Major League Baseball’s announcement earlier this week that it is reclassifying the Negro Leagues from 1920 through 1948 as major gives us hope that as many as two dozen no-hitters will be added to the current list of 305.
Our list shows 23 Negro Leagues no-hitters between 1920 through 1948, with 21 tossed during the regular season, one thrown in postseason play and another notched in an All-Star Game. But whether all these no-hitters make the official Elias record books is not yet known.
The official MLB announcement now recognizes the following circuits as “major”: The first Negro National League (1920-1931), the Eastern Colored League (1923-1928), the American Negro League (1929), the East-West League (1932), the Negro Southern League (only for the 1932 season), the second incarnation of the Negro National League (1933-1948) and the Negro American League (1937-1948).
But not all of the no-hitters on this list fall neatly into those categories. For instance, Satchel Paige has two on this list from when he pitched for the Pittsburgh Crawfords, but for the first one both the Crawfords and the opposing New York Black Yankees were independent teams. And for his second no-hitter, which would tie the MLB record for most strikeouts in a no-no with 17, the Crawfords were members of the NNL II but the Homestead Grays remained independent. It would be a shame if we failed to give at least one spot on the MLB list to Paige.
Here are the 23 Negro Leagues no-hitters (of at least nine innings):
| “Big” Bill Gatewood | |
|---|---|
| Detroit Stars (NNL) | |
| Monday, June 6, 1921 Detroit Stars 4, Cincinnati Cuban Stars 0 Mack Park (Detroit) (First Negro National League no-hitter; Gatewood’s second of two no-hitters on this list) |
Both the Detroit Stars and the Cincinnati Cuban Stars were members of the Negro National League during its inaugural 1920 season, so with MLB now recognizing that league as “major,” this game should certainly be given a spot on the no-hitter list.
| Phil Cockrell | |
|---|---|
| Hilldale (NNL associate club) | |
| Monday, September 5, 1921 (second game of doubleheader) Hilldale 3, Detroit Stars 0 Hilldale Park (Darby, Pennsylvania) (Cockrell’s first of two no-hitters on this list) |
Hilldale (based in Darby, Pennsylvania) was affiliated with the Negro National League as an associate club in 1921 and the Detroit Stars franchise was a full-fledged member of the NNL, so my assumption is that this game will be given a spot.
| William Force | |
|---|---|
| Detroit Stars (NNL) | |
| Tuesday, June 27, 1922 Detroit Stars 3, St. Louis Giants 0 Mack Park (Detroit) |
Both the Detroit Stars and the St. Louis Giants were members of the Negro National League in 1922, so this game should be deemed an official MLB no-no.
| Jesse “Nip” Winters | |
|---|---|
| Atlantic City Bacharach Giants (NNL associate club) | |
| Wednesday, July 26, 1922 Atlantic City Bacharach Giants 7, Indianapolis ABCs 1 Athletic Park (Kokomo, Indiana) (Winters’ first of two no-hitters on this list) |
The Atlantic City Bacharach Giants were affiliated with the Negro National League as an associate club in 1922 and the Indianapolis ABCs franchise was a full-fledged member of the NNL, so my assumption is that this game will be given a spot.
| Phil Cockrell | |
|---|---|
| Hilldale (NNL associate club) | |
| Saturday, August 19, 1922 Hilldale 5, Chicago American Giants 0 Schorling Park (Chicago) (Cockrell’s second of two no-hitters on this list) |
Hilldale was affiliated with the Negro National League as an associate club in 1922 and the Chicago American Giants franchise was a full-fledged member of the NNL, so my assumption is that this game will be given a spot.
| Franklin “Doc” Sykes | |
|---|---|
| Baltimore Black Sox (Independent vs. NNL associate) | |
| Saturday, September 11, 1922 (first game of doubleheader) Baltimore Black Sox 2, Atlantic City Bacharach Giants 0 Maryland Baseball Park (Baltimore) (Sykes would have had a perfecto if not for two errors) |
The Baltimore Black Sox were an independent ball club in 1922 and the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants were affiliated with the Negro National League as an associate club, so the inclusion of this game will depend on whether statisticians view this contest as a true NNL game.
| José Méndez (5 inn.) Wilbur “Bullet” Rogan (4 inn.) |
|
|---|---|
| Kansas City Monarchs (NNL) | |
| Sunday, August 5, 1923 (second game of doubleheader) Kansas City Monarchs 7, Milwaukee Bears 0 Muehlebach Field (Kansas City) (Méndez pitched 5 perfect innings; Rogan allowed one base runner) |
Both the Kansas City Monarchs and the Milwaukee Bears were members of the Negro National League in 1923 so this game will surely earn a spot.
