The recent inclusion of Negro League statistics into the Major League Baseball record book has not only further legitimized the careers of legends like Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Cool Papa Bell, but has also highlighted the careers of lesser-known Negro League players.
Here are five of those players, who are now among the all-time leaders in several statistical categories:
CF-1B Oscar Charleston
1920-1941 (18 years) with nine teams
Charleston was a prolific left-handed hitter with speed, a great bunter and an outstanding defensive centerfielder.
His .363 lifetime batting average is now third all-time behind Gibson and Ty Cobb. Charleston’s career 1.063 OPS is fifth and his .449 on-base percentage is sixth.
CF Turkey Stearnes
1923-1940 (18 years) mostly with the Detroit Stars and Chicago American Giants
Stearnes was a five-tool player, who Paige said: “(Was) one of the greatest hitters we ever had. He was as good as Josh (Gibson). He was as good as anybody who ever played ball.”
Stearnes’ .348 career average is sixth in history, his .616 slugging percentage is fifth and his 1.033 OPS is ninth.
1B Buck Leonard
1935-1948 (14 years) all with the Homestead Grays
A great pure hitter, Leonard’s tenure with the Grays was the longest of a player with one team in Negro League history. Leonard also played in a league-record 11 East-West All-Star Games.
He has the fifth-highest lifetime on-base percentage of .452, and a 1.042 OPS, which is seventh. Leonard’s .345 batting average is eighth all-time and his .590 slugging percentage is 11th.
1B-LF Mule Suttles
1924-1944 (21 years) with h seven different teams
He was a powerful hitter who, for whatever reason, did not get the publicity that many of his fellow Negro League greats garnered.
Suttles’ .621 career slugging percentage is fifth and his 1.031 OPS is 10th.
RF-2B-CF Charlie “Chino” Smith
1925-1927, 1929 with the Brooklyn Royal Giants and New York Lincoln Giants.
Smith only played four seasons in leagues that are recognized by Major League Baseball and died at the age of 30 in January 1932.
His 1929 campaign with the New York Lincoln Giants of the American Negro League produced three all-time top-five single-season marks: a .451 batting average (second), .551 on-base percentage (fourth) and .870 slugging percentage (also fourth). Smith also had 22 homers, 29 doubles, four triples, 16 steals and 81 RBI in 66 games.