Syracuse baseball, black history date back to 1887

The storied history of Syracuse baseball begins before its citizens worked tirelessly to bring the sport back in 1961, before the construction of MacArthur Stadium in 1934, and even before the Civil War.

The storied history of blacks in baseball certainly rivals the ups and downs of baseball in Syracuse, but the two stories intersect as early as 1887.

Throughout the years, baseball teams in Syracuse have included many players of color (both Latino and African American), despite the racial tension and assumed practices of the day. In 1887, the Syracuse Stars roster included the name of Robert "Bob" Higgins, an African-American pitcher. The following season, the Stars added black catcher, Moses Fleetwood Walker, who would continue in the 1889 season as well.

Big names such as Willie Horton, Mack Jones, and Terry Whitfield have also come through the Chiefs organization and been inducted onto the Syracuse Wall of Fame.

Stories of interactions between the management and the African-American players on the Chiefs' rosters, between the fans, and things they encountered on the road, serve to illustrate the climate of American life as compared to the atmosphere on the diamond. In an era where differences were not always tolerated, Syracuse baseball boasts a history of letting the players play their game.

As for the earliest African-Americans in the game, long before the creation of the Negro League and long before the famous Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, the talent was scattered across the minor league franchises. At the turn of the twentieth century, there were a handful of all-black teams and an even smaller number whose talent had landed them spots in formerly organized baseball among white players.

Initially, the 1883 season saw only a few documented blacks playing on scattered minor league teams. Both Moses Fleetwood Walker and Welday Wilberforce Walker made it onto the big stage in 1884 when they played for the Toledo club in the American Association. This would make them the only African Americans recognized to have played in the majors until Jackie Robinson in 1947.

Syracuse was in on the action. Within 20 years of the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments to the Constitution granting equal rights to all citizens, the Syracuse Stars saw the inclusion of Robert "Bob" Higgins to their pitching line-up. The following season, he would be caught by the first black major leaguer, Moses Fleetwood Walker. Higgins posted a fantastic record of 20-7 during the 1888 season in the International League.

Walker had previously played for the major league team in Toledo of the American Association, followed by stints with other organized ball teams, landing him in Newark to be a part of the first black battery - catching for the famed George Stovey in 1887.

The Syracuse Stars won the pennant in the season of 1888, and there is no doubt what a part of the team these men were. Walker continued to play for the Stars in the 1889 season, making him the last black player in the International League until Jackie Robinson played in the 1940s.

The absence of African-Americans in the higher levels of organized ball can be attributed to the rising temperature of prejudice among some players and spectators. The talent of the young men, who in some instances there is no record of, is truly an injustice to the game and its fans.

Here in Syracuse, the history does not end with the heightened tensions in the late 1880s. Today, we are blessed with accounts from people who experienced the prejudice but stayed the course and played their game. From the Latino to the African-American culture, the Syracuse Chiefs boast a rich history allowing them to share their stories of yesteryear today, in celebration of Black History Month.

Editor's Note: This is the first story in a three-part series celebrating Black History Month and the contributions of African Americans to baseball in Syracuse.