OTD Brooklyn Semipros 7/31/1938: Cuban Stars Blank Bay Parkway Dukes at Erasmus Field

From the desk: BROOKLYN SEMIPROS Y BEÍBOL

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Monday, 

August 1, 1921

On Sunday, July 31, 1938, not more than two miles from where I presently live, the Cuban Stars blanked the Bay Parkway Dukes at Erasmus Field, McDonald Avenue at the Avenue M Station along the Culver Line.

GAME ONE - Cuban Stars starter Silvino Ruiz limits the Bay Parkways to just three hits (one for extra bases) and five walks with five strikeouts for the win.  The Dukes pose their only credible threat in the eight when left fielder Johnny McAuliffe's double puts two runners into scoring position.  However, Bay Parkway leaves them both stranded in place.  Duke's starter Abe Spiro surrenders five runs on eleven hits and three walks with two strikeouts through nine in a losing effort.  Stars second baseman Rafael Hechevarría goes 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored, third baseman Clemente Carreras is 1 for 4 with a double and a run scored, and the first baseman Carlos Blanco is 1 for 4 with a stolen base and two runs scored.

GAME TWO: RAINED OUT

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Monday, 

August 1, 1921

OTD Brooklyn Semipros 7/30/1939: Bay Parkway Dukes and Homestead Grays Split Games Of A Twin Bill At Erasmus Fied,

From the desk: NEGRO LEAGUE vs. BROOKLYN SEMIPROS

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Monday, July 31, 1939

On Sunday, July 30, 1939, not more than two miles from where I presently live, the local Bay Parkway Dukes and Homestead Grays split games of a doubleheader at Erasmus Field, McDonald Avenue at the Avenue M Station along the Culver Line.

GAME ONE - The visitors take the first tilt by a score of 8 to 2.  Homestead starter Tom Parker limits Bay Parkway to a pair of runs on ten hits and six walks with three strikeouts for the win.  Arlington, the Duke catcher, and Godfrey drive home Bay Parkway's only runs.  Meanwhile, all but shortstop Jelly Jackson hit safely for the Grays, while five batsmen wield multiple hits.  Homestead strikes for 14 total hits.  Playing first base, Josh Gibson is a perfect 3 for 3 with a double, stolen base, and two runs scored, and right fielder David Whatley is 2 for 5 with a stolen base, home run, and two runs batted in.  Joe Stryker relieves McClosky in the sixth but not before the Bay Parkway starter surrenders three runs in the second and four more in the fifth in a losing effort.

Negro National League

HOMESTEAD GRAYS

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Monday, July 31, 1939

GAME TWO - The Dukes and Grays slug their way to a four-all tie after three.  Afterwhich, Bay Parkway starter Abe Spiro settles down to toss four scoreless innings before yielding Homestead's fifth and final run in the eighth.  All told, Spiro allows just eight hits and three walks with two strikeouts for the win.  There was no stopping Josh Gibson, though.  Back behind the plate, Gibson goes 2 for 3 with a double and run batted in.  Gibson completes the twin bill with five hits in six times at-bat.  Grays starting pitcher  Specs Roberts helps his own cause with two runs batted in, which go for naught.  He otherwise surrenders four runs on seven hits, and one walk with a strikeout in only 2.2 innings pitched for the loss.

OTD Brooklyn Semipros 7/27/1941: Mule Suttles Provides Bay Parkways Lesson In Hitting; New York Black Yankees Sweep Twin Bill at Erasmus Field

From the desk: NEGRO LEAGUES vs. BROOKLYN SEMIPROS

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Monday, July 27, 1941

On Sunday, July 27, 1941, not more than two miles from where I presently live, the Bay Parkway Dukes lose both games of a double-header to the New York Black Yankees at Erasmus Field, McDonald Avenue at the Avenue M station along the Culver Line.

The Dukes hang tough, losing the first game 9-5 and the second by a more tightly contested 14-12 margin.  But truth be told, Yankees left fielder Mule Suttles was better ... than everybody!  The future Hall of Famer drives home two runs in game one.  Then in game two, twice comes to the plate with the bases loaded; a triple in the fourth clears the bases, and a double in the eighth clears them again. 

Yankees left-hander Neck Stanley earns the victory in game one, and Russ Dedeaux starts game two, but Connie Rector earns the win.  

Bay Parkway's Timmy Adams drives home two-run in game two and extends his consecutive hitting streak to 16 games.  Abe Spiro started game two.

"Mule Suttles, often called the Babe Ruth of Negro baseball paced the Black Yankees heavy onslaught..."

NEGRO NATIONAL LEAGUE

NEW YORK BLACK YANKEES

Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Monday, July 27, 1941

OTD Brooklyn Semipro 7/26/1934: Harry Kowenhover Strikes Out 18 in House of David Victory at Bay Ridge Oval

From the desk: BROOKLYN SEMIPROS

Times Union (Brooklyn, New York), Friday, July 27, 1934

On Thursday, July 26, 1934, not more than two miles from where I presently live, the House of David club defeats the local Ridgers at Bay Ridge Oval, 15th Avenue at 86th Street.

Times Union (Brooklyn, New York), Friday, July 27, 1934

Despite yielding 14 hits, Bay Ridge starter Abe Spiro allows only four runs and no walks with ten strikeouts in a hard-luck loss.

A native of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, House of David starter Harry Kowenhoven limits Bay Ridge to just a pair of runs on six hits and two walks with 18 strikeouts for the win.

Only Pierce, the second baseman, wielded multiple hits for Bay Ridge, including a triple, and Abe Spiro lashed a double in four at-bats.   House of Davis left fielder Red Ramsey goes 4 for 4 with a run scored.