Historic Pelham: Nineteenth Century Pelham Baseball Team Was Outsmarted by the New Rochelle Colored Giants Baseball Team

Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."

The New Rochelle Colored Giants was an African American baseball team that played throughout the region during the late 1890s and early 1900s. In 1897, the Colored Giants played two notable games against Pelham baseball teams that were talked about -- and written about -- for the next thirty years. Today's Historic Pelham details the two games and attempts to place them in historic context.

In 1897, the Colored Giants of New Rochelle (also known at the time as the "Ivanhoe Giants of New Rochelle" and the "Ivanhoes") were managed by a man named Bill Green. Green later was described as "the official village ash collector" in New Rochelle. Bill Green was gray haired with a mustache and "dressed his best" whenever his team played "usually with high hat and cane." Green later was described as one who "had money and was very liberal with his team."

As one might expect given the times, Bill Green and his team routinely were subjected to intolerant racism that would shock the conscience today. The team and its accomplishments were belittled. Spectators in the region, including Pelhamites, treated the team with disrespect and laughed at its members. According to J. Gardner Minard who wrote about the team condescendingly thirty years later during the late 1920s, "Their antics were a scream and convulsed the spectators who overlooked their playing ability." People in the region mocked the idioms, language, dialects, and accents of the various members of the team. Yet, Bill Green and his Colored Giants of New Rochelle persevered and played hard against many of the best teams in the area.

Two of the better teams in the area in 1897 were based in Pelham: the Pelham Manor Field Club, based in the Village of Pelham Manor, and the Pelham Athletic Club, based in the Village of North Pelham. Of the two, the North Pelham team was the stronger and, indeed, was a formidable baseball force in the region. The Pelham Manor Field Club, however, was no slouch. It could hold its own on the baseball diamond.

On Saturday, May 29, 1897, the Pelham Manor Field Club played the New Rochelle Colored Giants. The Ivanhoes beat the Pelham Manor team by a score of 23 to 20.

It was not unusual in the 19th century for baseball clubs in the region to place advertisements in local newspapers soliciting games with local teams. Bill Green and his team were so proud of the victory over the Pelham Manor Field Club, that when they placed such advertisements in local newspapers after the game, they reportedly boasted in the ads that they had beaten "The Pelhams."

Some in the region misapprehended the boast that Bill Green's Colored Giants had beaten The Pelhams. They thought it meant Green and his team had beaten the Pelham Athletic Club, one of the best teams in Westchester County at the time. Consequently, a group of "worthy teams" offered "some very liberal" terms to Bill Green for chances to play his team at a time when admission often was charged for such games and a percentage of the gate receipts was promised to the visiting team. Some local baseball games in Pelham in those years attracted as many as seven THOUSAND spectators. See Thu., Jun. 18, 2015: More Early References to 19th Century and Early 20th Century Baseball in Pelham.

With a tinge of racism, people in Pelham could not understand "how [the Giants] managed to beat the old Pelham Manors." As J. Gardner Minard later said, it was "a mystery" how the Giants won. Yet, won they had.

Members of the Pelham Athletic Club laughed with "scorn" at those who thought it was their team that had lost to the Giants. Yet, the Club's "rooters" urged the Club to dispel the misapprehension by playing the Giants with the objective of thrashing them soundly. Additionally, according to one account, "many out of town fans believed that where there is smoke there is fire" and, thus, began to believe the Giants might be a better team than the North Pelham Club. Consequently, the Pelham Athletic Club relented and challenged Bill Green's Colored Giants of New Rochelle to a game at the baseball diamond on the grounds of the old White Hotel.

Detail from 1899 Map by John F. Fairchild Showing Location of

White Hotel Grounds. Note That Even Two Years After the Baseball

Game Referenced Above, There Still Was Nothing on the Entire

Block Except the Hotel and Outbuildings. Source: Fairchild,

John F., Atlas of Mount Vernon and Pelham, Plate 21 (John F.

Fairchild, 1899) (Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division,

The New York Public Library). NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

Members of the Pelham Athletic Club came up with a game plan. They did not intend simply to thrash the African American baseball team from New Rochelle. Rather, they intended to humiliate Bill Green and his team by mocking them during the game, then beating them badly to the delight of a crowd of laughing local spectators.

On the appointed Sunday afternoon, a "large crowd" of spectators gathered at the baseball diamond on the grounds of the White Hotel. The members of the Pelham Athletic Club swaggered about knowingly, ready to follow their "secret" plan to humiliate their opponents. Indeed, in a peacock-like effort to display confidence in their own talents, the Pelham team "started the show" by urging Bill Green -- the manager of the opposing team -- to serve as the umpire during the game.

