock sharp. If Manager Oliveri does not succeed in booking the Bloomer Girls or Chinese team, they will play the winners of the above game at 3:30 o'clock."

September 28, 1913

Washington, DC
"Local Giants to Clash With Cubans - Washington Club to Cross Bats with Southern Nine at Vigilant Park Sunday and Monday. - The crack Washington Giants will hook up in a double-header with the Cuban Giants on both Sunday and Monday, September 28 and 29, at Vigilant Park, the first game starting at 1:30 p.m. The Cuban Giants have been touring the Eastern section of the country, where they have cleaned up for every club they have met this season, and are now on their way back to the island republic, where most of the players are signed with clubs in the Cuban Baseball League. In the line-up of the visitors will be found four local boys, who are now considered the mainstay of the aggregation. Ham and Tom Johnson, the battery which caused such a sensation with the local Giants last season, are two of the boys with this club, and are slated to work in the nightcap Sunday afternoon."

Washington, DC
"McClellan to Pitch. - Will Work for Washington Giants at Vigilant Park. - Danny McClellan, the only colored ball player who ever pitched against Walter Johnson, will be in the box for the Washington Giants Sunday at Vigilant Park, when the Gaints hook up in a double-header with the world's famous Cuban Giants. McClellan pitched for a colored semi-pro team in New York several years ago when Johnsona nd Street, then the Nationals' winning battery, worked for a Gotham semi-pro outfit. Johnson won the ball game, 5 to 3. The Cuban Giants will have several local boys in their line-up, including Tom Johnson, Ham, Danny Despert, and Cooper. The first game Sunday will start at 1:30 o'clock. Monday the same teams will meet again in a double-header."

Washington, DC
"Stars to Play. - Former Local Crack in Cuban Giants' Line-Up. - Many former sand-lot stars of the District will be seen in the lineup of the Cuban Giants, who meet the Washington Giants at Vigilant Park Sunday and Monday in double-headers. Tom Johnson, Cooper, Ham, and Danny Despert will play with the visiting aggregation. The game will start promptly at 1:30 o'clock, and record breaking crowds are expected out. Manager Hays Jones, of the Washington Giants, announced the other day that Danny McClellan would pitch the first game Sunday for the Washington stars."

Washington, DC
"Cuban Giants to Meet Local Club - Washington Giants Battle Southerners in Double Bill at Vigilant Park Today. - The world's famous Cuban Giants will meet the Washington Giants at Vigilant Park, Fifteenth and H Streets Northeast at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon in the first game of a double-header. Manager Hays Jones, of the local Giants, will pitch Danny McClellan against the Cuban Giants. McClellan pitched a game against Walter Johnson several years ago in New York, losing 5 to 3. Johnson and Street worked as the battery for an All-Star semi-pro team against the Weldron Giants. The teams will hook up in another double-header tomorrow. The Cuban Giants have some of the former stars of the local sand lots, including Tom Johnson, Danny Despert, Cooper, and Ham. The gates will open at 13:30 o'clock."

June 2, 1913

Barre, VT
"Wild Pitching Their Undoing - Barre Athletics Were Defeated 2 to 0 by the Cuban Giants - Gay wasn't Hit Hard; didn't locate plate - There Were Some Pretty Features of the Game at Intercity Park - Wildness on the part of pitcher Gay at critical stages of the game, aided somewhat by faulty fielding, was the cause of the downfall of the Barre Athletics at Intercity Park yesterday afternoon to the Cuban Giants, a roving band of colored baseball players reputed to be the strongest colored aggregation playing the game in America today. To assure themselves of the victory, the Giants smeared the local club with a coat of calcimine, taking the game by a score of 2 to 0. Owing to the heavy schedule for the week, the Barre management sent Gay, the Randolph lad, to the breastworks in order that Davidson might be in fine fettle for Wednesday afternoon. Gay's wildness can be summed up in small snow storm of seven free passes and hitting two men with pitched balls and two wild heaves. One of these heaves occured with a man on third base, who scored on the misdirected pitch. The portsider detailed from Burlington continually kept himself in tight pinches and it was only through brilliant support in these crises that he was able to pull out with the score as it finally stood. On three occasions the local fielders uncovered snappy and fast double plays that relieved them of dangerous holes. Opposed to Gay was Thompson, a thick-set person, who had a fine assortment of curves, augmented by speed. He was unfathomable when hits meant runs. Once with a man on second base and none out, he pitched himself out of the hole, and, holding the runner on second base, retired the side; and he did likewise another time with but one out. Three brilliant double plays by the locals and the all-around playing of Charlie Hoernle, catcher for the Athletics, featured the game. Hoernle was the life behind the Athletics and his strong right arm nipped every colored base runner who dared to explore the base paths. At the bat he was the headliner of the day, knocking out a double and a single out of three trips to the plate. In the third session the Athletics executed a clever double play that brought the grandstands to their feet. With Meade on third base and Cooper on first, the latter essayed to purloin the middle hassock. A sharp throw by Hoernle nailed Cooper standing up and a quick return by Nute nipped Meade at the plate, trying to score on the play. Another double play that brought forth much applause came in the fifth inning, staving off possible scores. Thompson had reached third base, with a man on second, when Cooper slammed a long hit into center field. Brown caught the ball and threw the pellet to home plate. Hoernle caught the runner, attempting to score, several feet off the plate. In the second inning the Giants tallied for the first time. Malette, the little second sacker, had been passed and made second base when Gay tried to catch him off first, the throw going high over Fowlie's head. He made third base on a wild heave. E. Brown hit a high fly along right field line, with Peduzzi muffed, enabling Malette to count. The other run was negotiated in the sixth inning. Malette was safe when Stuart muffed Fowlie's assist at first base. Despert hit to right field, moving Malette along a peg. Both runners advanced a base when E. Brown laid down a pretty sacrifice and a wild pitch into the grandstand by Gay permitted Malette to promenade in from third base."

