The Michigan chronicle. [volume], May 15, 1943, SECOND NEWS SECTION, Page PAGE TWENTY, Image 20

About The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current

Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library

                
PAGE TWENTY
CIO Union Joins Fight To Smash Racial Bar In Majors
* Hr AA. > Ml* f rJB ••
Johnson-Harris captured the championship in
the Motor City Bowling l*agu« last week by
finishing nine game* in front of Friars Ale,
defending champions. This is Johnson-Harris'
Old Billiard
Parlor Opens
For Players
When the billiard parlor at 1912
St. Antoine atreet closed laM De
cember, it marked the first time
in 32 year* that enthusiasts of
pocket billiards and billiards had
been denied the opportun.ty of
hearing the clicking of the ivory
balls on the 15 tables.
The billiard parjpr was opened
by Oliver Banks, March 10. 1910
with one table. A few month* later
the late Theodore Jones became a
partner in the aperatton of the busi
ness. It was in 1915 that Banks
bought the large billiard table for
SOM. Thi* purchase was made dur
ing the absence of Jones who was
visiting relatives in Texas
When the billiard parlor was first
epened a family occupied the upper
floors of what had formerly been
• rooming houre. Later the partners
remodeled the front and rear to in
crease the floor space.
The partnership in the operation
©f the billiard parlor was di. solved
in 1924, Jones buying out Banks'
interest. Jones operated the bu.M
ness until hi* death several years
• go.
During the years the billiard
parlor, one of the oldest in the
country for Colored, every plawr of
ability has played on the tables
These included James (Barr)
Simms, who at one time was in
structor there; Clarence Haney, a
European beau brumme! from 1 f>o4
to 1810: Paul (Pensacola K.d> Wy
att, James considered by
many as the peer of all colored
pocket billiard player^;
<Foota) Nelson, Rich Carr. George
in. Frank 'Black Frant* Hol
rr.a r :. and many other*.
The establishment, which was the
first colored busmens ! n the block,
reopened recently under the ouncr
ah:p of Jones’ aster, * so owner us
the BJtmore hotel.
Montgomery
Whips Vasquez
HOLYOKE. M-s« - Bob Mont
gomery. hard-hitt.og Philade ph a
lifhtweifhi, won iA eight-round de
rision from Henry Vasqurz. Span
ish lightweight, here Mondav r.gnt.
May 3.
Montgomery Jnt»nded the bout
to be an easy tune-up for hu com
ing champiorurh.p battle with Be i
Jack, world lightweight kir.g, *•
Mad.son Square Garden but he had
to work hard in the last two rounds
to overcome a sight margin p.lcd
lip by the Spaniard
Montgomery weighed 135 I *, Vas
quex 137.
GRANITE WOIKI.It KILLED
ELBEBTON.. Ga -John H Gable.
ft3-year-old granite wordier, was
instantly killed Wednesday when
•truck by « train near the city
limit*.
NEW MOTOR (TTY CHAMPIONS
Age seems to stop competition
for some athletes, especially when
they arrive at *he age of 36 But
thij* is not so with 'Andy <Kid»
Brown who was a promising young
featherweight back in the early
1930 s. Brown, who is a former
manager of U S. Chocolate and pro
moted the only show for the Sunny
Wilson Incorporated last year, was
inducted into service la.s*t winter
and is now stationed at Camp Mc-
Coy, W’is. To prove that he still is
a capable warrior in the ring.
Brown eent a c’.ippipg along with
a letter. The letter roads as fol
lows:
“The army makes me feel like
I'm a 20-year-oldor again instead
of 36 Just to prove it I got myself
in a boxing tournament in the camp
and fought my way to a chance to
meet Wildcat Pete, a rough, hard
punching heavyweight. I fought
him in the finals last week and 1
kavoed the Wildcat in one round.
• W'c both rame out in the fjst
round for the kill. I ducked a wild
right and came up with a left hook
*o the cheek that was high, but it
knocked h.m through the ropes.
