Pulling "Double Duty" at Ebbets Field: Negro Leagues Great Ted Radcliffe

From the desk of: 100th ANNIVERSARY NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL

The Season Ted Radcliffe Pulls 

"Double Duty" at Ebbets Field

New York City author and syndicated sportswriter Damon Runyon indeed is responsible for devising the famous sobriquet "Double Duty" after witnessing Ted Radcliffe play behind the plate in the first game of a championship doubleheader, then with great proficiency pitch the second game at Yankee Stadium.

"Runyon ... gave me that name - that it's worth the price of admission of two to see Double Duty Radcliffe in action." - Ted Radcliffe

That quote is from the Black Diamonds interviews (1978) with Stephen Banker.  These recordings are invaluable.  In listening to Mr. Radcliffe, I hear a very affable, straightforward, endearingly, strong-minded person.  So, in the name of history, and in honor of the 100th anniversary of the original Negro National League founded in 1920 by Rube Foster, please allow me to respectfully stir up some trouble.

Mr. Radcliffe opens the interview saying the nickname dates back from the 1931 championship series between his Homestead Grays versus the New York Lincoln Giants.  My heart says to go along with it.  However, I'm afraid that Double Duty misspeaks.  The Lincoln Giants cease operations after the 1930 season.  I also disagree with Britannica insofar as Homestead's opponent is the New York Black Yankees.  Radcliffe correctly recalls playing the 1931 championship series as a member of the independent Homestead Grays.  That much is true.  However, according to the Center for Negro Leagues Baseball Research, Homestead defeats the Kansas City Monarchs six games to three.  Radcliffe is a teammate alongside, among other numerous greats, Josh Gibson and Oscar Charleston.  However, the same holds true for 1932 when they are members of the Pittsburgh Crawfords - a simple oversight over 45-years later.  For reference sake, there is an L.A. Times version regarding his nickname I believe to be the correct one: Double Duty and the independent Pittsburgh Crawfords oppose the Monroe Monarchs (of the Negro Southern League) in 1932 at Yankee Stadium.

First off, the matchup itself is made possible when the original Negro National League folded in 1931, and the Negro Southern League (a minor circuit established in 1920 by Tom Wilson) is declared major for the upcoming 1932 season until a new Negro National League II is established in time for the 1933 season.  The 1932 Monroe Monarchs finish the regular season in second place with a 34-14 overall record, just one game and mere percentage points behind the Chicago American Giants. Meanwhile, the Nashville Elite Giants, despite finishing the regular season in fourth place, are second-half champs (league standings according to Seamheads).  Chicago (first-half and regular season champs) and Nashville square off in a best five of nine championship series.  According to the Center for Negro Leagues Baseball Research,  Nashville wins two of three games in Chicago.  The American Giants then square the series, winning two of three at Nashville.  Chicago wins games seven and eight to clinch the championship.  According to Baseball-Reference, the Monroe Monarchs dispute the regular season standings and their lack of post-season consideration and defyingly proceed forward with a championship series against the Pittsburgh Crawfords.

Circling back to the interview and the original double-header in question, I believe Radcliffe is spot on when he recalls being behind the plate for Satchel Paige, who wins game one (4-0), then serves double duty on the mound (whitewashing the Monroe Monarchs, 3-0) at Yankee Stadium.

Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe makes his professional debut in 1928 as a catcher with the Detroit Stars.  After which, he variously plays for the St. Louis Stars, the aforementioned Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords, and the Columbus Blue Birds, until coming east in 1933 to play with the New York Black Yankees.  By 1934 he is back west with the fabled Chicago American Giants.

In 1935, twelve years before Jackie Robinson's arrival at 55 Sullivan Place, all-time negro league great Double Duty plays home games donning a Brooklyn uniform at Ebbets Field.  He is enticed by better pay to join Brooklyn, where the Eagles kick off their inaugural season.  At the plate, he bats .268 and posts a 4-6 record on the mound, according to Negro Leagues Museum, with 21 strikeouts in 11 games, and 57.2 innings pitched according to Seamheads.  Another source points out Radcliffe has trouble securing his release from the Brooklyn Eagles but eventually succeeds.  By late June, he plays for the integrated Bismarck Churchills, where he joins future Hall of Famers Satchel Paige, Hilton Smith, and other players familiar with him.  Together they win the first National Semi-Pro Championship.

The Brooklyn Eagles are owned by Abe and Effa Manley, who promptly relocate the Eagles to Newark before the 1936 season.  Thus rendering 1935 Brooklyn's lone season as a participating member in the Negro National League II.  For one season, at least, the cast of future Hall of Famers and league standouts who (potentially) play at Ebbets Field is a veritable roll call of baseball legends.

1935 Negro National League-II Comes to Ebbets Field:

• Brooklyn Eagles - Double Duty is teammates with Hall of Famer Leon Day, outfielders Rap Dixon, Fatz Jenkins, Ed Stone, and first baseman George Giles.

• Pittsburgh Crawfords - treat Ebbets Field fans with Hall of Famers Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston, Judy Johnson, Cool Papa Bell, and standouts Pat Patterson, Sam Bankhead, Leroy Matlock, and Spoon Carter.  

• Columbus Elite Giants - star pitchers Jim Willis and Andy Porter pitch from the Ebbets Field mound.

• New York Cubans - hailing locally from Hinchliffe Stadium in Patterson, N.J., Ebbets Field crowds welcome Hall of Famer Martin Dihigo and Cuban Hall of Famers Alejandro Oms and Lazaro Salazar.  

• Homestead Grays - Ebbets Field crowds also witness Hall of Famers Buck Leonard and Ray Brown and top players Tommy Dukes and Matt Carlisle.  

• Chicago American Giants - Mule Suttles, Willie Foster, Turkey Stearns, and Willie Wells, all in the Hall of Fame, all play at Ebbets.

• Philadelphia Stars - Hall of Famer Biz Mackey, and outfielders Ted Page and Jake Dunn.  

• Newark Dodgers - Hall of Famer Ray Dandridge and outfielder Jim Williams.  

• Seamheads.com

Picking up in 1936, Ted Radcliffe spends the rest of his playing career with the Cincinnati Tigers, Memphis Red Sox, Birmingham Black Barons, Louisville Buckeyes, and Kansas City Monarchs.  Double Duty also puts in overtime as player/manager of the Cleveland Tigers in 1937, Memphis Red Sox (1938-1941), and the Chicago American Giants in 1943.

According to Seamheads, the right-hander posts a career 47-37 record and 3.94 ERA against negro leagues competition with 302 strikeouts in 627.2 innings pitched.  However, SABR member Gary Livacari takes things a leap forward by writing Radcliffe "is thought to have won about 500 games and had 4,000 strikeouts."

In Black Diamonds, Double Duty says the best game he ever pitched occurs while managing the Memphis Red Sox; he throws fourteen scoreless innings.  Opposing him is Satchel Paige, who hurls seven scoreless innings before yielding to the bullpen.  The game ends in a scoreless tie due to darkness.  

At the plate, biographer Kyle P. McNary estimates that Radcliffe owns a .303 lifetime batting average, 4,000 career hits, and 400 home runs in 36-years, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Radcliffe plays in multiple East-West All-Star games as both a pitcher and catcher.  He says one of his biggest thrills comes during the 1944 East-West All-Star Game.  Trailing midway against the East, Radcliffe's brother Alec triples, and Double Duty follows with a home run hit into Comiskey Park's upper deck, giving the West All-Stars the lead.

Needless to say, Double Duty's candidacy for baseball's Hall of Fame needs some drastic reconsideration.