The Newark Eagles were a professional Negro League Baseball team that operated from 1936 to 1948. The team was owned by Abe and Effa Manley, and competed in the Negro National League. While their time in the league was short, the Eagles have been remembered for their contributions to the advancement of African American baseball players and the civil rights movement.
The Eagles featured some of the most talented players of the time, such as Monte Irvin and Larry Doby, who made history by becoming the first African American players in the Major Leagues. The team was a powerful force in the Negro Leagues, winning the Negro World Series in 1946. The legacy of the Newark Eagles is one that continues to inspire baseball fans across the world.
1. Monte Irvin
Career
- 4x NgL All-Star (1941, 1946–1948), MLB All-Star (1952), Negro World Series champion (1946), World Series champion (1954), 2× Negro National League batting champion (1941, 1946), NL RBI leader (1951), San Francisco Giants No. 20 retired
Monte Irvin was a Hall of Fame left fielder who played for the Giants and Cubs in MLB. He batted .304 over 19 seasons and had 3,060 hits in his career.
Irvin is best known for hitting two home runs in Game 7 of the 1951 World Series to help New York win their fourth championship title.
After retiring as a player, Monte Irvin served as an executive with several baseball organizations before passing away at 96 years old on January 11, 2016.
Monte Irvin was one of the most prolific hitters in Negro league history. He led the circuit in home runs and RBIs four times each, while batting over .300 on two occasions.
Irvin made his major league debut with the Giants in 1949 and helped them win their first championship that season.
He played six more seasons with New York before joining the Cubs for a final stint in 1956. After retiring from baseball, Irvin spent several years as a broadcaster for both black and white networks before passing away at age 72 in 1998.
Also Played For: negro league baseball, san francisco giants
2. Leon Day
Career
- Win–loss record: 48–21
- Earned run average: 3.50
- Batting average: .318
- 9× All-Star (1935, 1937, 1939, 1939², 1942, 1942², 1943, 1946, 1946², Negro World Series champion (1946)
Leon Day was a pitcher in the Negro league for over 40 years. He had a 48-21 win-loss record and an ERA of 3.50. Day died at the age of 78 after a long illness, although he continued to pitch until just before his death.
Leon Day was an all-star player in the Negro leagues and a two-time Negro World Series champion. Leon day is one of only five men to have played in both the Major and Negro Leagues, as well as being inducted into both Halls of Fame.
Day's batting average (.318) during his career is still third best among players with at least 1,000 hits.
3. Biz Mackey
Career
- Batting average: .328
- Hits: 1,008
- Runs batted in: 603
- Home runs: 52
- Managerial record: 186–143–9
- 5× East-West All-Star Game (1933, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1947), 2× Negro World Series champion (1925, 1946), Eastern Colored League batting champion (1923)
Biz Mackey was a catcher in the Negro leagues for over 30 years. He had a batting average of .328 and 1,008 hits in that time. Biz Mackey played with the San Antonio Black Aces (1918-1950) and Newark Eagles (1950-1965).
Biz Mackey is best known for his playing days with the Philadelphia Phillies during World War II where he helped lead them to an American League pennant in 1944.
After his playing career ended, Biz Mackey became a coach and manager in several Negro leagues teams before retiring in 1966 aged 68 years old.
Biz Mackey was a manager in the Negro leagues for over twenty years, including nine seasons with the Newark Dodgers.
He led his teams to winning records in six of those nine seasons and won two Negro League championships (in 1935 and 1938). Mackey was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.
4. Mule Suttles
Career
- 5× All-Star (1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1939), 2× Negro National League batting champion (1926, 1928), Triple Crown (1926)
Mule Suttles was a first baseman who played in the National Basketball League for five seasons, from 1921 to 1924 and again from 1944 to 1946. He averaged .339 with 1,088 hits and 179 home runs in his career.
Suttles spent most of his playing days with the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants, appearing in 140 games over four seasons before moving on to Newark Eagles where he finished up his NBL career.