He g t back at the count of tight,
but I caught h m with another.and
he fell flat on his face and was out
for 30 mrmtrs more They want
mi to fight Hank Prfataway soon "
Remember Dwight Nuttall, the
young fellow who tried to stimulate
interest n professional football by
g virg h;s t i’x and money in the
promo* n of Detroit Panthers?
We.. Nuttall is sonewhere in the
South Pacific. He sends ttie follow
ing letter:
"Just read your Jan. 9 edition
and might acid that it was current
news as far as I am concerned.
However. tms leaves me in fi-e
health and enjoy.ng my work very
wc 1. Some day in the rot too far
distant future T hope to return and
take up where I left ofT. How are
sports in the Motor Cit\?
"Those fine memories are often
rev.owed with pifu>ure even on
th.s * do of trie world. Please pass
the word on through your column
tn.it I am carrying or. for the Navy
.old Dot , it Send mi a ropy of
t - e b/A.’.r.g classic results and a
••tv - paper Yu- 5 ever from
sohnewhere ir. the "
T.-,y Baldwin, a newcomer to De
trot. ana Dw.ght Iwt. d native of
Mich.gan. have a deep knowledge
of ba-cball. Both ; lay < d tne game
in their .'"ungeh da;.*, and s.nre
the t.it.e „r«.v*d when the.r ag.ng
legs refund to perform tne fe.vc
of earln r >ea-s. have kept in close
ajjor.dtion wi*h the pastime.
Baldwin, a rat,\r of Ind anap 'li*
received h s b«.p';j*rr under the
Taylor biothers vhen they were
playing with the fndianapolis
' ABCs and Tiny was a mascot for
1 the team He later p.a>ed with the
Dayfhn Marcos Cleveland Stars and
Detroit Star* So there* some
weight to the all-siar ba eball team
1 he selec's.
I Ba.awln, who played second base,
first year in lha league. From left to right in
the back row are Ray Harris, Ernest Wallace,
and Piarce Coleman. Kneeling are James Smith
and Bob Paris Smith.—Edwards photo.
RUSS J. COWANS’
SPORT CHATTER
submits the following team:
Ben Taylor lb; Elwood (Bingo)
DeMoss. 2b; John Henry Lloyd, ss;
0.-car Charleston, cf; Pete H 1, If;
Christobcl Torrientti, rs; Marcellus.
3b; Bruce 'Buddy! Petway and Josh
Gibson, catchers, and Wilbur (Bul
let) Rogan. William (Dizzy) Dts
mukes, (Smokev Joe Williams and
Leßoy (Satchel) Paige as the
pitchers. is
"I'll name Jino Taylor a* man
ager of the team. ’ said Bald* 'i,
"and we ll challange any team sub
mitted by any other fan.
l-ett, who recalls the aid Paige
Fence Giants, a team of robust
wallopers who used to campr fc n
in Michigan back at the turn of
the century, makes the following
selection for his 11-star nine:
Frank Warfield, 2b; Leßoy Grant,
lb; John Henry Lloyd, ss; Pe*e
Hill, If: Oscar Charleston, cf; Chris
tobel Torrientti. rs; Bill Francis. 3b;
Petway, Chappie Johnson and Josh
Gibson as catchers, and Paige. An
dicw (Rube) Foster, Joe Williams.
Rog.«n and Andrew Cooper ns the
pitchers.
"That team has plenty of hitting
power in Lloyd Hill, Charleston,
Torrientti and Frances, ’* declared
l-ctt who had ridden in on a storm
of protests against the selections of
Emmett Cunningham, Edgar Wes
ley and Leonard Reed "In addition,
there’s excellent pitching and fine
fielding. Try and beat it."
