This Georgia ballpark had a section called “Buzzard’s Roost” where Black fans were forced to sit

The Atlanta Black Crackers’ Championship at Ponce de Leon

The Atlanta Black Crackers started with just 12 players and hand-me-down uniforms in 1919.

Black college students first called them the Atlanta Cubs, but the name soon changed to mirror the white Atlanta Crackers team.

When entrepreneur Bill Shaw bought the club in 1920, some players even played in his Auburn Avenue social club orchestra to make ends meet.

They could only use Ponce de Leon Park when the white team traveled, yet still managed to win the 1938 Negro American League second-half championship.

The site where these baseball pioneers once played now features historic magnolia trees along Atlanta’s BeltLine, silent witnesses to a team that helped pave the way for Jackie Robinson.

College Students Started a Team Amid Racial Tensions

Students from Atlanta University and Clark University formed the Atlanta Cubs in 1919.

Fans quickly called them the “Black Crackers” after the white Atlanta Crackers team, so they made it their official name. The team traveled across the South playing games against other Black teams.

Their start came during a tense summer when 25 violent race riots broke out across America. The Black Crackers name matched the white team in a city where segregation shaped daily life for Black residents.

Auburn Avenue Businessman Bought the Team

Bill Shaw bought the Black Crackers in March 1920.

Shaw ran an insurance business and owned a popular social club with a rooftop garden in the Odd Fellows Building on Auburn Avenue. He used money from his club to keep the baseball team going.

Several players earned extra cash by playing in the club’s orchestra when not on the field. Auburn Avenue served as the center of Black business and culture in Atlanta, making it the perfect home for the team.

Hand-Me-Down Equipment Didn’t Stop Them

The Black Crackers joined the Negro Southern League in March 1920 and paid a $200 fee. They started with just 12 players, a tiny budget, and used uniforms and equipment given by the white Atlanta Crackers.

The Negro Southern League included teams from Birmingham, Jacksonville, Montgomery, Memphis, Nashville, and New Orleans.

Teams brought only two baseballs to each game, causing many stops while players looked for foul balls in the stands or beyond the outfield.

Players Bounced Between Three Different Home Fields

The Black Crackers played at Ponce de Leon Park when the white Crackers traveled out of town. When the white team had home games, Black players moved to fields at Morehouse College or Morris Brown College.

Black Crackers games at Ponce let fans sit anywhere in the park.

But when white Crackers played, Black fans got stuck in left field bleachers nicknamed “Buzzard’s Roost. ” The team won 39 games their first season but still struggled to make money.

Money Problems Kept Sinking the Team

Money troubles forced the team to fold after the 1921 season despite some big wins. College players lost their right to play college ball if they took payment, making it hard to field a good team.

The Black Crackers couldn’t afford park rental fees without strong players to bring in crowds. From 1922 through 1925, the team played on their own, traveling across the South for games.

They rejoined the Negro Southern League in 1926 but finished last in both 1926 and 1927.

The Great Depression Nearly Killed Negro League Baseball

The economic crash destroyed several Negro League teams by 1932, including the entire Negro Southern League. Original owner W. B. Baker tried to keep the team going through the Depression but died suddenly in 1937.

Without Baker, the team faced an unclear future as other Negro Southern League teams disappeared. Local players hung out at gas stations on Auburn Avenue, talking about ways to bring back the team.

The Black Crackers spent most of their time playing outside the major Negro Leagues.

Gas Station Owners Rescued Baseball in Atlanta

Reverend John Harden and his wife Billie bought the team in 1937 after hearing players talk about it at their Auburn Avenue gas station. John Harden quickly took his new roster north to play exhibition games.

The Hardens improved everything, getting a bus instead of cars for travel, new uniforms, and adding more players. They built a talented roster that could compete with the best northern Negro National League clubs.

Stars Emerged When They Joined the Big Leagues

In 1938, the Black Crackers joined the Negro American League, moving up to major league status. Pitcher Jim “Pea” Green and first baseman James “Red” Moore became the team’s biggest stars.

Second baseman James “Gabby” Kemp, center fielder Red Hadley, and slugger Don “Colored Ruth” Pelham powered the offense. Shortstop Pee Wee Butts scared base runners with his sidearm throws and sharpened spikes.

The better team drew good crowds to Ponce de Leon Park, including many white fans.

They Won Big But Lost Their Championship Shot

The Black Crackers won the Negro American League second-half championship in 1938. They beat the Kansas City Monarchs in four straight August games, playing their best baseball of the season.

The first-half champion Memphis Red Sox were set to face Atlanta in a championship series. After two games, schedule conflicts and fights about umpires led league president Dr. R. B. Jackson to cancel the series. Neither team wanted to play in the other’s ballpark, so no champion was named that year.

Atlanta Couldn’t Support Their Championship Team

The Hardens moved the team to Indianapolis after the 1938 season because they couldn’t draw enough fans in Atlanta. They played as the Indianapolis ABCs in the Negro American League in 1939.

The Black Crackers couldn’t afford regular trips north to play major Negro League teams. Poor attendance caused the team to break up completely after the 1939 season.

A new version of the Atlanta Black Crackers returned in 1943, but the original championship team was gone forever.

Jackie Robinson Broke Barriers at the Old Ballpark

In April 1949, Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella played three exhibition games at Ponce de Leon Park. The Brooklyn Dodgers faced the white Atlanta Crackers in the first integrated professional games in the Deep South.

The Ku Klux Klan tried to stop the games, but over 25,000 fans packed the 15,000-seat stadium on April 10. Black and white fans attended together, though seating remained segregated.

The three games drew over 60,000 total fans, proving Atlanta was ready for integrated baseball.

Visiting Old Fourth Ward, Georgia

You can explore the Atlanta Black Crackers’ legacy along the free BeltLine Eastside Trail, which runs 24/7.

Find the historical marker behind Whole Foods at 650 Ponce de Leon Avenue that honors both the Atlanta Crackers and Black Crackers who played at the old Ponce de Leon Park.

The magnolia trees from the original Spiller Field still grow here, viewable from the trail with interpretive signs explaining their history.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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