Mule Suttles was born on March 31, 1901 in Edgewater, Alabama and died on July 9th 1966 at the age of 65 years old after a long and successful career as a professional basketball player.
Mule Suttles was one of the most successful African American baseball players in history. He was a five-time all-star and batting champion, as well as a triple crown winner. After playing for several teams during his career, Mule Suttles finished with the Newark Eagles in 1940.
5. Effa Manley
Career
- Negro World Series champion (1946)
Effa Manley was an owner of the Newark Eagles, a professional basketball team that played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1936-1948.
She was also well known for her philanthropic work, particularly with children's charities and educational institutions.
Effa Manley died in 1981 at the age of 84 after a long battle with arthritis. Effa Manley was a famed Negro League baseball player who won the championship in 1946.
She is also one of only three women to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, alongside Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth.
Effa Manley's career highlight came when she pitched an entire game against the all-male Chicago American Giants team, which she led to victory with her excellent pitching performances.
After retiring from playing professionally, Effa Manley served as a sportswoman administrator for many years before passing away in 2004 at the age of 91.
6. Johnny Hayes
Johnny Hayes was one of the best catchers in baseball history and helped the Cleveland Indians to a championship in 1948. Hayes was born in Independence, Missouri in 1910.
He began his career with the Cleveland Indians in 1934 and helped them to a championship in 1948. Hayes also played for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Athletics.
Hayes retired after the 1958 season and died in 1988 at the age of 78. Hayes was the first African American to play in the Negro league.
Hayes played for the Newark Dodgers from 1934-1934. Hayes played for the Newark Eagles from 1936-1939.
Hayes played for the New York Black Yankees from 1940-1942 and 1946-1948. Hayes played for the Baltimore Elite Giants from 1949-1951. Hayes was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. Hayes died in 1984. Hayes was a pioneer in the Negro league.
Hayes was a talented ball player who was a part of the Negro league for many years.
Also Played For: new york black yankees
7. Tex Burnett
Tex Burnett was a catcher in the Negro league from 1922-1941. Burnett played for several teams in the Negro league, including the Pittsburgh Keystones, the New York Black Yankees, and the Birmingham Black Barons.
Burnett was a consistent performer, batting .303 and throwing out 43% of would-be base stealers during his career. Burnett died in 1962 at the age of 62. Tex Burnett was one of the most successful managers in Negro league history.
He led the Lincoln Giants to four pennants and three World Series appearances. Burnett was born in 1920 in the town of Carthage in Texas. He played baseball and football in high school and was signed by the Pittsburgh Keystones in 1942.
Burnett led the Keystones to championships in 1942, 1943, and 1944. He then moved on to the Indianapolis ABCs, where he won another title in 1945.
The next year, Burnett joined the Bacharach Giants, who won the pennant. He then took the Giants to the World Series, where they were defeated by the Brooklyn Royal Giants.
Burnett then returned to the ABCs, where he won another title in 1948. He then moved on to the Brooklyn Royal Giants, who won the pennant in 1949.
Burnett led the Giants to another championship in 1950, and they repeated as champions the next year. They again made it to the World Series, this time losing to the Cleveland Indians.
Burnett then returned to the ABCs, where he won another title in 1952. He then moved on to the Lincoln Giants, who won the pennant in 1953.
The Giants again reached the World Series, but were defeated by the St. Louis Cardinals. Burnett then retired as a player. Burnett was hired as the manager of the Pittsburgh Keystones in 1954, and he led them to four more championships.
He then joined the Baltimore Black Sox, where he won the pennant in 1956. The Black Sox then lost to the New York Giants in the World Series. Burnett then retired as a manager.
8. Terris McDuffie
Career
- Three-time East-West All-Star Game (1939; 1941; 1944), Dominican League MVP Award (1952), Caribbean Series appearance (1950), Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame induction (Phase IV, 2007)
Terris McDuffie was a pitcher in Negro leagues who played for the Birmingham Black Barons (1930-1931), Atlantic City Bacharach Giants (1932), Pollock's Cuban Stars (1932), Hilldale Daisies (1932), Baltimore Black Sox (1932-1934), and Pennsylvania Red Caps of New York (1934).