Gilbert (Brownie) Westfield, a
member of the Nacirema bowling
team, didn t accept Lett's c u '”*~'Te
to select a baseball team -
ble with the one Lett had picked,
but he did turn his attention to his
favorite pastime and came up with
wihat he believes is the best bowling
fiv.' in the country Westfield made
the following selection;
George Bennett, Ernest (Roots)
Fairfax, Laac Thurman. Bill Rhod
manax and Sam Merchant. The
s.xth man is Tiny Baldwin.
Bennett, Fairfax, Rhodman and
Merchant are members of r riar/f
Ale team Thurman, who lives in
Indianapolis, won the national sin
gle* championship here in 1941.
Merchant is a newcomer from New
York who ha* been lashing the pins
with a fury since h.s arrival here a
month ago.
Challengers Beat
Opponents, 5 To 0
■ ■- «■
The Challengers. Russ Black and
Bill Taylor, scored a shut-out, 5-0.
o\er W B Curtis and Robert Hol
loway. in a thrilling whist match
Wednesday night as a preparedness
match for the Sport Classic of the
Ole Timers club of Moto* City Elks.
Members of the Ole. Timers club
met Wednesday night for a re
hearsal and greetings to all new
members. For further information
moit *he meeting see Secretary
i Tncrtr.pv.in.
WSX MICHIGAN CHRONICLE -~ r T X RELIABLE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY
LAUNCH DRIVE
AGAINST NINES
IN THE WEST
Coast Writers Take
Up Fight To Crack
Race Barriers
i
-
By J. ROBERT SMITH
LOS ANGELES, Calif,—Local 887,
United Automobile Workers, CIO
Union of North American Aircraft
company, joined in the fight this
week to fon>e baseball moguls to
let down the racial barriers and ac
cept Negro players on their teams.
The union, which boasts many
Negro members, including two pro
fessional stars, Chet Brewer and
Olin Dials, has passed a resolution
aimed at Coast League and major
league baseball chub owners, urging
that in the name of "the Four
Freedoms for which American boys
of all races, colors and creeds are
fighting and dying,” they give try
outs and equal opportunities to ball
players of any race, color or creed
Have Proven Capable
"It is not too much to ask for an
amusement enterprise, essential to
morale of war workers and service
men alike, that Negro baseball
stars, w ho have proven themselves
capable of competing on ah equal
basis with any athlete, regrrdless
of color, should be given the right
to enjoy democratic privileges in
this land of freedom,” the resolu
tion stated.
In the meantime, after months of
fruitless promises, the controversy
over democracy—in baseball, this
week reached the "direct action"
stage, with a mass demonstration
planned by members of the com
munity and CIO workers outside
Wrigley Field here, Tuesday, May
25, when the two local teams. Los
Angeles and Hollywood meet in
contest.
A Fascist Practice
Smashing of the unwritten ban
against Negro ball players, a
Fascist practice which has been
underscored by Axis propaganda
broadcasts to South America and
the Orient, has won wide support
from public-spirited citizens, many
of whom are regular patrons of
Coast League *ames here.
The board of supervisors, the
City Council, various locals within
the CIO, many individual leaders
in civic organizations, all have sup
ported the right of Negro and other
racial minorities to play America's
national pastime, on the same basis
as now enjoyed by whites.
Hot Potato
Fearful of criticism from bigoted
subscribers, or in some cases afraid
to give democracy a chance on the
diamond, Los Angeles sports editors
and baseball writers, with one ex
ception, Gordon Macker of the
Daily News, have handled the Ne
gro issue like a steaming potato.
They have taken the same atti
tude as Johnny Vergez, manager of
the hapless Oakland Acorns; Char
lie Root, manager of the Hollywood
Stars, and Bill Swveney, leader of
the Los Angeles Angels. Other
Coast leaguers, likewise, are afraid
to be the "first* to break the ice.
Looks Silly
Nate Moreland, a Southern Cali
fornia boy who pitched for Red
lands university before going up to
the Baltimore Eli es, national Ne
gro champions, could not get a job
with a Coast League club, yet dur
ing winter league ball, he pitched
against Coast and Major Leaguers,
oftimes making them look silly. He
could hold down a job with any
coast club now.
