The following article about the Homestead Grays playing the Beaver Falls Elks highlights the barnstorming nature of baseball in the Negro Leagues. This is a rare look at the Grays during their early years. Long back breaking bus rides were the norm. Games in small towns across the great heart land meant the pay day was small but there was always another game on the road ahead. The teams also faced more tolerance in the west than back east or down south.
After limiting the Homestead Grays to three hits for six innings Holis Canon finally lost his effectiveness against the colored aggregation here last night and they plastered Beaver Falls for a 9 to 2 beating. This puts the count at 4 to 2 for the season in the series between these two rival teams.
The game was one of the best that has been played on the local field for six innings. Up until that stanza the count stood at 2 to 2. Several breaks and misplays combined gave the Gray’s their first two markers on three hits. The Elks got their pair in a batting rally in the fourth. However, in the seventh the visitors went on a rampage when Dolly Gray lifted one over the fence with two men on and only the fact that the game was limited to nine innings kept Cum Posey’s men from adding to their total indefinitely.
The visiting aggregation lost no time getting one on the slate. After Dolly Gray had grounded out to Croud, Vic Harris was safe when McCullough loafed on his fly to left. Owens followed with a single which moved Harris to third and he scored when Canon made a wild pitch. McCullough was in left field last night and Pearson moved to second base to fill the hole left by Romele who is out with an injured finger.
No more scoring was done until the fourth when the Elks assumed a one-one lead for the only time during the game. Croud opened with a single. Pearson filed out to Washington and McGinley was out Sam Streeter to Jap Washington. Lefty Hughes cracked out a healthy double which brought Earl over tying the score. McCullough drew a walk and Meuser got a double bringing Lefty Hughes over with the second run of the inning.
In the very next inning the Grays tied the count when Bobby Williams doubled then proceeded to steal third and home on two consecutive double steals worked by him and Mo Harris who walked. The play at home looked like a bum decision for the Elks and they protested with their usual vigor and with the usual results.
In the next inning Dolly Gray, the Homestead middle fielder stepped into the limelight and stayed there for the remainder of the game. In the last half of the sixth he robbed McGinley and Hughes of hits with two of the most sensational catches that have been made on this field. Two more feet on Dewey hit would have put it over the fence. Dolly Gray leaped into the air and the force of the ball threw him against the fence but he held on to the sphere. Lefty followed Dewey to bat and put one a little to the right of the same spot and Dolly Gray gobbled it up for the third out.
Not content with furnishing the fielding features he proceeded to put in a bad for the batting honors of the game. After Bobby Williams had grounded out Canon passed Mo Harris. Pierce flied out to Kelly for the second out of the inning. Lefty Streeter got a neat single putting Harris on third. Dolly Gray came to bat and rapped one high and dry over the left fence for the only home run of the game. This put the count at 5 to 2 in favor of Posey’s men.
In the eighth they added another to their total when Cleo Smith singled and scored on Mo Harris’ long triple to right field. In the ninth they tallied three more. Dolly Gray then got a triple which have been a home run had Kelly not whipped the ball in a hurry. Vic Harris was safe on a fielder’s choice and Meuser’s error allowed Dolly Gray to score. Owens hit a fly to left field and McCullough’s throw home in an attempt to catch Vic Harris was bad allowing him to score. Jap Washington hit a single and scored the third and that run when Smith got a similar hit.
Grays Line-up, Dolly Gray-Mf, Vic Harris-Lf, Owens-Rf, Jap Washington-1b, Cleo Smith-3b, Bobby Williams-SS, Mo Harris-2b, Pierce-S, Sam Streeter-P.
Beaver Falls Elks Line-p, Buffington-SS, Kelly-Mf, Pearson-Lf, McGinley-3b, Hughes-Rf, McCullough-1b, Meuser-C, Canon-P.
Notes. The Elks line-up is incomplete. According to the review Pearson played at second and Croud took his place.
Beaver Falls Tribune