McDuffie was then signed by the Brooklyn Eagles in 1935. He played for the Eagles until his death in 1968. McDuffie had a record of 122-126 in Negro leagues.
McDuffie was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1965. Terris McDuffie was a two-time All-Star and five-time gold Glover Award winner with the Newark Eagles in the Negro leagues.
McDuffie was the first player in Negro league history to hit for the cycle. McDuffie also won a batting title and an MVP Award with the Newark Eagles.
McDuffie played for the New York Black Yankees, Newark Eagles, and Baltimore Elite Giants in the Negro leagues. McDuffie retired from baseball in 1966. McDuffie was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995.
McDuffie currently works as a scout for the Atlanta Braves. McDuffie is the father of Terrence McDuffie, a multiple-time NBA All-Star. McDuffie is a member of the NAACP.
9. Johnny Davis
Career
- 3× East-West All-Star Game selection (1944–1945; 1949), Negro League World Series champion (1946)
Johnny Davis was born in 1917 in Ashland, Virginia and died in 1982 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Davis was a Negro League outfielder who played for the Newark Eagles in 1940, the Montgomery Rebels in 1954 and the Pittsburgh Crawfords in 1955.
Davis was a right-handed hitter and threw right-handed. Davis was a very productive player, batting .289 with 36 home runs and 143 RBI in 596 games.
Davis was inducted into the Negro Baseball Hall of Fame in 1978. Davis was one of the most respected and accomplished Negro League players of all time.
One of the most successful African American baseball players in history, Johnny Davis was a three-time East-West All-Star, Negro League World Series champion, and batting champion.
Davis was born on November 30, 1918, in Montgomery, Alabama. He began playing baseball at an early age and quickly became one of the best players in the Negro Leagues.
In 1944, Davis was drafted by the Newark Eagles of the Negro Leagues. He played for the Eagles until 1948, when he was traded to the Houston Eagles.
Davis won three consecutive East-West All-Star Games (1944–1945) and was batting champion in 1949. Davis played for the Padres from 1952 to 1954, and then finished his career with the Drummondville Cubs. Davis is currently a member of the Fort Lauderdale Lions.
10. Max Manning
Max Manning was a standout pitcher in the Negro Leagues and then in the Major Leagues. He pitched for the Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, and St.
Louis Cardinals. Manning was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977. He was a six-time All-Star and won three World Series championships. Max Manning passed away in 2003 at the age of 84.
Max Manning was a pitcher for the Newark Eagles in the Negro National League from 1939 to 1948. He had a 37-18 win-loss record and averaged 4.36 runs per game. Manning was a very good pitcher, and was able to get a lot of strikeouts.
He was also able to hold his opponents to a low batting average. Manning was a very good player, and was one of the best pitchers in the Negro National League.
He was a very important part of the Newark Eagles team. Manning was a very good player, and was one of the best pitchers in the Negro National League.
He was a very important part of the Newark Eagles team. Manning was a very good player, and was one of the best pitchers in the Negro National League.
He was a very important part of the Newark Eagles team. Manning was a very good player, and was one of the best pitchers in the Negro National League. He was a very important part of the Newark Eagles team.
Manning was a very good player, and was one of the best pitchers in the Negro National League. He was a very important part of the Newark Eagles team. Manning was a very good player, and was one of the best pitchers in the Negro National League.
He was a very important part of the Newark Eagles team. Manning was a very good player, and was one of the best pitchers in the Negro National League. He was a very important part of the Newark Eagles team.
11. Jimmy Wilkes
Career
- Negro League World Series champion (1946), All-Star (1948)
Wilkes was a left-handed outfielder and thrower in Negro leagues. He debuted with the Newark Eagles in 1945 and played with several teams over the years.
He was inducted in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. He died of natural causes in 2008. Wilkes was a two-time Negro League World Series champion with the Newark Eagles.
