“An unknown star of Saint Paul”
Continuing to share stories about African American baseball players from Saint Paul, one of the most unknown players that deserves accolades’ is Babe Price. I have been fortunate to watch some of these players firsthand because I was able to watch them play with and against my father. One of the players that I’m not sure I ever saw play was Babe Price. I have heard many oral descriptions of him and now I have been able to find out just how good this left-handed pitcher from St. Paul was.
The Price family was from Lincoln, Nebraska where Harold Price was born. The family moved to Saint Paul in the early 20th century.
Harold does not show up in baseball in his teen years, one of the reasons may be because he did not play baseball in high school or on any of the youth teams. According to Verlene Booker, his sister, Harold was not really interested in school and was enrolled at an Occupational School on Saint Paul’s west side. She shared that he dropped out of school at age 16.
Harold, known by many as “Babe” loved to fish and would go fishing every chance he got and just maybe, take an early leave from classes to go catch the one that got away, yesterday!
Babe joined and served our country as a member of the U. S. Navy.
My first written evidence of Babe Price as a baseball player appears in the Minneapolis Spokesman (a weekly African American newspaper) when he played with the Twin City Colored Giants, the team that George White made famous. My interest in researching these articles was stimulating and exciting because in them it indicated the battery was Price and White, my father Louis White. This Particular article was about them playing in Canada.
The Twin City Colored Giants traveled all over Minnesota, along the St. Croix River Valley, into Wisconsin and any place that they could find a worthy opponent to play. Much of the time this was considered barnstorming and money was to be made. I also believe that male egos wanted to win every game possible and just maybe it was about gaining some dignity by winning against those “white players,” since this was a time of segregated baseball
Dunn County Historical Society One of the research treasures provided to me was from Matt Carter, Dunn County Historical Society in Menominee, Wisc.
I first talked with Matt regarding my baseball exhibit, “They Played for the Love of the Game, Adding to the Legacy of Minnesota Black Baseball.” Matt had shared that they were going to put together an exhibit on Black Baseball at the Dunn County Museum.
Several months later, after corresponding with Matt on general information that we shared back and forth, I received an e-mail.
Matt shared in this email, that I might want to visit the museum and their exhibit on Black Baseball. He believed he had the original scorebook of the game between the “Wakanda Braves vs. Twin City Colored Giants” that included the Giants and Braves Lineups. He shared that he believed one of my relatives may appear in the scorebook.
I did travel to Menomonie to visit the Museum and the exhibit, and yes…the line up in the scorebook did include my father’s name as well as other names that I recognized, Raymond “Red” Presley, John Cotton, Pud White, Price, Smith (maybe Dick), Big Charlie Anderson was scheduled to pitch but for some reason didn’t make the trip and was replaced by Oler in the line-up who played first-base and Babe pitched.
This turned out to be the original scorebook and file about the game on June 18, 1947, what a wonderful treasure this turned out to be. The Wakanda Braves were a team from Menomonie, Wisconsin.
The photo of the scorebook is just the Wakanda Braves side of the book, it shows the strikeouts during this 10-inning game. How special is this to have the original scorebook for such a game. I also asked Matt, where’s Wakanda Park baseball field, he pointed out a window and said, “see that small lake, it’s at the bottom of the lake!” Apparently, folks decided to create a lake rather than keep the ball diamond.
There are several other articles from the Minneapolis Spokesman that include information about games and travels of the Twin City Colored Giants and Babe Price, as well as other players on the team.
Another article from up in Canada, August 23, 1946, “The Calgary All-Stars topped the Twin Cities Colored Giants 9-3 in the opening tilt of an exhibition series. The pitcher for the Giants was Price
A trip north, well worth the trip for two players!
In 1948 the Twin City Colored Giants traveled north to Canada and played six games over three days, July 1, 3 & 4 at Provencher Park, in Winnipeg.
During this six-game road tour, Harold Price and Solomon Drake played very well and both were signed by the Elmwood Giants of the Manitoba Senior League.
“July 4, 1948, after the game, the Elmwood Giants added two Americans to their import list signing Harold Price and Solomon Drake both of the Twin City Colored Giants.” Source – Game reports Western Canadian League.
In Canada, Babe became known as Hal Price, the shorten version of Harold. Being signed in July provided a short season in 1948 and following are his pitching stats; Games – 6, Games started – 5, Complete games – 5 with a record of 1 win and 5 loses.
