1935 Baltimore Tigers Negro League Team Photo Help-Any Negro League Experts??

[Mac927]

I have been researching this team photo and have hit a road block. The Baltimore Black Sox played only a half of season in 1934 and then the team folded. There is no record of an "Official" Negro League team in Baltimore in 1935 but this photo says " Champions" and " Baltimore Tigers" and also has a Trophy as seen in the pictures. Could it be a semi-pro Negro League? A league that was never known to exist?

If anyone has any information on this photo and/or the league that they were apart of, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

B.

[Huck]

According to this link, the Baltimore Tigers were either and independent or barnstorming team from 1930-35.

http://www.cnlbr.org/Portals/0/Teams...nt%20Teams.pdf

[BeanTown]

Cool picture and even more cool old frame!!!

[FirstYearCards]

Frame is the keeper!

I cannot find record of the 1935 Baltimore Tigers in newspaper archives. That does not mean this photo isn't exactly what it indicates only that it may take a regional library with microfiche on site to track this team down. It may be easier to track individuals on the team like "Luke Hall" or "Herb Young" through genealogy records.

That season, the most popular black baseball team in town was the 1935 Baltimore Giants, but their lineup does not match any of the names: McCoy (CF), Patterson (3B), Shopp (SS), Vaughn (1B), Sanders (RF), Downey (C), Tyler (LF), Dyson (2B), Thompson (P), Day (P), Greene (2B), and Downes (P). 5-28-35 Hanover Evening Sun.

Too many African American baseball teams named the "Tigers" to narrow it down even by year. In 1935 alone there were black barnstormers; the Boston Colored Tigers, Cincinnati Tigers, Charleston Tigers, Elrod Tigers (NC), Dewey Tigers (IA), Kingsport Tigers (TX), Marietta Tigers (TX), and Claybrook Tigers (AR) to name only a few in a brief search. One team stands out as more likely than others, Washington DC's LeDroit Tigers, but I can't seem to locate them in 1935 (or after 1926 for that matter). I do not see Sam Lacy in the photo but there is a photo of him in a LeDroit uniform somewhere on the internet. Here's a brief article on Lacy: http://www.greatblackheroes.com/sports/sam-lacy/

Not exactly the definitive answer you were looking for, but do not be discouraged, this may take some time. Keep digging, it's a great pic!

[jerseygary]

Keep in mind too that they may not have been from or played in Baltimore, Maryland. Back then there were many teams that used the name of a big city to attract a crowd on the barnstorming circuit. For example, on the West Coast in the late 20's early 30's there were the Philadelphia Royals who never played in Philly. There was a touring winter-months team called the "Hilldale Giants" that used the name "Hilldale" because of the Philadelphia-area team of the same name that were champions at the time. There were also an LA-based Baltimore Elite Giants who were an entirely different roster than the team of the same name on the East Coast.

I've been researching Baltimore Negro League teams since the 1980's but my focus is on the Black Sox and Elite Giants. If I come across anything in my notes on these guys I'll make sure to let you know.

Who ever they were, it's a great photo and frame!