Bill Green, of course, was taken aback by the move. Green indicated he would umpire, but only if all players agreed that "there must be no disputing" his decisions. All agreed.

The visiting Ivanhoes, of course, batted first in the top of the first inning. To the hitters' surprise, the Pelham Athletic Club pitcher simply lobbed the baseball over the plate. Each of the Giants' batters crushed the ball driving it into deep into the outfield or as blistering line drives through the infield. Whenever the ball came anywhere near a Pelham player, the player would let it roll between his legs then chase it down, turn and fire a wild throw nowhere near the necessary target.

Soon the crowd was in on the "joke" and "roared with amusement" at the antics of their hometown Pelham boys. Once the Giants had scored eight runs, the Pelham team got down to business, retired three batters, and left the field to hit in the bottom of the first inning.

In the bottom of the first inning, three Pelham batters stepped to the plate and swung wildly at each pitch, missing intentionally. Once the first three batters whiffed, the Pelham team trotted back onto the field and continued their intentionally-bad play. They allowed seven runs in the top of the second inning before retiring three batters and taking their own turn at bat. The score stood 15 to 0 as Pelham came to the plate.

It was time to put an end to the farce.

Pelham batters began pounding the baseball at the plate and "soon had the Giant legs weary chasing long drives." Pelham runners rounded the bases like a spinning top as the runs began to add up.

Bill Green began chiding his players. Yet, he stayed on top of things. He "constantly held up the game" to ask the scorer how the game stood. Slowly the Pelham score crept up -- ten runs, eleven runs, twelve runs, thirteen runs, fourteen runs. . . . .

When the score reached Giants 15, Pelham 14, umpire Bill Green raised his cane and demanded silence. Looking into the crystal blue sky with its bright sparkling sun, the sly manager of the Giants reportedly declared solemnly "Gentlemen: owing to the obscurity of the prevailing darkness and the inclemency of the weather I hereby calls this game in favor of the Ivanhoes."

A near riot followed. Angry Pelham Athletic Club players surrounded the opposing manager, screaming that not even two innings had been completed, there remained men on base, and there were no outs yet in the bottom of the second inning -- not to mention that "it was a bright sunny day on a summer afternoon without a cloud in the sky."

Bill Green must have smiled knowingly. He reminded the Pelhamites that, in appointing him the umpire, they had agreed to abide by his decisions with "no disputing." Spectators "saw the humor of the situation and many rolled on the grassy slopes of the hill convulsed with laughter." This time, however, the laughter was at the expense of the angry Pelham baseball players.

The livid Pelham players were not ready to give up. According to an eyewitness account published in The Pelham Sun thirteen years later, sly Bill Green knew exactly what to do to maintain control of the touchy situation. He complimented the Pelham players. According to the eyewitness:

"I was at that game and must confess it was highly amusing. . . . It was the Pelham team's turn at the bat in the second half of the third inning when Umpire Green called the game. Immediately it began to look as if a riot was imminent when Green said: 'Gibbing de debil his due, you Pelham boys is sure good players but the Ivanhoes is better for they done beat you.'"

When it finally became apparent that the game was indeed over, the Pelham team demanded a rematch. According to J. Gardner Minard, "Bill was too foxy and gravely announced that the Ivanhoe schedule was filled up for the season and promised solemnly that should a vacant date develop, Pelham would get first chance. The chance never came nor did Bill and his giants ever intend it should. However, it taught the Pelhams a lesson to avoid vaudeville baseball in the future."

The final record of the Ivanhoes versus Pelham teams would forever be Won 2 - Lost 0. . . .

* * * * *

"PELHAM 30 YEARS AGO
(Pelham Press, June 4, 1897). . . .

The Ivanhoe Giants of New Rochelle defeated the Pelham Manor Field Club last Saturday to the tune of 23 to 20. . . ."

Source:  PELHAM 30 YEARS AGO (Pelham Press, June 4, 1897), The Pelham Sun, Jun. 10, 1927, p. 10, cols. 1-3.

