This list of major Negro league baseball teams consists of teams that played in the seven major Negro baseball leagues. For a league to be considered "major," there were usually two top-tier leagues at a time: one representing the northeastern states – known as the "East", and one representing the north-central states – known as the "West". Formal leagues were organized in 1920.
West, 1920–1931: Negro National League (1920–1931) East, 1923–1928: Eastern Colored League East, 1929: American Negro League East/West, 1932: East–West League & Negro Southern League (1920–1936) East, 1933–1948: Negro National League (1933–1948) West, 1937–1948: Negro American League
In December 2020, 75 years and one month after Jackie Robinson signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Major League Baseball announced they were finally recognizing these seven major leagues on par with other major leagues.
The following teams played at least one partial season in one of the major Negro leagues. Some teams also played as either a barnstorming (or traveling) team, a minor league team or a team that existed after the integration of Major League Baseball (1946) when the talent level declined dramatically.
Alabama Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Birmingham Black Barons 1920 1961 NSL (1920–23, 26, 31–36)NNL1 (1924–25, 27–30)NAL (1937–38, 40–61) NSL was a minor league every season except 1932 Did not field a team for 1939 Montgomery Grey Sox (II) 1931 1932 Independent (1931)NSL (1932)
Arkansas Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Little Rock Grays 1932 1932 Negro Southern League
Delaware Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Wilmington Potomacs(See Washington Potomacs) 1925 1925 ECL (1925) Disbanded mid-season 1925
District of Columbia Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Washington Black Senators 1938 1938 ECL (1938) Disbanded in August before season ended Washington Elite Giants(See Baltimore Elite Giants) 1936 1937 NNL2 (1936–37) Washington Pilots 1932 1932 EWL (1932) Washington Potomacs club Washington Potomacs (1923–24) Wilmington Potomacs (1925) 1923 1925 Independent (1923)ECL (1924–25) Washington Homestead Grays(See Homestead Grays) 1939 NNL2 (1939–48)Independent (1949–) Split home games in Pittsburgh Alternately known as Washington Grays later Sparingly used Pittsburgh as home field after
Florida Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Jacksonville Red Caps club Jacksonville Red Caps (1938) Cleveland Bears (1939–40) Jacksonville Red Caps (1941–42) 1938 1942 NAL (1938–42) Disbanded midway through 1942 season
Georgia Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Atlanta Black Crackers (I) club Atlanta Black Crackers (I) (1919–38) Indianapolis ABCs (IV) (1939) 1919 1939 Ind.(19,22–25,28,30–31,33–34,37)NSL(I)(20–21,26–27,29,32,35–36)NAL (1938–39) NSL was a minor league every season except 1932 Disestablished May 1939
Illinois Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Chicago American Giants 1910 1952 Independent (1910–19)NNL1 (1920–31) NSL (1932)NNL2 (1933–35)Independent (1936)NAL (1937–52) Formed via 1909 split of Leland Giants Known as Leland Giants (II) 1910 Also known as Cole's American Giants 1932–35 Moved majority of home games temporarily to Indianapolis 1933 Chicago Giants 1910 1921 Independent (1910–19)NNL1 (1920–21) Formed via 1909 split of Leland Giants
Indiana Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Cole's American Giants(See Chicago American Giants) 1933 1933 NNL2 (1933) Played majority of home games temporarily in Indianapolis 1933 Indianapolis ABCs (I) 1926 Independent (1913–19)NNL1 (1920–26) Indianapolis ABCs (II) club Indianapolis ABCs (II) (1931–33) Detroit Stars (II) (1933) 1931 1933 NNL1 (1931)NSL (1932)NNL2 (1933) Relocated to Detroit shortly after opening day 1933 Indianapolis ABCs (III)(See St. Louis Stars (III)) 1938 1938 NAL (1938) Indianapolis ABCs (IV)(See Atlanta Black Crackers (I)) 1939 1939 NAL (1939) Disestablished May 1939 Indianapolis Clowns club Miami Giants () Ethiopian Clowns (–42) Cincinnati Clowns (1943) Indianapolis–Cincinnati Clowns (1944) Cincinnati Clowns (1945) Indianapolis Clowns (1946–62) 1962 Independent (–42)NAL (1943–55)Independent (1956–62) Indianapolis Athletics 1937 1937 NAL (1937) Indianapolis Crawfords(See Pittsburgh Crawfords) 1940 1940 NAL (1940) Folded after 1940 season
Kentucky Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Louisville Black Caps club Louisville Black Caps (1930) Louisville White Sox (1931) Louisville Black Caps (1932) 1930 1932 Independent (1930)NNL1 (1931)NSL (1932) Folded August 1932. Remnants may have merged into Columbus Turf Club.