One of his new teammates was Terry Sawchuk, who won the batting title in 1948, hitting .376 in 27 games. Mr. Sawchuk would go on to be a star in the NHL and induction into the NHL Hall of Fame.
During this first season, Babe would play against another very good Pitcher from St. Paul, John Walton Jr., a graduate of Cretin High School who had moved to the west coast and now played with the San Francisco Sea Lions.
1949 Season
The 1949 season was maybe Babe’s best season, play ing for two teams the Elmwood Giants and Brandon Greys, his pitching stats were; Games – 31, Games started – 18, Complete games – 17, winning 14 games and loosing 8 games with 195 total innings pitched, and was one of the leading pitchers in the league.
Opening season Twin Bill, May 21, 1949
The headline above was from a game on May 21st, a pitchers’ duel highlighted the nightcap. Winslow Means of Brandon and Hal Price of the Giants put on a show for the 2-thousand fans. Both gave up seven hits. Means fanned 14 while Price set down a dozen by strikeouts.
Later during the season on August 9th and 10th Babe, a member of the Elmwood Giants would play against another St. Paul transplant, Toni Stone before a crowd of 3,000. Toni Stone was playing for the New Orleans Creoles. The first game of a two-day game stand had the Creoles winning 10-6 and Toni Stone appeared in three innings. The following day, the Giants would win 15-5, Toni Stone played one inning and Babe played outfield and had 3 hits, 2-doubles & a single in the game. Babe however did not pitch against Toni Stone, but I am sure they had a lengthy conversation about playing in St. Paul as they both had played for the Twin City Colored Giants, although several years apart.
The manager of the Elmwood Giants was Willie Wells Sr. and his (Babe’s) teammate from the TC Colored Giants was Solly Drake, who would later sign with the Chicago Cubs and play for the St. Paul Saints and the Cubs in 1956 and then the Dodgers and Phillies in 1959.
Below are the final stats for the 1949 Manitoba League, note that the Brandon Greys had one of the best seasons ever recorded in the Manitoba Senior League and Western Canadian Baseball. Their record was a remarkable 87 wins, 18 losses and 3 ties. However, Hal Price gave the Greys three of their eighteen losses, two of them in the league best of seven playoffs in August with 5400 and 7000 spectators in attendance.
The top four pitchers played for the Brandon team; Hal Price started the season with the Elmwood Giants but would join the Brandon team at the end of the season. Babe’s 14 & 8 record was recorded as a member of the Elmwood Giants.
MANITOBA FINAL
1949 MSBL Gibbons Dirk BR
G-28, GS-23, CG-20, W-19, L-5, PCT-.792, IP- 198
1949 MSBL Means Winslow BR G-25,
GS-20, CG-17, W-18, L-4, PCT-.818 IP-199
1949 MSBL Watkins Frank BR
G-24, GS-19, CG-18, W-17, L-3, PCT-.850, IP-189
1949 MSBL Price Hal EL/BR
G-31, GS-18, CG-17, W-14, L-8, PCT-.636, IP-195
1950 Season
Confirmation of Babe signing with the Dodgers 1950.
A story in the April 14, 1950 Winnipeg Free Press, mentioned the Giants hoped to attract more talent; “Elmwood Giants of the Manitoba Senior Baseball League Wednesday night announced the signing of Clyde Golden, left-handed Negro pitcher, who it is hoped will make up for the loss of Hal Price, Negro Ace who starred with the club for two seasons before signing a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers.” The Price family was clearly feeling on the upside of things as Babe headed to Vero Beach, the St. Paul Saints had provided his father, Turner Price with a season pass. Babe’s family, Turner and Harriet Price were living at 706 Rondo Ave., in St. Paul, not far from Lexington Ball Park at Lexington Parkway and University Avenue.
Unfortunately, according to his sister Verlene Booker, Babe Price would be involved in an incident in Vero Beach, Florida while at Spring Training, attempting to assist someone in a brawl and was shot in the knee, thus ending his professional career with the Dodgers.
After the incident and a short time to heal, Hal would return to familiar Western Canadian Baseball to pick up after his unfortunate accident to play 1950 with the Sceptre team, a barnstorming team.
I cannot imagine the hurt feelings that Babe had to go through after his disappointment of having to leave the Dodgers, a dream for most baseball players to be signed by a Major League baseball team and especially the Dodgers. The Dodgers had already proven that giving Black players a chance was important to their organization.
