14 team league, offered as a Windows roster (no cards).

14 teams playing a 156 game schedule. 16 Hall of Famers, Ray Brown, Willard Brown, Roy Campanella, Oscar Charleston, Andy Cooper, Leon Day, Josh Gibson, Monte Irvin, Buck Leonard, Biz Mackey, Buck O’Neil, Hilton Smith, Turkey Stearnes, Mule Suttles, Willie Wells, Jud Wilson

And 27 original Negro Stars, Newt Allen, Sam Bankhead, Jerry Benjamin, Larry Brown, Bill Byrd, Rev Cannady, Dewey Creacy, Jimmie Crutchfield, Roosevelt Davis, Vic Harris, Bill Holland, Sammy T Hughes, Fats Jenkins, Max Manning, Webster McDonald, Spoony Palm, Red Parnell, Bill Perkins, Alec Radcliff, Double Duty Radcliffe, Frog Redus, Neil Robinson, Tubby Scales, Dick Seay, Ted Trent, Quincy Trouppe, Wild Bill Wright

This was an outstanding Washington Homestead Grays (.673 W%), and the KC Monarchs (.641) was near as dominant. Newark Eagles (.609) chased the Grays hard in the National. Chicago American Giants (.532) lacked the firepower to run down the Monarchs in the American. As a group the 14 teams batting averaged .267 while Grays (.296) and Baltimore Elites (.293) not only were better hit makers but were the only 2 teams to top the 100 HR mark (Grays 139, Elites 133). Monarchs strength was in pitching with a team ERA 1.33 lower than the 14 teams’ 4.87 average. Giants (3.99) was the only other team under 4. The Atlanta Black Crackers (.365) and NY Cubans (.346, Lefty Tiant 12-20 but only a 4.15 ERA) struggled to compete.

The top 3 in batting average were Grays, Josh Gibson (.371), Buck Leonard (.368), Speed Whatley (.366), followed by 2 Elites, Big Bill Hoskins (.365), Wild Bill Wright (.353, 50 D). Elite Sammy Hughes led in D (52), Giants Alex Radcliff in T (16). Gibson (36) out-homered teammate Leonard by 3 and the Eagles Mule Suttles by 1 and Ace Stone by 4. Leonard (124 RBI) kept Gibson from a Triple Crown by 1 RBI! Suttles t-2nd RBI with Gibson.

17 pitchers won 20 or more; 3 lost 20 or 21. Top winners were 2 outstanding double-duty athletes, Grays Ray Brown (26-6) and Elites’ Bill Byrd (26-9). Eagles dd great Leon Day (24-15) and Squab Hill (24-8), Philadelphia Stars dd Henry McHenry (24-9, 4 HR hit), Cleveland Bears Preacher Henry (24-12) followed, as did Little Walker (24-6, league lead at 2.17 ERA), he of the Monarchs formidable trio, Hilton Smith (23-9, league lead 171 K), Frank Bradley (22-10).

Fielding 1’s are Catcher Pea Greene (KC); 1B Buck Leonard (Homestead), Buck O’Neil (KC), Jim West (Baltimore); 2B Sam Bankhead (Homestead), Fred Bankhead (Memphis Red Sox), Billy Horne (Chicago), Dick Seay (Newark); 3B Felton Snow (Baltimore), Alec Radcliffe (Chicago), Jake Spearman (Homestead); SS Pee Wee Butts (Atlanta), Willie Wells (Newark), Ches Williams (Philadelphia); LF Marvin Barker (NY Black Yanks), Bubba Hyde (Memphis), Red Parnell (Philadelphia), Daniel Wilson (St. Louis Saints); CF Jimmie Crutchfield (Toledo Crawfords), John Ray (Cleveland); RF Ducky Davenport (also CF, Memphis), Ace Stone (Newark), Zollie Wright (Black Yanks); P Emery Adams (Baltimore), Flash Bremer (Memphis), Ray Brown (Homestead), Leon Day (Newark), Chip McAllister (St. Louis).

With Gus Greenlee cash poor and selling the Crawfords to a Midwest consortium there was concern for the National teams being able to negotiate a proper league schedule among themselves. They would manage that, but both leagues were feeling the effect of the Mexican League’s approach to their players. The lure of the World’s Fair in Queens, opened on April 30, had a drastic impact on attendance at the NY area ballclubs into the summer months. Rumors post-season had the Monarchs as the only team to turn a healthy profit on the season.

The 1939 season did draw high marks for its quality of play, and there were far fewer incidents of unruly player behavior and nasty confrontations with umpires. There would be a feeling among the insiders of “a season well done” and a general sense of confidence and excitement for the 1940 season.

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