He was also a two-time All-Star, and led the league in hits in 1948. Wilkes played in the majors for a brief period, and is best known for his time with the Cincinnati Reds. He passed away in 1948 at the age of just 26.
12. Bob Harvey
Career
- Batting average: .313
- Hits: 240
- Home runs: 9
- Runs batted in: 118
- Stolen bases: 5
- 2× All-Star (1948, 1950), Negro League World Series champion (1946), Negro National League batting champion (1944)
Bob Harvey was an outfielder who played in the Majors from 1943-1950. Harvey was born in Maryland in 1918 and played for the Newark Eagles in his debut season.
He moved to Houston in 1950 and played for the team until his retirement in the early 1960s. Harvey had a .294 career batting average and was a three-time All-Star.
Harvey died in 1992 at the age of 74. Harvey batted over .300 in eight of his eleven seasons in the Negro Leagues. He led the league in batting twice and stole five bases in 1945.
In the World Series, Harvey hit .438 with two home runs and five RBI in six games. After the Negro Leagues ceased operations, Harvey played for the Birmingham Black Barons and Houston Eagles in the Negro American League.
Harvey was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1978. He died in 1998 at the age of 77.
13. Lennie Pearson
Career
- Batting average: .294
- Hits: 506
- Home runs: 50
- Runs batted in: 325
- Stolen bases: 42
- 6x All-Star (1941, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1946), Negro World Series champion (1946), Negro National League batting champion (1942), Triple Crown (1942)
Lennie Pearson was a first baseman who played for the Newark Eagles in the Negro Leagues from 1937-1948. He was one of the most successful black players in baseball history, winning three MVP awards and four Gold Gloves.
Pearson died of a heart attack at the age of 66 in 1980. Lennie Pearson was an all-star outfielder in Negro League baseball and was recognized as one of the best players of his era. He led the Negro League in batting average in 1942 and was also named the league's Triple Crown champion.
Pearson played for the Newark Eagles, Homestead Grays, and Philadelphia Stars throughout his career.
He is best known for his time with the Eagles, where he helped lead the team to three Negro League championships. Pearson is a member of the Negro Baseball Hall of Fame and the Philadelphia Athletics Hall of Fame.
14. Rufus Lewis
Career
- All-Star (1948), Negro League World Series champion (1946)
Rufus Lewis was one of the most successful pitchers in baseball history. He was a two-time All-Star and won more than 200 games in his career. He was one of the first African American players in the majors and played through the 1950s.
He was killed in a car accident in 1999 at the age of 80. After a stellar career in the Negro League, Rufus Lewis was drafted by the Pittsburgh Crawfords in the 1936 Negro League Draft.
Lewis played for the Crawfords from 1936 to 1938, and helped lead the team to the Negro League World Series in 1936.
After leaving the Crawfords, Lewis played for the Newark Eagles from 1946 to 1948. Lewis then signed with the Navegantes del Magallanes in 1946, and led the team to the Negro League championship in 1947.
Lewis then spent the 1947 and 1948 seasons with the Habana BBC, before joining the Diablos Rojos del México in 1950. Lewis spent the 1951 and 1952 seasons with the Azules de Veracruz, before joining the Dorados de Chihuahua in 1952.
Lewis finished his career with the Dorados in 1952, and was inducted into the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in 1988. Lewis was also named to the International League Hall of Fame in 1998.
15. Ed Stone
Ed Stone was a prolific outfielder who played in the Negro Leagues and the Major Leagues. Stone was born in Black Cat, Delaware, in 1909 and died in 1983 in Bronx, New York.
He played for the Negro Leagues' Brooklyn Royal Giants and the All-America Negro League's Kansas City Monarchs before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1941. Stone played for the Dodgers, the Chicago White Sox, the Cleveland Indians, and the Boston Red Sox.
He was a member of the Cleveland Indians' World Series championship team in 1948.
Stone was named to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 1976. In 2002, Stone was posthumously inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame. Stone was a left-handed hitter and threw right-handed.