But, once that opportunity had slipped away, he decided to return to a place that had also proven to give Black players a chance to succeed based upon their ability on the diamond.
To give you an idea of how good baseball was in Western Canada in 1950; “This season, Western Canada baseball would groom three players, who would be the first black players on three of the major league teams -- Tom Alston, St. Louis Cardinals (April 13, 1954), John Kennedy, Philadelphia Phillies (April 22, 1957), and Elijah “Pumpsie” Green, Boston Red Sox, (July 21, 1959).”
Just three years after Jackie Robinson suited up with the Brooklyn Dodgers, dozens of former Negro Leaguers headed for Manitoba and jobs in the new ManDak League. A lone American team, the Minot Mallards joined two Winnipeg teams, the Buffaloes and Elmwood Giants, the Brandon Greys, and Carman Cardinals in the new circuit which began play in 1950.
Willie Wells Sr., Leon Day, Lyman Bostock Sr., Ray Dandridge, and Ted Double-Duty Radcliffe were among the players to finish out their careers in Canada.
Satchel in Canada to pitch for the Minot Mallards.
From the Minot Daily News, May 11,1950
“When the Minot Mallards launch their semi-pro baseball season here May 27, LeRoy “Satchel” Paige will be wearing the livery of the Magic City team.
The fabulous fireballer has been contracted to pitch parts of three of the Mallards’ first five games, Roy Reimer, president, announced today.
Carman’s Cardinals are scheduled here Saturday night, May 27, and on Sunday afternoon, the 28th. A non-league offering against the Moorhead, Minn. Red Sox will be played the night of May 29. Brandon comes here for afternoon and evening encounters on Memorial Day.
Paige’s contract reached Minot late Wednesday.
Services of three other colored players, for season duty, were also secured yesterday by the Mallards. They are pitchers Lester “Big Spoon” Witherspoon, a righthander from Deland, Fla., and Jimmy Peet, a southpaw from Portsmouth, Va., and infielder Leonard Williams of Lakeland, Fla. The trio is furnished thru Syd Pollock of the Indianapolis Clowns, who supplies colored players to Brandon.
Satchel Paige made quite an impression in his first start in the ManDak League pitching three shutout innings and fanning seven batters. He allowed just one hit. (Winnipeg Free Press, May 31, 1950)
Tournaments
Tournaments became the rage in Western Canada, Sceptre became a very recognizable baseball power; Sceptre was reported to be the king of the tournaments in the 1950 season. The barnstorming club won a reported $17,000 in prize money.
Pitching statistics are not available for Independent teams that played but based upon the above statement, Hal Price was one of their main pitchers. The population of Sceptre is 290. The ball club has been organized for the past 30 years and this year has one of the best teams ever.
Sceptre team roster:
Harry Mahaffy, president, Sceptre, farmer.
Kelly Fyke, vice-president, Sceptre, farmer.
Carl Lacquer, secretary-treasurer, Sceptre, elevator agent.
Fergie Shields, playing manager and first base, Sceptre, age 32, farmer.
Smokey Lutcher, second base, Sceptre, age 26, card player.
Ernie Franks, third base, Sceptre, age 27, principal Gull Lake School.
Bert Olmstead, coach, short stop and pitcher, Sceptre, age 24, farmer.
Jim Shields, center field, Sceptre, age 22, studying for Civil Engineer.
Lindy Serpa, catcher, Oakland, California, police clerk.
Dave Shaw, left field, San Antonio, Texas, horse trainer, age 28.
Hal Price, pitcher, age 24, St. Paul, Minn., ball player.
Walter Powell, third base, Sceptre, age 21, farmer.
Bob Johnson, pitcher, Long Beach, California, school boy.
Clarence Grant, catcher and outfielder, Sceptre, farm machinery agent.
Don Strath, field, age 28, Sceptre, farmer.
Harry Gracie, field, age 19, post office clerk, Sceptre.
Ernie Howes, Sceptre, age 24, farmer.
1951 Season
In 1951 Hal Price would return and play for Sceptre again and help them become one of the best teams in Western Canada.
Sceptre won six tournaments, including the Western Canada championship sponsored by the National Baseball Congress.
However, the best team on the prairies may have been Indian Head. The Rockets walked away with the title in the Western Canada League, at one point winning 22 straight games.
More recognition of his ability.