| Jesse “Nip” Winters | |
|---|---|
| Hilldale (ECL) | |
| Wednesday, September 3, 1924 (first game of doubleheader) Hilldale 2, Harrisburg Giants 0 West End Grounds (Harrisburg) (First Eastern Colored League no-hitter; Winters’s second of two no-hitters on this list) |
Both Hilldale and the Harrisburg Giants were members of the Eastern Colored League in 1924, so with MLB recognizing the ECL as “major,” this game will surely earn a spot.
| Andy “Lefty” Cooper | |
|---|---|
| Detroit Stars (NNL) | |
| Sunday, June 28, 1925 (second game of doubleheader) Detroit Stars 1, Indianapolis ABCs 0 Washington Park (Indianapolis) |
Both the Detroit Stars and Indianapolis ABCs were members of the Negro National League in 1925 so this game will surely earn a spot.
| Rube Curry | |
|---|---|
| Chicago American Giants (NNL) | |
| Tuesday, July 13, 1926 (second game of doubleheader) Chicago American Giants 16, Dayton Marcos 0 Schloring Park (Chicago) (The Dayton Marcos withdrew from the Negro National League six days after this blowout loss) |
Both the Chicago American Giants and the Dayton Marcos were members of the Negro National League in 1926 so this game will should earn a spot.
| Claude “Red” Grier | |
|---|---|
| Atlantic City Bacharach Giants (ECL team vs. NNL team in World Series game) | |
| Sunday, October 3, 1926 Atlantic City Bacharach Giants 10, Chicago American Giants 0 Maryland Baseball Park (Baltimore) (Game 3 of 1926 Colored World Series) |
The Atlantic City Bacharach Giants were the 1926 champions of the Eastern Colored League and the 1926 Chicago American Giants were champions of the Negro National League, so with both those leagues recognized as “major,” this game will take the crown from the 1956 New York Yankees as the first no-hitter in major-league history. Of course, Don Larsen will continue to hold the record for the first perfect game in World Series history.
| Laymon Yokely | |
|---|---|
| Baltimore Black Sox (ECL) | |
| Sunday, May 15, 1927 (second game of doubleheader) Baltimore Black Sox 8, Cuban Stars 0 Maryland Baseball Park (Baltimore) |
Both the Baltimore Black Sox and Cuban Stars clubs were members of the Eastern Colored League in 1927, so this no-hitter should make the MLB list.
| “Wee” Willie Powell | |
|---|---|
| Chicago American Giants (NNL) | |
| Sunday, August 14, 1927 Chicago American Giants 3, Memphis Red Sox 0 Schorling Park (Chicago) |
Both the Chicago American Giants and the Memphis Red Sox were members of the Negro National League in 1927, so this game should be added to the MLB no-no list.
| Alfred “Army” Cooper (7⅓ inn.) Chet Brewer (1⅔ inn.) |
|
|---|---|
| Kansas City Monarchs (NNL) | |
| Saturday, June 29, 1929 Kansas City Monarchs 4, Chicago American Giants 0 Schorling Park (Chicago) (Cooper was relieved with one out in the eighth after walking the bases loaded) |
Both the Kansas City Monarchs and the Chicago American Giants were members of the Negro National League in 1929, so this game should be added to the MLB no-no list.
| Paul Carter | |
|---|---|
| Hilldale (Independent) | |
| Monday, September 7, 1931 (second game of doubleheader) Hilldale 6, Baltimore Black Sox 0 Hilldale Park (Darby, Pennsylvania) |
Both Hilldale and the Baltimore Black Sox were independent clubs in 1931, so inclusion of this game will depend on whether the statisticians consider a contest between these two former Eastern Colored League clubs “major.”
| LeRoy “Satchel” Paige | |
|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Crawfords (Independent) | |
| Friday, July 8, 1932 (second game of doubleheader) Pittsburgh Crawfords 6, New York Black Yankees 0 Greenlee Field (Pittsburgh) (Paige struck out 11 batters; his first of two no-hitters on this list) |
Both the Pittsburgh Crawfords and the New York Black Yankees were independent clubs in 1932 and not part of the East-West League, which was recognized as “major” by MLB, so inclusion of this game will depend on whether the statisticians consider this contest a major matchup.
| LeRoy “Satchel” Paige | |
|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Crawfords (NNL II) | |
| Wednesday, July 4, 1934 Pittsburgh Crawfords 4, Homestead Grays 0 Greenlee Field (Pittsburgh) (Paige struck out 17 batters; his second of two no-hitters on this list) |
The Pittsburgh Crawfords joined the second incarnation of the Negro National League (now recognized by MLB as “major”) by the 1934 season, but the Homestead Grays continued operating as an independent club. That means that inclusion of this game will depend on whether this mixed circuit game can be classified as “major-league.” Let’s hope it’s included, as it would have Paige sharing the record for most strikeouts in a no-hitter — 17 — with Nolan Ryan (1973) and Max Scherzer (2015).
