Need Help With Isaac "Ike" Ward (1879-?)
 

Was he among the first African American managers of a white baseball team?

I have found only a little on 25th infantry/Fort George Wright/Colville pitcher Isaac "Ike" Ward's baseball career, but what I have found is intriguing. Relatively well known in eastern Washington during the early 1910's he was regarded as the "pitcher that made the Fort George Wright black baseball team famous".

Born in Mississippi he later moved to Houston, Texas according to the 1900 census. He joined the US military's 25th infantry, also known as the buffalo soldiers, shortly after the Brownsville Riots in 1907. He attained the rank of sergeant in COmpany M of the 25th. After a two year assignment in the Philippines they returned stateside to Washington at Fort Lawton in Seattle and Fort George Wright in Spokane. Those stationed at Fort George Wright gained notoriety on and off the field as they were front line firefighters in the most catastrophic wildfire in Idaho state history.

Only in the area from 1910 to 1912 the 25th infantry baseball was woven into Spokane's black community. In January 1913 the unit was reassigned overseas and Ward decided to stay in eastern Washington. He wrote the managers of the baseball team in Colville, where the 25th had played previous seasons. "Ike Ward the popular colored pitcher for the Fort Wright baseball team, is in Colville this week. Ward states that he served five years and nine months in the regular army and has all the soldiering he wants, and is now looking for something to do where he can play ball as a side line." (Colville Examiner, 2-15-1913)

His assistance was very welcomed in town. He was among the first African American managers of a white baseball team in the history of our national pastime. Ward held managerial jobs in Colville, Washington from 1913 to 1915. "Ike Ward in addition to his duties as supervisor of the ball park is now coaching the regulars, the high school team, the AK's (Alaskans), and the Cracker Jacks." (Colville Examiner, 5-10-13) He also organized and led the local boy-scout troop at town events. (Colville Examiner, 9-12-14)

Predictably Ward's leadership in Colville was met with hostility by other town teams in the area. "It is stated that there was more baseball dope handled in Colville last Saturday than ever before in the history of the national game. It appears that the controversy arose between the Colville team and the Kettle Falls management over the matter of who should be the pitcher for the Colville team in the Sunday game. As this was an important game it was agreed by the Colville management, the Colville team and the Colville fans that Ike Ward, the colored pitcher that made the Fort Wright team famous, now living in Colville, would pitch the game. But when the manager of the Kettle Falls club heard that Ward would be in the box, he protested on the grounds that it was all right for Colville to play with or against a 'n*****' but that it was far beneath the dignity of him and his team to stoop to this level. This piece of sarcasm by the Georgian from the suburban town so shamed the Colville boys that they informed Slagle that Ward would pitch or the game would be called off, whereupon Slagle agreed that there would be no game." (Colville Examiner, 5-13-1913)

Ward married in Butte, Montana, 1916. He returned to Houston by 1917 for draft registration, and stayed there through 1930. I am searching for information on this ballplayer from net54 board members, especially in Texas and eastern Washington. I am sure he played in Texas before 1907 and probably after 1916. Thank you all in advance.

Ty, I love your posts like this one. They are always so well researched, interesting, and informative.

Thank you Mike.

Ran into Ike Ward's and the 25th infantry story while trying to dig up information on Claxton in the Stevens County League. I never did find him. I'll be posting something about the 1907 Yakima Black Stockings later this week. Wish I could make it to the WSSCA show this weekend.