Medicine Hat: (June 18) Sceptre Panthers won f irst prize money of $1,000 in the Medicine Hat tournament defeating the Indian Head Rockets 4-1 in the final.
Hal Price gave up just six hits and an unearned run in taking the victory over mound opponent Jesse Blackman. Pedro Osorio had a homer for the Panthers.
Officials selected a tournament all-star team; Catcher -- John Noce, Medicine Hat, First base -- Tom Alston, Indian Head, Second base -- Willie Reed, Medicine Hat, Third base -- Charlie Robinson, Indian Head, Shortstop -- Clemente Varona, Indian Head, Left f ield -- Al Endriss, Medicine Hat, Centre field -- Gene Jacobs, Medicine Hat, Right field -- Les Witherspoon, Indian Head, Pitcher -- Hal Price, Sceptre Second team battery -- Jesse Blackman, Indian Head and Ed Garay, Sceptre
End of the season: Western Canada Semi Professional Baseball Championship
Western Canada: (September 06) Pitcher Hal Price again was a key as Sceptre Nixons captured the Western Canada semi-professional baseball championship. Just a day after he pitched a complete game three-hitter, Price held Indian Head to seven hits and survived a ninth inning rally as Sceptre scored a 7-5 victory. With the win Sceptre was also crowned as the Canadian champions by the National Baseball Congress.
Price held the Rockets to four hits over eight innings as the Nixons held a 7-1 lead going into the bottom of the ninth. Indian Head pushed across three markers and had the bases loaded with one out when Price got Les Witherspoon and Tom Alston to ground out to end the game. Nixon center fielder Gene Jacobs was the star at the plate with three hits. In five games, Jacobs had 12 hits in 21 at bats
Sceptre 7 Indian Head 5
Price and Garay
Brewer and Landrum
Recalling the night.
George Mahaffy, Sceptre first baseman-pitcher, recalled in a 2001 interview how the ‘ol sore arm trick helped Sceptre capture the Western semi-pro title
“ ... By the time we got there, we had gone broke and we had a local guy who was in the oil business in Edmonton come along and say I’ll put thousands of dollars into your club if you’ll let me put my name on the back of your uniform. We became known as the Sceptre Nixons after Red Nixon ... so Red is traveling with the team, but he hardly knew first base from third base
Hal Price pitched against the Indian Head Rockets and beat them. Next night, we are in the finals against Indian Head … and Red Nixon comes out and says to me “Big George you’re pitching this”. Fergie Shields, backbone of our team … says “George, you go out and warm up and get a sore arm”. So, I go out and it is wet in Saskatoon, the old field on Avenue A, Cairns Field. So, I just throw the hell out of the ball for five minutes and my arm’s sore. So, Price is told to go as far as he can and then we’ll do something else.”
Price ended up going the distance against Chet Brewer* to lead Sceptre to the champions
*Among the most renown of the former Negro League stars was Chet Brewer who, in his heyday, was a match for the legendary Satchel Paige. Brewer began his Negro League career in 1925. Although in his mid-40s, Brewer would be the ace of the Sceptre tournament team and later in the season, the Indian Head Rockets.
“Brewer was one of a stable of Kansas City Monarch pitchers that included the legendary Satchel Paige and Bullet Joe Rogan. He defeated some of the best hurlers of his day, both black and white - Willie Foster, Slim Jones, Smokey Joe Williams, Bob Feller, and Paige. He had a lively fastball and a devastating overhand “drop ball,” which was especially tough on left-handed hitters. He also threw a legal emery ball. In 1926, his first full season with the Monarchs, Brewer went 12-1 with eight complete games. His .842 winning percentage (16-3) led the league in 1929; that season, he pitched 31 consecutive scoreless innings against league competition. One of his greatest performances came under the lights in 1930 against the Homestead Grays’ Smokey Joe Williams. Brewer struck out 19, including 10 in a row, only to lose 1-0 in 12 innings on a fluke hit by Chaney White. Brewer won 30 games that year. He won 16 straight games in 1934 and finished the season with 33 victories against league and non-league opponents. Pitching in Mexico in 1939, he threw two no-hitters. Brewer was a Pittsburgh Pirates scout from 1957 to 1974 and later worked for the Major League Scouting Bureau.” (CBS SportsLine)
Back row: Bill Shields, Fergie Shields, Les Wilder, Cliff (Jake) Jacobson, Barney Fox, Roy Scheppert, Bobby Prescott, Chet Brewer, Pedro Osorio Front row: Alex Maxwell, Ken Jackson, Al Powell, George Mahaffy, Hal Price, Clarence Grant (Photo courtesy Great Sandhills Historical Society, Sceptre)
Because Hal Price (Babe) played for the independent and barnstorming team, his pitching statistics are not available. But after reviewing the success of the team and the story shared by George Mahaffy, it’s easy to see that Hal was one of the aces of the team, after Chet Brewer joined the Indian Head Rockets, he was the ace!
