40 Greatest Negro League Figures by SABR : A Legendary List on Baseball Almanac

40 Greatest Negro League Figures

The Society for American Baseball Research, or SABR, is the most widely recognized authority on baseball history. Their research in every field of baseball has lead to more books and information found in books than any other group in history. Members of Society for American Baseball Research voted in 1999 on five different lists and these are the results of the their forty greatest Negro League Figures.

"As far as I'm concerned, Ol' Satch'll be back." - Satchel Paige

40 Greatest Negro League Figures by SABR (1999)
Rank	Name
39	Elwood "Bingo" DeMoss
	Bruce Petway
	Quincy Trouppe
38	Sam Jethroe
35	Newt Allen
	John Beckwith
	Sol White
34	Jose Mendez
33	Ben Taylor
32	Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe
30	Larry Doby
30	William Augustus "Gus" Greenlee
29	Dick Lundy
28	Hilton Smith
26	John "Buck" O'Neil
26	Ernest "Jud" Wilson
25	J.L. Wilkinson
24	Effa Manley
23	Cumberland "Cum" Posey
22	Louis Santop
21	"Cannonball" Dick Redding
20	Cristobal Torriente
19	Monte Irvin
18	William "Willie" Foster
17	Raleigh "Biz" Mackey
16	Leon Day
15	William "Judy" Johnson
13	George "Mule" Suttles
13	"Smokey" Joe Williams
11	Ray Dandridge
11	Wilber "Bullet' Rogan
8	Martin Dihigo
	Norman "Turkey" Stearnes
	Willie "The Devil" Wells
5	Andrew "Rube" Foster
	Josh Gibson
	John Henry "Pop" Lloyd
4	Oscar Charleston
3	James "Cool Papa" Bell
1	Walter "Buck" Leonard
1	Leroy "Satchel" Paige
40 Greatest Negro League Figures by SABR

If you enjoy history, and do not know much about Negro League baseball, then you should seriously consider purchasing the Complete History of the Negro Leagues.

Oscar Charleston was often referred to as "the black Tris Speaker" for his skill in center field, "the black Ty Cobb" for his base running, and "the black Babe Ruth" for his power at the plate.

Connie Mack once said, "You could put (Honus) Wagner and (Pop) Lloyd in a bag together and whichever you pulled out you wouldn't go wrong!"

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