1912 Kansas City Royal Giants

A Calendar, Including Newspaper Clippings, of the 1912 Kansas City Royal Giants

1912 Kansas City Royal Giants

Stories are placed in order of the date they appeared.

February 3, 1912

Kansas City, MO
"Negro League Must be Formed. - Kansas City, Missouri - To the owners and promoters of baseball teams in Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Louisville, French Lick Springs and Kansas City. After corresponding with some of the Negro managers in the above named cities I have decided to take the initiative in forming a Negro League. My plan is to send out a representative man well known throughout the country to the above named cities to confer with the promoters or men who are willing to promote and finance a baseball club and take out a finance a baseball club and take out a franchise in the proposed league. After the favorite cities have been visited and reponsible men have been found to represent each city, a meeting will be called to elect officers and arrange a schedule. Each club will be required to put up $250 dollars good faith money before a franchise will be issued. A six club league is considered more favorable for th first season, with possibly two clubs in Chicago. Now, promoters and managers, get busy and let me hear from you within the next few days if you want to see a Negro League. By so doing the organizer will know just who to call upon when arriving in your business and can put up the required amount for franchise when the league is formed. Yours for 1912 Negro League, Fortune J. Weaver, President and General Manager Afro-American Investment Co., Owner, Kansas City Royal Giants."

March 1, 1912

Kansas City, MO
"Kansas City Royal Giants and Kansas City, Kansas Giants Have Consolidated - At last the baseball war in Kansas City has come to a happy ending. Manager G.W. Walden of the Kansas City Royal Giants and Jack Johnson of the Kansas City, Kansas Giants have at last got together and ... Kansas City the strongest baseball team she has ever had. The last ... has been selected from both teams and as can be seen from the line up, Kansas City is going to be a tough contender for first place in Negro baseball. The team is being backed by some of the leading business Negroes of Kansas City, who will use their influence to see that all games are handled on a high of business bests and that they will be worthy of attendance by our very best citizens. The lineup is as follows... Bingo DeMoss, Norman, Ashes Jackson, Bobert Boone, Lynch, McNair, George Russell, Rube Washington, Jack Johnson, Manager and Captain, Canney Robinson, utility mangers, wishing game sgot busy. Headquarters 1003 McGee street, Home grounds, Shelley Park, Mr. P. W. Weaver, booking agent, will be glad to hear from all teams wishing games in Kansas City."

March 16, 1912

Kansas City, MO
"Kansas City Royal Giants and Kansas City, Kansas Giants Have Consolidated. - At last war in Kansas City has come to a happy ending. Manager G.W. Waledn, of the Kansas City Royal Giants, and Jack Johnson, of the Kansas City, Kansas Giants, have at last got together and will give Kansas City the strongest baseball team she has ever had. The best material has been selected from both teams, and, as can be seen from the lineup, Kansas City is going to be a strong contender for first place in Negro baseball. The team is being backed by some of the leading business Negroes of Kansas City, who will use their influence to see that all games are handled on a high-class business basis and that they will be worthy of attendance by our very best citizens. The lineup is as follows: First base, B. Turner; second base, Bingo DeMoss; third base, Jim Norman; shortstop, Ashes Jackson; left field, Tom Sterman; center field, Robert Boone; right field, Jim Lynch; catchers, Tenny and S. Davis; pitchers, Hurley McNair, Bad Eye (George Johnson) and Rube Washington; Jack Johnson, manager and captain; Ginney Robinson, utility. Managers wishing games get busy. Headquarters 1005 McGee street. Home grounds, Shelley Park. Mr. J.F. Weaver, booking agent, will be glad to hear from all teams wishing games in Kansas City."

June 2, 1912

Kansas City, MO
"Trouble in Baseball Circles. - Manager of Cleveland Syndicates Utters Complaint Against Kansas City Giants - Case May be Settled in Court. - Kansas City, Missouri - J.C. Morgan, manager of E.E. Shaw's Syndicate Baseball Club of Cleveland, Ohio has registered a complaint against the Kansas City Royal Giants Baseball Club, wherein, on Thursday, March 8, 1912, the contract was drawn up that on June, 2, 3, 4, 5, the Syndicate Baseball Club was to appear in Kansas City for a guarantee of $175 and the further sum of 40 per cent, of admissions. Morgan reported in Kansas City Wednesday, May 29, in due time to fulfill his agreement, when he had his men to appear at Shelly Park at the hour stated on the contract. On Sunday and Monday the Royals played, and then refused to finish to play the remaining two games, but Morgan's men reported at the usual time to play, with the men in uniform, and claimed the game 9 to 0, filling his promise. And now the head officials of the Royals have refused to come to any settlement with the visiting club, and unless the matter is settled the manager of the Cleveland club will be forced to seek justice in the courts. The contracts were signed by the Cleveland officers, E.E. Shaw, president and owner, J.C. Morgan, manager, by Kansas City officers G.W. Wanden, manager, B.R. Graham, secretary. All teams coming to Kansas City bware of G.W. Walden. Get your signatures from Weaver or H.R. Graham if you want fair play, as I believe the last two named are gentlemen so far as I know. - J.C. Morgan, Cleveland Syndicates.