Baseball in Western Canada was becoming a home for many former Negro League stars and other very good baseball players pursuing the opportunity to play professional baseball at some level.
Cecil Littles from St. Paul and another member of the Twin City Colored Giants would play for the Estevan Maple Leafs of the Western Canada League in 1951. Cecil’s wife recalls when George White took Cecil to the train station and put him on the train headed for Canada.
1952 Season
Returning to Canada and his love of baseball, Hal Price would play for Coach/Player Manager, Ted Double-Duty Radcliffe, and the Winnipeg Giants team in the ManDak league.
He would have a very good season, leading the ManDak league in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts.
Here is the roster with I hope some familiar names from the Negro Leagues that made up the Winnipeg team.
Winnipeg Giants Roster: Bryant Allen Lefty LHP (also Minot), Cannuli Nick INF, Christianson Earl P, Cox Bill P, Deskin Jack C, Douglas Jesse 2B, Endriss Al OF, Fernandez Arnie P, Finch Ray LHP, Gallegos Mel (also Carman), Gonzales Cliff OF, Harvey Bob OF, Hyde Cowan OF, King Kevin, Lockett Lester 2B/OF (also Kitchener), Loewen Don OF, Louden Lou C, McCoy Walter RHP (also Carman), Parker Tom RHP (also Brantford), Peterson Bill MGR, Powell Jerry, Price Hall LHP, Radcliffe Ted Double Duty C/P MGR, Spearman Al RHP, Stathos Garth, Strong Othello RHP, Tehero Al (also Brandon), Washington John 1B, White Ray 1B, Wilson Dan OF, Wilson Emmett OF
Following are just a few game highlights of Babe’s pitching during the season.
May 24: Nick Canulli’s bases-loaded single in the 7th inning drove in the winner as Winnipeg Giants erased a 4-0 deficit to edge Carman 5-4 at Osborne Stadium to gain a split of their season-opening doubleheader. Lefty Hal Price limited the Cards to just five hits in gaining the win. He allowed just one earned run.
May 25: At Minot, there was a record crowd of 3,500 for the season opener and the Mallards obliged the throng with a 3-1 win over Winnipeg Giants. Yogi Giammarco broke up a 1-1 tie with a 6th inning homer. Jonas Gaines held the Giants to four hits in going the distance for the win. Kev King was the loser
King (L), Price (6) and Gallegos
Gaines (W) and Massaro
In reviewing this game, it was obviously a big game and the team would bring back Price to pitch without any day’s rest as a reliever.
June 5: Winnipeg Giants unleashed an 18-hit attack to hand Minot its first loss of the season, a 9-5 drubbing at Winnipeg. Giants sewed up the win with a four-run 5th inning. John Washington’s two-run homer was the key blow. Hal Price went the distance for the win and contributed at the plate with two hits. New manager, Ted Double Duty Radcliffe, directed traffic for the Giants from the third base box.
June 24: The pitching and hitting of Hal Price led Winnipeg to an 8-3 win over the pace-setting Minot Mallards. Price pitched a five-hitter and belted a two run homer. Dan Wilson had three hits for the Giants, a homer, double and single.
July 16: In a pitching duel in Winnipeg, Minot and the Giants fought to a 1-1 tie called at the end of the 13 innings by a curfew. Jonas Gaines tossed an eight hitter for the Mallards, while Hal Price allowed just nine. Gaines fanned seven and walked seven. Price had ten strikeouts and three walks. Minot shortstop Zoonie McLean had an outstanding game, a double and single at the plate and 10 defensive plays, several of the outstanding variety. Curly Haas, business manager of the Giants, announced that Ted Radcliffe and Othello Strong had been suspended indefinitely. Radcliffe was released by the Giants on Saturday and Strong jumped the club to go with Radcliffe. Jesse Douglas has been named playing-manager.