June 3, 1913

Burlington, VT
"The Cuban Giants, who are reputed to be the best organization of colored ball players in the country, returned last night from Burlington, where they met defeat at the hands of the Tenth Cavalry team by a score of 7 to 5."

June 4, 1913

Barre, VT
"Baseball - Wednesday, June 4 - Barre Athletic Club vs Cuban Giants - Best Colored Team playing today. - Game called at 4.15 - Admission 25 cents to all - Don't forget the place - Inter-City Park."

"The Cuban Giants - B.A.C. game at Intercity Park on Wednesday afternoon will start at 4:30. This will give the people of Barre a chance to make car connections. Be sure to turn out. One of the best game of the season guaranteed. - Don't fail to grasp the final opportunity to see the best aggregation of colored ball players in the country, the Cuban Giants, when they battle with the Barre Athletics at Intercity park on Wednesday afternoon. Tommy Davidson will be on the mound at the Cuban Giants - Barre Athletic Club game, Intercity Park, Wednesday afternoon and will endeavor to trim the Giants. Green, one of the best colored pitchers in the game today, will probably be pitted against Davidson."

June 6, 1913

Hardwick, VT
"On Friday they (Cuban Giants) go to Hardwick to play the Hardwick town team."

Hardwick, VT
"Two automobile parties, consisting of Alderman Fred W. Bancroft, Joseph E. Weafer, A.A. Lamorey, Louis Quimby, Robert M. Murphy, Jack Davidson, James Hayes and Al. H. Gerhardt left shortly after noon today for Hardwick to witness the baseball game between Hardwick and the Cuban Giants, against whom the B. A. C. will be pitted again tomorow. Messrs. Weafer and Davidson will appear in the Hardwick lineup, the former doing the twirling for the home team."

June 7, 1913

Barre, VT
"Baseball - Saturday, June 7 - Barre A.C. vs Cuban Giants - Best colored team playing today. - Game called at 3:00 Admission 25 cents to all - Don't forget the place Inter-City Park."

"The B.A.C. are making arrangements to have one of the best pitchers in this section of the country on the mound Saturday in the last game against the Cuban Giants. Barre will try to retrieve itself for the two defeats this week. All turn out and lend a hand. The last opportunityto see the Cuban Giants in this section will be on Saturday at Intercity park. Game stars at 3 o'clock. The Cubans will use their best battery."

Barre, VT
"Either Eckstom or Willard of Dartmouth will do the twirling for Barre this afternoon against the Cuban Giants at Intercity Park. These pitchers are two of the best that ever donned a Dartmouth uniform."

Barre, VT
"Third Game for Giants - Barre A.C. Played Listlessly in the Field and Lost, 7 to 5 - Hoernle's Home Run Was One Feature - Another Was Star Catch by Peduzzi in Deep Field - The Cuban Giants celebrated their last day in Barre by scoring their third victory over the Barre Athletic Club at Intercity Park on Saturday afternoon. The score was 7 to 5. The Barre club's indifferent playing was responsible for the defeat. Their work in the field was of a sluggish nature and with the bat they failed to hit the ball at opportune moments. A home run over center field fence by Hoernle featured the batting end of the game. In the field, a catch by Peduzzi was the most conspicuous work of the day. The catch was a running one-handed catch near the end of the center field fence. Peduzzi pulled it out of the air while going at full speed."

June 8, 1913

Buffalo, NY
"The Cuban Giants baseball team, conducted under the management of the veteran baseball manager, John M. Bright, left Saturday night for Buffalo, New York, after making an extended trip during the past week through the northern part of Vermont."