Louisiana Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Monroe Monarchs 1920s 1935 Negro Southern League (1932) NSL only organized league to complete the 1932 season(Considered de facto Major League) St. Louis–New Orleans Stars(See St. Louis Stars (III)) 1940 1941 NAL (1940–41) Split home games between New Orleans and St. Louis
Maryland Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Baltimore Black Sox (I) 1916 1933 Independent (1916–22)ECL (1923–28)ANL (1929)Independent (1930–31)EWL (1932)NNL2 (1933) Baltimore Black Sox (II) 1934 1934 NNL2 (1934) Only played second half of season then folded Baltimore Elite Giants club Nashville Standard Giants (1919–20) Nashville Elite Giants (1921–34) Columbus Elite Giants (1935) Washington Elite Giants (1936–37) Baltimore Elite Giants (1938–51) 1919 1951 Independent (1919–29)NNL1 (1930)NSL (1931–32)NNL2 (1933–48)NAL (1949–51) Dissolved around 1951
Michigan Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Detroit Stars (I) 1919 1931 Independent (1919)NNL1 (1920–31) Detroit Stars (II)(See Indianapolis ABCs (II)) 1933 1933 NNL2 (1933) Relocated from Indianapolis shortly after opening day 1933 Detroit Stars (III) 1937 1937 NAL (1937) Detroit Wolves 1932 1932 EWL (1932) Only season in existence
Missouri Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Kansas City Monarchs 1920 1965 NNL1 (1920–31)Independent (1932–36)NAL (1937–61)Independent (1962–65) Later based in Grand Rapids, MI 1956–65 St. Louis Stars (I) 1906 1931 Independent (1906–19)NNL1 (1920–31) Known as St. Louis Giants 1906–21 St. Louis Stars (II) 1937 1937 NAL (1937) Only season in existence St. Louis Stars (III) club Indianapolis ABCs (III) (1938) St. Louis Stars (III) (1939) St. Louis–New Orleans Stars (1940–41) Harrisburg–St. Louis Stars (1943) 1938 1943 NAL (1938–41)NNL2 (1943) Played home games in New Orleans and St. Louis 1940–41 Did not field a team for 1942; team merged with New York Black Yankees of NNL Played all home games in Harrisburg; none in St. Louis 1943
New Jersey Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Bacharach Giants (I) 1916 1929 Independent (1916–22)ECL (1923–28)ANL (1929) Based in Atlantic City (Not to be confused with the Philadelphia-based team of the same name.) Newark Browns 1932 1932 EWL (1932) Newark Dodgers 1933 1935 Independent (1933)NNL2 (1934–35) Merged with Brooklyn Eagles to become Newark Eagles 1936 (See Newark Eagles entry) Newark Eagles club Newark Eagles (1936–48) Houston Eagles (1949–50) New Orleans Eagles (1950–51) 1936 1951 NNL2 (1936–48)NAL (1949–51) Formed via 1936 merger of: Newark Dodgers (1933–35) Brooklyn Eagles (1935) Newark Stars 1926 1926 ECL (1926)
New York Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Brooklyn Eagles 1935 1935 NNL2 (1935) Merged with Newark Dodgers to become Newark Eagles 1936 (See Newark Eagles entry) Brooklyn Royal Giants 1905 1942 Independent (1905–06)NA (1907–09)Independent (1910–22)ECL (1923–27)Independent (1928–42) Deteriorated to minor league status by the 1930s Lincoln Giants 1911 1930 Independent (1911–22)ECL (1923–26)Independent (1927)ECL (1928)ANL (1929)Independent (1930) Based in New York City New York Black Yankees 1931 1959 Independent (1931–35)NNL2 (1936–48)Independent (1949–59) Known as Harlem Black Bombers 1931 New York Cubans 1935 1950 NNL2 (1935–36)NNL2 (1939–48)NAL (1949–50) Did not field a team 1937–38