Last year he played in the Mexi
can National League, after being de
nied the opportunity to show his
stuff in the United States.
Brewer, former Kansas City
Monarchs pitcher, also showed his
stuff in the Mexican League So
did Dials, an outfielder, and Howard
Easierling, inflelder.
Kenny Washington, former UCLA
all-American football star, and a
drawing card rnywhere on the Pa
cific coast during bis college foot
ball days, was denied the chance to
even try out with Los Angeles or
WHO WILL BE CROWNED QUEEN
AMONG LOCAL BOWLERS?
“MISS QUEEN PIN”
I CAST MY VOTE FOR:
NAME
You Don't Have To Be A Bowler To Vote
Cut this coupon out and mail to Alphonso Cato, Bowling
Editor, Michigan Chronicle, 268 Eliot Street, Detroit.
THIS COUPON COOD FOR 100 VOTES
NAMES OF CONTESTANTS
AND HOW THEY STAND
NAME! VOTES TEAM
VIRGINIA DOLPHIN 1600 Palmar Bowl
ALMA D. MAY 1400 Aetna's Florist
HAZEL THOMAS ...2400 Supremo Linen
THELMA BALDWIN 2300 . Supreme Linen
MINNIE DUNCANS 2300 . Miss Ouaan Pin of 42
ROSALIE SIMMONS 2300 . Brady's Health Studio
CAROLYN RIVERS 2300 12 Horseman Club
Chronicle Softball League Opens Jun. 6
By ROY SIMPSON
The opening gun in the Michigan
Chronicle Softball league will he
fired Sunday, June 6. at Balch
Field, Hastings and Ferry. There
will be three games. Two teams
from each division will meet in the
opening games, while the otner
clubs will play the remaining games
in the schedule during the week.
Each division will play two
rounds before the annual tourna
ment will start.
There will be a special meeting
A GOOD MUSCLE DEVELOPER
* s&jw Tjdfiiin ft
*<** ~ |
Rationing of gas has created difficulties for William J. Swanson,
barbar shop ownar. but ha has been able to hurdle the obstacles.
For instance. Swanson has put the automobile away and is now
rasorting to his bicycle lor transportation between home and his
business. Swanson said riding tha bicycle also keeps him in good
physical condition.
St. Antoine Wins
State Gym Crown
The gymnastic team of St. An
toine Y.M.C.A. won the city and
state championship last week for
the fifth consecutive year, scoring
a total of 41 Hi points to capture the
honors.
Adams YM.C.A, was second with
217 1-4 points. The Adams Inter
mediates nosed out St. Antoihe In
termediates by three points in their
division. Walter Bothwell, Adams,
won first place for all-around hon
ors in the Intermediate division,
Fred Butler of St. Antoine coming
a close second. *
Tom Tillman, of Muskegon Y.
won first place in the senior boys’
division. Harold Blackwell was
second.
Leon May. gymnastic - instructor
at St. Antoine Y M.C.A., has done a
Hollywood because of the color of
hi* skin.
In his college days, Washington
was one of (he heaviest hitters and
best athletes ever to perform in
the cast conference.
Newsmen Lead Fght
With the manpower situa <: n
what it is in baseball this year, CIO
unions, particularly the UAW. be
lieve this is the time to break down
once and for *U the un-Amcrican
racial prejudices which make base
ball not America's pastime but
"past-time."
Herman Hill, Pacific coast editor
of the Pittsburgh Courier, and
Halley Harding, sports editor of
Los Angele.t Tribune, are the local
forces behind the fight for break
ing down the ban in the national
sport.
Hill Is credited with having
initiated the battle by approaching
many of the owners and managers,
and joined later by Harding who
aiding in bringing the matter to the
attention of the board of super
visors and City Council, bet’’ bodies
voting to support the newspaper
men in their democratic venture.
COUPON
of managers of the teams in the
league for Monday, May 17, at
Brewster Recreation Center. The
meeting is slated for 830 pm.