Gaines and Massaro
Price and Louden
August 13: Winnipeg’s Hal Price won his 10th game of the season pitching the Giants to an 8-5 win over Minot. Lou Louden and Dan Wilson led the Giants’ 12-hit attack each with a double and single. Don Corcoran gave the home folks something to cheer about with an inside-the-park homer in the 3rd inning.
Price (10-5) and Louden
Gaines (L) Martin (6), Murray (8) and Massaro
Some other familiar player names that played against Babe; Minot Mallards-John Kennedy, Carmen Cardinals – Gentry Jessup RHP, Lyman Bostock Sr 1B, Lester Lockett 2B/OF; Brandon Greys - Gread “Lefty” McKinnis LHP*, Willie Wells SS/Mgr,
*Gread “Lefty” McKinnis was the MVP of the AMABL Class A-Minnesota State Tournament in 1947 pitching for the Rochester Queens. During that season, his record was 26-4 overall and averaged 16 strikeouts per game.
In batting a player, according to official rules, must have as many official times at bat as the number of games times 2.6.
For example, Les Lockett of Winnipeg had a .390 average - 21 points better than McLean›s - but he had only 100 official times at bat. The number of games scheduled by each team, 54 times 2.6 is 140, leaving Lockett short 40 by appearances.
Lefty Hal Price of Winnipeg Giants led the 1952 ManDak league in wins, with 10. He also topped the loop in innings, 153 and in strikeouts with 130.
Wins: Price WG - 10
Innings: Price WG - 153
Strikeouts: Price WG - 130
MAN-DAK LEAGUE
Price, Hal WG W-10, L-5, PCT-.667, IP-153
Jessup, Gentry CA W-8, L-8, PCT-.500, IP-125
Kelly, John MI W-7, L-2, PCT-.778, IP- 84
Cain, Sugar MI W-7, L-3, PCT-.700, IP-74
THE TEAMS
ELMWOOD GIANTS, WINNIPEG
BUFFALOS, WINNIPEG
CARMAN CARDINALS, MANITOBA
BRANDON GREYS, MANITOBA
INDIAN HEAD ROCKETS, SASKATCHEWAN
SCEPTRE, SASKATCHEWAN
MEDICINE HAT, ALBERTA
MINOT MALLARDS, MINOT
1953 Season
Babe would see his final season in Canada playing for the same Winnipeg team; however, they changed their name to the Winnipeg Royals.
Winnipeg Royals Roster: Barry Bill 2B, Barry Jack 1B, Beck Paul, Brown Danny, Butcher Dick, Cabrera Rafe SS/UT, Cleveland Bill OF, Deskin Jack C (also Brandon), Douglas Jesse 2B (also Brandon), Forten Carlos RHP (also Florida Cubans), Gallegos Mel, Gibbons Dirk RHP, Gowett Chuck P, Hairfield , Hinson Jim, Hughes Pete, Jackson Buzz (also Saskatoon), Kanshin Mike RHP (also Saskatoon), Louden Lou C, Merrill Rollie, Moore Dee C, Myers Ken, Parker Fred RHP, Preston Al P/OF (also Carman), Price Hal LHP, Rittenberg Bob 3B, Rocco Mickey 1B (also Minot), Spaeter Bill OF/1B, Strader Bob, Taylor Harry J RHP, Washburn Bill LHP (also Minot), Williams Mike (also Regina Caps)
His pitching statistics for this final season were Game – 14, Games started – 10, Complete games – 6, wins 4 and 2 losses.
Price, Hal WG
14 10 6 4 2 .667 IP 89 H 58 R 58 BB 42 SO 54
In reviewing the game schedule, in official appearances Babe shows up on July 9 as the winner, then again in games on July 19, July 28, Aug 8, Aug 15, Aug 20, Aug 27 and Aug 30.
Given this schedule and his appearances, the notation in Jimmy Griffin’s Sports column is probably incorrect, however, I’m not sure of travel time from Winnipeg to the Twin Cities by train, maybe he did play in the southern Minnesota league, however, probably not.
On July 10, 1953, in Griffin’s Sports by Jimmy Griffin in the Minneapolis Spokesman newspaper, the following appears in his column.
“Babe Price is pitching for Rochester in the southern Minnesota Baseball league.”