Ohio Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Akron Black Tyrites 1933 1933 NNL2 (1933) Merged/replaced the Columbus Blue Birds mid-season 1933 Folded/replaced by the Cleveland Giants for last month of 1933 Cincinnati Buckeyes(See Cleveland Buckeyes) 1942 1942 NAL (1942) Cincinnati Clowns(See Indianapolis Clowns) 1943 1945 NAL (1943–45) Played home games in Indianapolis and Cincinnati 1944–45 Also known as Indianapolis–Cincinnati Clowns 1944–45 Cincinnati Cuban Stars(See Cuban Stars (West)) 1921 1921 NNL1 (1921) Cincinnati Tigers 1934 1937 Independent (1934–36)NAL (1937) Cleveland Bears(See Jacksonville Red Caps) 1939 1940 NAL (1939–40) Cleveland Browns 1924 1924 NNL1 (1924) Cleveland Buckeyes club Cincinnati-Cleveland Buckeyes (1942) Cleveland Buckeyes (1943–48) Louisville Buckeyes (1949) Cleveland Buckeyes (1950) 1942 1950 NAL (1942–50) Half of 1942 home schedule in Cincinnati, half in Cleveland Disbanded mid-season 1950 Cleveland Cubs 1931 1931 NNL1 (1931) Cleveland Elites (1926)Cleveland Hornets (1927)Cleveland Tigers (1928) 1926 1928 NNL1 (1926–28) Teams are considered separate but closely linked Cleveland Giants 1933 1933 NNL2 (1933) Formed from remnants of the Akron Black Tyrites for end of 1933 Cleveland Red Sox 1934 1934 NNL2 (1934) Only season in existence Cleveland Stars 1932 1932 EWL (1932) Folded mid-season 1932 Cleveland Tate Stars 1922 1923 NNL1 (1922–1923) Played as NNL team in 1922, played as associate team in 1923 Columbus Blue Birds 1933 1933 NNL2 (1933) Dissolved/merged with Akron Black Tyrites mid-season 1933 Columbus Buckeyes 1921 1921 NNL1 (1921) Only season in existence Columbus Elite Giants(See Baltimore Elite Giants) 1935 1935 NNL2 (1935) Columbus Turf Club 1932 1932 NSL (1932) Only season in existence, from July until end of season. Remnants of Louisville Black Caps may have merged into the Turf Club in August. Dayton Marcos Independent (–19)NNL1 (1920)Independent (1921–25)NNL1 (1926)Independent (1927–) Toledo Crawfords(See Pittsburgh Crawfords) 1939 1939 NAL (1939) Toledo Tigers 1923 1923 NNL1 (1923) Folded mid-season 1923
Pennsylvania
Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Harrisburg Giants 1922 1927 Independent (1922–23)ECL (1924–27) Harrisburg–St. Louis Stars(See St. Louis Stars (III)) 1943 1943 NNL2 (1943) Played all home games in Harrisburg; none in St. Louis Disbanded mid-season 1943 Bacharach Giants (II) 1931 1942 Independent (1931–33)NNL2 (1934)Independent (1935–42) Based in Philadelphia (Not to be confused with the Atlantic City-based team of the same name.) Hilldale Club 1916 1932 Independent (1916–22)ECL (1923–28)ANL (1929)Independent (1930–31)EWL (1932) Also known as Hilldale Daisies, Darby Daisies Based near Philadelphia Philadelphia Stars 1933 1952 Independent (1933)NNL2 (1934–48)NAL (1949–52) Philadelphia Tigers 1928 1928 ECL (1928) Homestead Grays club Homestead Grays (–38) Washington Homestead Grays (1939–) Washington Grays (1939–) Independent (–28)ANL (1929)Independent (1930–31)EWL (1932)Independent (1933–34)NNL2 (1935–48)Independent (1949–) Based near Pittsburgh Started to split home games with Washington, D.C. 1939 Sparingly used Pittsburgh as home field after Pittsburgh Crawfords club Pittsburgh Crawfords (1931–38) Toledo Crawfords (1939) Indianapolis Crawfords (1940) 1931 1940 Independent (1931–32)NNL2 (1933–38)NAL (1939–40) Pittsburgh Keystones (II) 1921 1922 NNL1 (1921–22)
Tennessee Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Memphis Red Sox 1923 1962 Independent (1923)NNL1 (1924–25, 27–30)NSL (1926, 31–36)NAL (1937–62) Nashville Elite Giants(See Baltimore Elite Giants) 1919 1934 Independent (1919–29)NNL1 (1930)NSL (1931–32)NNL2 (1933–34) Known as Nashville Standard Giants 1919–20
Wisconsin Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Milwaukee Bears 1923 1923 NNL1 (1923) Only year in existence
Traveling teams Team 1st Yr Last Yr Affiliation(s) Notes Ref Cuban Stars (East) club New York Cuban Stars (1916–19) Havana Cuban Stars (1920)