"PELHAM 30 YEARS AGO
(Pelham Press, June 4, 1897)
-----

As a baseball team, the Ivanhoe colored giants of New Rochelle were a farce. Bill Green, the official village ash collector, a little old darkey with a generous sprinkling of gray wool on his head and through his moustache, was the manager. When his team was playing, he dressed in his best, usually with high hat and cane. He had money and was very liberal with his team. Their antics were a scream and convulsed the spectators who overlooked their playing ability. How they managed to beat the old Pelham Manors is a mystery, nevertheless they celebrated the victory and even advertised in the newspapers that they had beaten the 'Pelhams.' Many thought that this meant the Pelham A. C. which was considered one of the strongest in the county and, and brought Green some very liberal offers from other worthy teams.

In spite of the fact that the Pelham A. C. laughed the claim to scorn, many out of town fans believed that where there is smoke there is fire, so finally the North Pelham aggregation urged by its rooters, arranged a game at the White Hotel grounds. 'Give them a little rope and then hang them' was the secret advice. A large crowd gathered that Sunday to see the fun and Pelham started the show by appointing Bill Green umpire. Bill calmly asked to be informed as to any ground rules and impressed upon the players that there must be no disputing his decision. The Pelhams took the field and the pitcher lobbed the ball over and the giants hit. The fielders let the ball go through their legs and after recovering it would make a wild throw while the crowd roared with amusement and the antics of the colored coachers, three or four of which surrounded first and third bases. Even the umpire in his excitement, waved his hat and cane and urged his players on.

Finally the third man was retired after the Ivanhoes had scored 8 runs. Pelham took the bat and the first three batters fanned horribly while the giants went wild. The second inning was almost like the first in that 7 giants scored before the side was retired. Then Pelham took the reins and decided that there had been enough fun to satisfy the rooters. They began slugging the ball over the field and soon had the giant legs weary chasing long drives. The Ivanhoes were worried and the umpire constantly held up the game to ask the scorer how the game stood. Green chided his men but his brain was also busy. Again he asked the score and ascertained it was 15-14. 'In whose favor?' he asked and was told Ivanhoe's. Raising his cane for silence he said 'Gentlemen: owing to the obscurity of the prevailing darkness and the inclemency of the weather I hereby calls this game in favor of the Ivanhoes.'

He was immediately surrounded by the angry Pelhams who stated that the game had not progressed two innings, there were two men on bases and none out. Also that it was a bright sunny day on a summer afternoon without a cloud in the sky. 'Gentlemen' said Bill, 'you appointed me the official umpire and you must bide by my decision. The Ivanhoes won fair and square and if you is good sports, you will take your medicine.' The crowd saw the humor of the situation and many rolled on the grassy slopes of the hill convulsed with laughter. Pelham suggested a return game but Bill was too foxy and gravely announced that the Ivanhoe schedule was filled up for the season and promised solemnly that should a vacant date develop. Pelham would get first chance. The chance never came nor did Bill and his giants ever intend it should. However, it taught the Pelhams a lesson to avoid vaudeville baseball in the future."

Source:  PELHAM 30 YEARS AGO (Pelham Press, June 4, 1897), The Pelham Sun, Jun. 24, 1927, p. 14, cols. 2-3.

"'GIBBING DE DEBIL HIS DUE'
------

Editor Pelham Sun:

I read your article a week ago [no record of the article exists today] about a baseball game between the old Pelham A. C. and the Ivanhoe Colored Giants of New Rochelle at the old White House grounds in '96. I was at that game and must confess it was highly amusing. The writer of that article, however, omitted the best part of it. It was the Pelham team's turn at the bat in the second half of the third inning when Umpire Green called the game. Immediately it began to look as if a riot was imminent when Green said: 'Gibbing de debil his due, you Pelham boys is sure good players but the Ivanhoes is better for they done beat you.'

OLD ROOTER

Pelham Manor, April 26."

Source:  "GIBBING DE DEBIL HIS DUE", The Pelham Sun, Apr. 30, 1910, Vol. 1, No. 4, p. 2, col. 2.

*          *          *          *          *

I have written more than fifty articles regarding the history of baseball in Pelham and early baseball games played in the Town of Pelham. Below is a listing, with links, of previous postings on the topic of early baseball in Pelham.

Fri., Jan. 12, 2018: More on Pelham's Shamrock Base Ball Club that Played on City Island in the 1880s.

Mon., Nov. 20, 2017: More References to Baseball in 19th Century Pelham.

Tue., Aug. 01, 2017: More on 19th Century Baseball in the Town of Pelham.

Wed., Jul. 12, 2017: The Nonpareils Base Ball Association of City Island During the 1860s.

Wed., Apr. 19, 2017: Pelham Manor Club Defeated Gramatan Country Club in Baseball Game in August, 1902.