But, when I reviewed the leagues listed on the Western Canadian Baseball league web site,
https://www.attheplate.com/wcbl/wmbl.html, here is the list; Saskatchewan League, Southern League, Northeastern Saskatchewan League, ManDak League, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Southern Minnesota.
This is very confusing unless they had some connection for exhibition games or something like that but there is seems to be no other connection, but this could be were Jimmy Griffin confused Babe pitching in the Southern Minnesota league in 1953.
Knowing that Babe Price loved to fish, I have to believe that while he really liked his baseball career in Canada, this also provided him a great opportunity for his second passion, to do some great fishing every chance he had in those six seasons north of the border. Imagine, people today pay large amounts of money to travel to Canada just to fish, Babe was already there!
It is hard to know exactly how much Babe played after the 1953 season in Canada, if at all but we do know that he for sure played in the Saint Paul AA baseball leagues for several seasons.
We’ll probably never know why he decided not to return to Canada, it seemed as though he was one of the best pitchers in the ManDak league and in Canada, and according to my math, I believe he would have only been 27 years old.
Many will remember, “here comes the Babe,” on his usual appearances!
After reading this story, you’ve seen a number of names that have been in BOLD, a summary list of those players that played with or against Babe during his career in Canada is included below to help identify for the reader, who they are!
Former Negro Leagues players:
1. Lyman Bostock Sr. – Birmingham Black Barons*
2. Chet Brewer – Kansas City Monarchs*
3. Allen Bryant – Kansas City Monarchs*
4. Rafe Cabrera – Indianapolis Clowns
5. Marlon (Sugar) Cain – Pittsburgh Crawfords*
6. Ray Dandridge – Newark Eagles*
7. Leon Day – Newark Eagles*
8. Jessie Douglas – Chicago American Giants*
9. Ray Finch – Cleveland Buckeyes
10. Jonas Gains – Baltimore Elite Giants*
11. Clyde Golden – Newark Eagles*
12. Bob Harvey – Newark Eagles*
13. Cowan (Bubber) Hyde – Memphis Red Sox*
14. Gentry Jessup – Chicago American Giants
15. John Kennedy – Birmingham Black Barons*
16. Lester Lockett – Chicago American Giants*
17. Louis Louden – New York Cubans
18. Walter McCoy – Chicago American Giants
19. Gread (Lefty) McKinnis – Chicago American Giants*
20. Pedro Osorio – Louisville Buckeyes
21. Satchel Paige – Kansas City Monarchs*
22. Tom Parker – Memphis Red Sox*
23. Al Preston – New York Black Yankees
24. Ted (Double Duty) Radcliffe – Birmingham Black Barons*
25. Toni Stone – Indianapolis Clowns*
26. Othello Strong – Chicago American Giants
27. John Washington – Birmingham Black Barons*
28. Willie Wells Sr. – Newark Eagles*
29. Leonard Williams – Indianapolis Clowns
30. Dan Wilson – Pittsburgh Crawfords*
31. Emmett Wilson – Pittsburgh Crawfords*
32. Lester Witherspoon – Indianapolis Clowns*
*Played for multiple teams
References:
Western Canadian Baseball League: https://www.attheplate.com/wcbl/wmbl.html (1940 & 1950 tabs)
Winnipeg Free Press, April 14, 1950
Dunn County News, June 25, 1947
Dunn County Historical Society, Matt Carter
Verlene Booker, oral interviews (sister of Harold Babe Price)
Minneapolis Spokesman Newspaper: April 21, 1944 Twin City Giants Spring Training is Now Underway, June 30, 1944, Giants Defeat Wold Chamberlains, June 7, 1946 Giants Play at Lexington Tuesday, June 18th, June 14, 1946, Giants Play at Lexington Tuesday Night, June 18th, July 12, 1946, Twin City Giants Take Four Out of Five Games( Port Williams and Port Arthur, Canada), July 19, 1946, Colored Giants To Play at Lexington Friday Night, July 26, 1946, Twin City Colored Giants Play Bayport Sunday, August 27, 1948, Harold Price May Go To S. A. with K.C. Monarchs,
Only the Ball Was White, A History of Legendary Black Players and All-Black Professional Teams, Robert Peterson
Minnesota History Center, Microfilm, St. Paul City Directory 1949
https://barrierbreakers.nlbm.com/player/john-kennedy/
https://barrierbreakers.nlbm.com/player/pumpsie-green/
https://barrierbreakers.nlbm.com/player/tom-alston/