July 27, 1912

Omaha, NE
"Kansas City Royal Giants Play Storz Triumphs at Omaha - Manager Bradford of the Storz Triumphs has closed a contract with the Kansas City Royal Giants, World's Champion colored team, their claim to the championship being based on their having defeated all the high-class colored teams, including the Leland Giants of Chicago, Pensacola Giants of Pensacola, Florida, and Syndicates of Cleveland. The Nebraska Indians were also victims of the mighty colored aggregation, and the French Lick Plutos of French Lick, Indiana, fell before the wily Washington, their star slabman. Being a special attraction, arrangements have been made to play a series of three games, one Saturday, July 27, and a double header Sunday, July 28, it being the desire of the management to give all an opportunity to witness this clever team in action."

Omaha, NE
"The Kansas City Royal Giants, who are booked to play the Storz Triumphs Saturday and Sunday, July 27 and 28, at Rourke Park, boast of having the greatest pitching staff of any team outside of organized baseball. In Washington, Boone, McNair and Johnson, Manager Jack Johnson (not Lil Artha), has a quartet of slabmen who rank with any in the minor leagues, but who, on account of their color, are barred from entering the professional ranks. Ashes, the clever little shortstop, has the reputation of being the star performer, some of his stops bordering on the marvellous. In addition to being a great ball player, Ashes delights in keeping up a run of talk that makes a hit with the fans, and never fails to take advantage of the opportunities offered while on the coaching lines to bring out some of his funny remarks. The Storz will find this gang a starchy proposition."

Omaha, NE
"K.C. Giants Lose to Storz - Colored Men Victims on Scene of Another of Modern Triumphs - Final Score Five to One. - Ashes Johnson on Coaching Line Provokes Laughter - Heavy Weight Outfielder Shows he is Some Sprinter. - The Kansas City Royal Giants, hailed as a wonderful aggregation of colored ball-tossers, met defeat at the hands of the Storz Triumphs, in the first of a three-game series at Rourke Park by a 5 to 2 score yesterday afternoon. Plenty of fun and excitement rewarded the large crowd that gathered in Pa Rourke's huge grandstand. They fairly enjoyed the antics of Ashes Johnson on the coaching line; the excellent work of Tubby Sterman, the 260 pound outfielder, the heaviest in captivity, and the outfield stunts of Gawge Johnson. The dusky lads looked good, but simply could not get a start on the local lads. The brewers clearly outplayed their opponents. Both twirlers were in good form, but Probst's mates had the good fortune to secure their safeties at opportune times. The heat was too much for the darky slabster in the fifth, and the home guards grapped the opportunity a pass, a sacrifice, and hits by Durkee and Drummy practically sewed up the contest. - Nearly a Shutout. - Buster Probst had the colored folks all but shut out, when Harper butted in with a triple in the eighth and scored on an out. On three occasions the Giants had men on the far station, but the little twirler was too much for them, and they were unable to count. Smokeup Graham started the fireworks in the first by racing ahead of a well-placed bunt. Durkee moved him up a notch with a sacrifice. Douglas was too eager for Drummy's bounder and fumbled. H. John Welch's safe clout over first tallied Graham. Daugherty whiffed. Things wend along smoothly until the fifth frame. Graham walked with one down, and stole second. Durkee beat out an infield hit. George and Speed essayed a double steal. Jackson dropped Davis' relay and Graham scored. Drummy tripled, sending Durkee home. The heavyweight in left field caught Dougherty's near Texas leaguer after a hard chase, and ended the round. The colored men stirred up a little noise in their half of the fifth, when with two down, Ashes Johnson hit for three bases. Turner was an easy out. The Giants scored their lone run after which the brewers scored another for good measure. This afternoon the Giants will meet the Storz in a double bill. Manager John Johnson, who was formerly one of the champion's sparring partners and who looks the part, says he is out for revenge and will use his side-wheeler in one of the games."

July 28, 1912

Omaha, NE
"Kansas City Royal Giants Play Storz Triumphs at Omaha - Manager Bradford of the Storz Triumphs has closed a contract with the Kansas City Royal Giants, World's Champion colored team, their claim to the championship being based on their having defeated all the high-class colored teams, including the Leland Giants of Chicago, Pensacola Giants of Pensacola, Florida, and Syndicates of Cleveland. The Nebraska Indians were also victims of the mighty colored aggregation, and the French Lick Plutos of French Lick, Indiana, fell before the wily Washington, their star slabman. Being a special attraction, arrangements have been made to play a series of three games, one Saturday, July 27, and a double header Sunday, July 28, it being the desire of the management to give all an opportunity to witness this clever team in action."