Player contracts will be issued at
the nrfeeting.
The following # teams are re
quested to be represented at the
meeting: Brown Bombers, Black
Hawks. Twelve Horsemen, Local
7, A. G. Wright, Eagles, Brewster,
Livingstone Playground, Ford Lo
cal 600 and 400 and all other clubs.
After three weeks of light train
fine Job In moulding his team
which is composed of John Ashby,
Gerald Brook. George Blake. Ray
mond Jones, Lorenzo Tansil. Alfred
Wright, and Zelme Stotts, in addi
tion to Blackwell.
Clowns Trim
Black Crackers
ATLANTA. The Cincinnati
Clowns of the Negro American
iergue took all three games from
t 1" Atlanta Black Crackers here
last week- In the opener of Ahe
th»-ee-game series, the Clowns won
1 to 6 The second game score was
18 to 6 an<4 the Clowns triumphed
I in the third encounter 10 to 3.
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IDE LUX(| \ 4
IS
THE BEER OF
BALANCED FLAVOR
ing, the Twelve Horsemcn-Elks
softball team will get down to seri
ous business next week. The team
will move to Balch Field to com
plete the training grind.
On paper the Twelve Horscmen-
Elks looks like the club to beat
for the championship. Why do I
say this? Well, they will have the
pick of the city. Such players as
Roy Mapp, ss; George Peaks, c;
Abe Wave, 3b; Ed Lowe, ss; Ed Hill
of; Frank Webb, of; Roy Simpson
of; David Jones, p; S. T. Robinson.
Clowns Open
Season With
Sepia Barons
CINCINNATI—AII avenues load
to Crosley Field Sunday afternoon
| (May 16) and a gala day of baseball
and fun as only the highlv-beloved
Cincinnati (Ethiopian) Clowns can
provide it.
The big attraction, of course, is
1 the Clowns' debut in Negro Amer
ican League competition with none
other than the powerful Birming
ham Black Barons, runners-up to
Satchel Paige's Kansas City Mon
archs the past two seasons, pro
viding the opposition.
This is the start of the Clowns’
third season at Crosley Field They
were an immediate sensation upon
their Cincinnati debut in 1941, wh« n
they restored colored baseball in
terest in that city after a lapse of a
period of years. That same season
Pettiway’s New Barber Shop
"A Barber Shop For Men Who Care - *
2307 BRUSH STREET at Montcalm
CLAUDE j. PETTIWAY, Prop.
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yist**® o*® 0 *®
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When it's time to let up ... for a moment or for
the day .»* . there's nothing quite so rich in
flavorful companionship as smooth, mellow, sesty
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sot Do Lom Brwf Co, Graod Riptfo
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SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1943
p; John Turner, lb: Joe Davidson,
ss. and many others who have
played Triple A ball.
Local 7 of Chrysler started prac
tice last week and had 52 players
out. including 12 men froifl last
year’s club.
Detroit has had three big time
softball clubs in the past 10 years.
They're in this order: W J. Swan
son, Supreme Linen, winners of the
colored championship, and the Joe
Louis Brown Bombers, now the
Twelve Horsemen Elks wifi try to
add their name to the list. •
they won the national champion
ship tournament at Denver to add
further glory to their many tri
umphs.
i
Burnt Cork To Race Here
CHICAGO. Illinois (Special)
Raymond White, the little exer
cise bov. owner and trainer, shipped
h's public stable from Louisville
Friday. Raymond started two horses
at Sportsman park Saturday, May
1. White traincs and excrcues his
own horses
FOR APPOINTMENTS
Call Te. 28815
SWANSON’S
Beauty Salon
Barber Shop
3415 Hastings St.
Opposite Castle Theatre
’’North End’s Most
Popular Rendezvous"
YOUR FAVORITE
WINES & BREWS
LIQUOR
CHOICE FOODS
SENSATION
• BAR .
1300 Owen at Cardoni
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