Cleveland Buckeyes
From BR Bullpen
The 11th Negro League team from Cleveland, OH was the only one to last more than two years and just the second to last more than one season. In 1942 the Cincinnati Buckeyes of the Negro American League had played some games in Cleveland but in 1943 they moved to town full-time. In their first year they had the second-best record yet by a Negro League club in Cleveland as they went 25-20. OF Thad Christopher hit .367, while OF Sam Jethroe (.291) led the NAL in doubles (8) and triples (4). Eugene Bremer (10-3) tied for the NAL lead in victories. In 1944 the team went 40-41 under manager Parnell Woods, who also hit .329 as the main third baseman, finishing third in the loop in hitting. The leader was Jethroe (.353), who also had the most doubles (14) and steals (18). George Jefferson (9-6, 1.99) led the NAL in ERA while Bremer went 10-6 and hit .340 to boot.
The Buckeyes went 53-16 to take the title. Quincy Trouppe (.208) was the player-manager. Woods hit .335 and Ducky Davenport .345, but Jethroe continued to shine the brightest as he led the league in average (.394), triples (10) and steals (21). They had three of the top pitchers as well - George Jefferson (12-1, 2.67) was second in wins and fifth in RA, brother Willie Jefferson (10-3, 2.17) was second in RA and third in wins and Bremer went 9-4 with a 2.22 RA, finishing third in RA and fourth in victories. Cleveland wrapped up their great season by sweeping the Negro World Series from the Homestead Grays in four games, though the Grays had four All-Stars and Cleveland had none and Davenport had jumped the team late in the year. George Jefferson and Frank Carswell pitched back-to-back shutouts in the final two games against a club featuring Buck Leonard, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell and Jud Wilson.
Cleveland fell to 26-27 the next year though 1B Archie Ware (.381), Trouppe (.313) and Jethroe (.310, 5th in average, second with 6 homers and leading with 20 steals) all had fine years. Willie Jefferson and Davenport were in Mexico and Chet Brewer (6-9) failed to pick up the slack.
The Buckeyes won another pennant in 1947 under Trouppe. Ware hit .349, Trouppe .352 and Jethroe .340 while Brewer improved to 12-6. Webbo Clarke (11-2) also was effective on the mound. Sam Jones (4-2) and SS Al Smith would later appear in Major League Baseball for another Cleveland team. The Buckeyes lost the World Series to the New York Cubans 4 games to 2.
Cleveland went 41-42 in 1948 as Smith (.311) moved to the outfield and led the league in doubles (27) and triples (17) and finished second in homers (12). Ware hit .349 and Jethroe .296. Jones went 9-8 while Brewer (5-5, 3.22) finished fifth in the NAL in ERA. In 1949 the club moved to Louisville, KY before returning for a final season in '50.
Sources: "The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues" by John Holway, "The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues" by James Riley