| John “Neck” Stanley | |
|---|---|
| New York Cubans (NNL II) | |
| Tuesday, June 9, 1936 New York Cubans 12, Newark Eagles 1 Delano-Hitch Recreation Park (Newburgh, New York) (Newark run scored in fourth on two walks and an error) |
Both the New York Cubans and Newark Eagles were members of the Negro National League in 1936, so this game should qualify for a post on the MLB list.
| Hilton Smith | |
|---|---|
| Kansas City Monarchs (NAL) | |
| Sunday, May 16, 1937 (first game of doubleheader) Kansas City Monarchs 4, Chicago American Giants 0 Muehlebach Field (Kansas City) (First Negro American League no-hitter) |
Both the Kansas City Monarchs and the Chicago American Giants were members of the Negro American League in 1937, so this game should qualify for a post on MLB’s no-no list.
| “Schoolboy” Johnny Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Negro All-Star Team | |
| Sunday, September 19, 1937 Negro All-Star Team 2, Satchel Paige’s Trujillo All-Stars 0 Polo Grounds (New York) (Benefit All-Star Game) |
It’s highly unlikely that this contest will be classified as an official major-league game, but it does give us our first All-Star Game no-hitter in major-league history!
| Gene Smith | |
|---|---|
| St. Louis/New Orleans Stars (NAL) | |
| Friday, June 27, 1941 St. Louis/New Orleans Stars 6, New York Black Yankees 1 Belleville Athletic Field (Belleville, Illinois) |
The St. Louis/New Orleans Stars were members of the Negro American League in 1941 and the New York Black Yankees were members of the Negro National League. so this interleague contest should qualify for a post on the MLB list.
| Leon Day | |
|---|---|
| Newark Eagles (NNL II) | |
| Sunday, May 5, 1946 Newark Eagles 2, Philadelphia Stars 0 Wilmington Park (Wilmington, Delaware) (An Opening Day no-hitter) |
Both the Newark Eagles and the Philadelphia Stars were members of the Negro National League in 1946, so this game should qualify for a post on the MLB list as the second Opening Day no-hitter in major-league history, giving Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians (1940) a little company.
| Albert Stephens (5 inn.) John “Neck” Stanley (4 inn.) |
|
|---|---|
| New York Black Yankees (NNL II) | |
| Tuesday, May 25, 1948 (Second game of doubleheader) New York Black Yankees 4, Newark Eagles 1 Red Wing Stadium (Rochester) |
Both the New York Black Yankees and the Newark Eagles were members of the Negro National League in 1948, so this game should qualify for a spot on the MLB no-no list.
Shortened no-hitters
There are also six shortened Negro Leagues no-hitters (less than nine innings) that should be considered for addition to the 37 MLB shortened no-nos detailed here but not eligible for the main no-no list:
| 1 | Charlie Henry |
|---|---|
| Hilldale (ECL) | |
| Tuesday, June 27, 1926 Hilldale 23, Newark Stars 1 (5 innings) Davids Stadium (Newark) |
|
| 2 | Luther Farrell |
| Atlantic City Bacharach Giants (ECL vs. NNL in World Series) | |
| Saturday, October 8, 1927 Atlantic City Bacharach Giants 3, Chicago American Giants 2 (7 innings, called due to darkness) Schorling Park (Chicago) (Game 5 of the 1927 Colored World Series) |
|
| 3 | Robert Poindexter |
| Birmingham Black Barons (NNL) | |
| Wednesday, June 27, 1928 Birmingham Black Barons 6, Chicago American Giants 0 (7 innings) Schorling Park (Chicago) |
|
| 4 | Barney Morris |
| Monroe Monarchs (NSL) | |
| Sunday, May 8, 1932 (second game of doubleheader) Monroe Monarchs 4, Cleveland Cubs 0 (7 innings) Casino Park (Monroe, Louisiana) (Note that 1932 was the only year that the Negro Southern League was considered a major league.) |
|
| 5 | Roy Partlow |
| Homestead Grays (NNL vs. NAL) | |
| Sunday, August 30, 1942 Homestead Grays 3, Chicago American Giants 0 (7 innings) Comiskey Park (Chicago) |
|
| 6 | Raymond Brown |
| Homestead Grays (NNL vs. NAL)< | |
| Sunday, August 12, 1945 (second game of doubleheader) Homestead Grays 7, Chicago American Giants 0 (7 innings) Griffith Stadium (Washington, D.C.) (Perfect game) |
Note that Eugene Marvin Colins of the Kansas City Monarchs tossed a 7-inning no-hiter against the Houston Eagles in 1949, but that one falls out of the majors’ 1920-1948 timeline.