Ed Stone was born on September 10, 1922 in Memphis, Tennessee. He played Negro league baseball for the Bacharach Giants from 1933 to 1946.
He was a outfielder and hit .281 with 83 home runs in his career. He was inducted into the Negro league baseball Hall of Fame in 1992. He died on July 10, 2016 at the age of 93.
16. Leniel Hooker
Career
- Negro League World Series champion (1946)
Leniel Hooker was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1948 to 1956. Hooker was drafted by the Phillies in the 16th round of the 1941 amateur draft.
He made his MLB debut with the Phillies in 1948 and went on to have a successful career, winning 118 games over the course of six seasons. Hooker was a durable pitcher, going at least six innings in 47 of his 118 career games.
Hooker also had a strong record against left-handed batters, winning 47 of his 85 career games against them. Hooker was a member of the Phillies' World Series team in 1950 and 1954, and was also on the team that won the National League pennant in 1949.
Hooker ended his career with the Phillies in 1956, having been traded to the Chicago Cubs in the middle of the 1956 season. Hooker finished his career with a record of 248-183, with a 3.42 ERA. Hooker died of a heart attack at the age of 58 in 1977.
17. Fred Hobgood
Fred Hobgood was a pitcher in the Negro Leagues from 1949 to 1965. He is most famous for his time with the Birmingham Black Barons, where he won the Negro League batting title in 1951 and 1952.
Hobgood also spent time with the Kansas City Monarchs and the Washington Senators. He died in 1965 at the age of 43 after a long battle with cancer. Fred Hobgood was born in 1911, and he played Negro league baseball for the Newark Eagles from 1941 to 1946.
Hobgood was a powerful hitter and a reliable fielder. He was one of the best players in the Negro league and helped the Eagles to four league championships.
Hobgood later played in the Major Leagues with the Philadelphia Stars and the Detroit Tigers. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973.
Fred Hobgood passed away in 1998.
18. Jimmy Hill
Jimmy Hill was born in Plant City, Florida in 1918. He began his career as a sports announcer for the Tampa Tribune in 1947. In 1961, he moved to the CBS Sports Network and became the lead announcer for professional golf.
He also served as the lead announcer for the PGA Tour from 1967 to 1991. He was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame in 1988. Hill died on May 31, 1993 at the age of 74. Hill was a standout player in high school, and he was drafted by the Newark Eagles in 1938.
He played for the Eagles for four seasons, before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1943. He continued to play in the Major Leagues for the next 12 years, before retiring in 1945. Hill was a three time All-Star, and he was awarded the MVP Award in 1944.
After his retirement from baseball, Hill went on to have a successful career in business. He died in 1984, at the age of 72.
19. Abe Manley
Abe Manley is the owner of Abe Manley Tattoo and Piercing, a tattoo and piercing parlor located in the heart of downtown Hattiesburg, MS. Abe Manley has been tattooing and piercing since 2003, and has dedicated his life to the art of tattooing and piercing.
Abe Manley's tattoos and piercings are some of the most unique and beautiful in Hattiesburg, and he is always striving to create art that is unique and beautiful.
Abe Manley is a tattoo artist and piercer who truly loves what he does, and his passion for tattooing and piercing is evident in every tattoo and piercing that he creates.
Abe Manley is a tattoo and piercing enthusiast, and he loves to share his love of the art with his clients. Abe Manley is a tattoo artist and piercer who is always happy to help his clients find the tattoo or piercing that is perfect for them.
Abe Manley is an honest and reliable tattoo artist and piercer, and his clients can always count on him to provide quality work and customer service.
Abe Manley is a tattoo and piercing artist who is always looking to improve his skills, and his clients are always welcome to suggest new tattoo and piercing ideas that he can try.
Abe Manley is the owner of Abe Manley Tattoo and Piercing, and his parlor is one of the busiest in Hattiesburg. If you are in the area, you should definitely stop by and see him.
20. Dick Seay
Dick Seay was born on November 30, 1904 in West New York, New Jersey. He played second base for the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1930s and 1940s. Seay died on April 6, 1981 in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Dick Seay was a catcher for the Baltimore Black Sox in the early 1920s. He earned a reputation as one of the best catchers in the game during his time with the Black Sox.
