Greatness

79-75 … how could the Harrisburg Giants, who you likely never heard of, have a 79-75 record against a schedule made up the Murderer’s Row Yankees, the Gas House Gang, the World Champion Boston Red Sox, Koufax & Drysdale’s Dodgers, Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Lou Gehrig & on and on.

Because they were a pretty good team in their own right. The National Baseball Hall of Fame is currently considering inducting additional Negro League players into the Hall of Fame. Currently, there are 18 Negro League players in the Hall plus Robinson, Campanella, Banks, Mays, Aaron & Doby for a total of 24. Now an additional 94 were given consideration and 39 remain so on a ballot to be voted on in late February. Of these, 118 greatest Negro League players (24 in the Hall and 94 considered), 11 played for Harrisburg or the Harrisburg Giants. They are listed below:

Oscar Charleston Harrisburg Giants 1924-27 Hall of Fame, 1976 (i.e the best)
Ben Taylor Harrisburg Giants 1925 on ballot (i.e. among 63 best)
John Beckwith Harrisburg Giants 1926-27 on ballot (i.e. among 63 best)
Frank Grant Harrisburg Ponies 1890 on ballot (i.e. among 63 best)
Sol White Monarchs 1889, Harrisburg early 1891 on ballot (i.e. among 63 best)
Rap Dixon Harrisburg Giants 1922-28 on ballot (i.e. among 63 best)
Fats Jenkins Harrisburg Giants 1923-28 on ballot (i.e. among 63 best)
Spot Poles Harrisburg Colored Giants 1906-08 on ballot (i.e. among 63 best)
Heavy Johnson Harrisburg Giants 1924, ‘27 considered (i.e. among best 118)
Nat Rogers Harrisburg Giants 1924-25 considered (i.e. among best 118)
Rev Cannady Harrisburg Giants 1925-27 considered (i.e. among best 118)
Clarence Williams Harrisburg Ponies 1890 considered (i.e. among best 118)


Thus, according to the Hall of Fame … 9% of the 118 greatest Negro League players of all-time … played on the Harrisburg Giants … hence their rather stellar 79-75 record.