Seay was traded to the Newark Stars in 1926 and quickly became one of the team's stars.
Seay was traded to the Brooklyn Royal Giants in 1930 and helped lead the team to the Negro League World Series.
Seay was traded to the Philadelphia Stars in 1934 and helped lead the team to two Negro League pennants. Seay was traded to the Pittsburgh Crawfords in 1936 and helped lead the team to the Negro League World Series.
Seay was traded to the New York Black Yankees in 1936 and helped lead the team to two Negro League World Series. Seay finished his career with the Newark Eagles in 1940. Seay was inducted into the Negro League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
21. Skeeter Watkins
Skeeter Watkins was a third baseman who played in the MLB from 1941-1957. He was a member of the Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies. He led the American League in fielding percentage three times and was a four-time All-Star.
Watkins died from a heart attack in 1987 at the age of 71. Skeeter Watkins was the first black player in the Negro league to make it to the Major Leagues. Watkins was drafted by the Newark Eagles in 1942, and he made his debut with the team in 1942.
Watkins played for the Eagles until 1946, and he also played for the Philadelphia Stars in 1949 and 1950. Watkins was a pitcher and outfielder, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. Watkins died in 1984 at the age of 73.
22. Fran Matthews
Fran Matthews was a first baseman who played in the Majors for 10 seasons. He was a member of the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and California Angels.
Matthews was a five time All-Star and finished in the Top 5 in MVP voting three times. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976. Fran Matthews was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and passed away in Los Angeles, California at the age of 82.
Fran Matthews was born in 1934 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Matthews played Negro league baseball for the Philadelphia Giants in the early 1950s. Matthews is most famous for being the first African American woman to play in the major leagues. Matthews retired from baseball in the late 1950s.
Fran Matthews passed away in 2009.
23. Clarence Isreal
Career
- Negro League World Series champion (1946)
Clarence Isreal was a versatile player who was quite successful in the Negro leagues and then in the minor leagues. He was a switch hitter who batted right and threw right.
Clarence Isreal had a long and successful career in the Negro leagues and then in the minor leagues. He was a member of the Newark Eagles in 1940 and then played for the Baltimore Elite Giants, the Kansas City Monarchs, and the Chicago American Giants.
Clarence Isreal was a three-time All-Star and was voted the Negro leagues MVP in 1951. He also won three Gold Gloves and two World Series titles. Clarence Isreal died in 1987 at the age of 69. He was a Negro League outfielder for the Newark Eagles and Homestead Grays from 1940 to 1942 and 1946 to 1947.
He was a .228 hitter with six home runs and 78 runs scored in 176 games played. He was a part of the team that won the Negro League World Series in 1946. He later played in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. He died in 2009 at the age of 80.
24. Cecil Cole
Cecil Cole was a pitcher in the Negro Leagues. Cole was one of the first African Americans to play in the Negro Leagues. Cole was a member of the Pittsburgh Crawfords. Cole was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. Cole died in 2002.
Cecil Cole was the first Negro league baseball player to debut in 1946. Cole played for the Newark Eagles and was a part of the first Negro league team to win a championship.
Cole was a speedy outfielder and helped the Eagles win their first championship. Cole played for the Eagles until he retired in 1951.
After his baseball career, Cole opened a restaurant in Newark. Cole passed away in 1983 at the age of 73. Cole is remembered as one of the pioneers of Negro league baseball.
Cole's accomplishments as a player have earned him a place in history. Cole's story is an example of the progress that has been made in Negro league baseball.
Final Words
The Newark Eagles were one of the most successful Negro League teams of the 1940s. They reached the Negro League World Series in 1945 and 1946, but lost both times to the Homestead Grays.
The Eagles’ best player of all time was Satchel Paige, who won three MVP Awards and led the team to two championships. Other stars on the Eagles included Oscar Charleston, Roy Campanella, and Larry Doby.
