Eastern Colored League

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The Mutual Association of Eastern Colored Clubs, more commonly known as the Eastern Colored League, was one of the several Negro Leagues, which operated during the time organized baseball was segregated. The ECL was founded in 1923 when the Philadelphia-area Hilldale Club and the Bacharach Giants of Atlantic City, both associate members of the midwest-based Negro National League (NNL), broke with the NNL and allied with the white promoter Nat Strong to form an east coast league. The charter members were: Hilldale, the Bacharach Giants, the Brooklyn Royal Giants, the Cuban Stars (East), the Lincoln Giants of New York, and the Baltimore Black Sox. In 1924 the Harrisburg Giants and Washington Potomacs joined, bringing the circuit to eight clubs. The ECL raided the NNL for players, including Hall of Famers Oscar Charleston, Biz Mackey, and John Henry Lloyd, starting a war that lasted for two years.

At the end of the 1924 season the two leagues made peace and arranged for a Negro League World Series between their champions. This series was played each year from 1924 through 1927. The only ECL club to win the World Series was Hilldale in 1925.

In 1925 the Washington Potomacs moved to Wilmington, Delaware, but still disbanded in July. Their 1926 replacement, the Newark Stars, folded after only 11 games.

Beginning in 1927 the league began to be wracked by dissension between the owners. New York's Lincoln Giants dropped out for that season. They returned the next, but then Hilldale, the Brooklyn Royal Giants, and the Harrisburg Giants all dropped out. The Philadelphia Tigers were recruited to bring the league up to five teams for 1928. The ECL staggered through May, but finally disbanded in the midst of disputes over player contracts at the beginning of June.

[edit] ECL Franchises

[edit] Champions

  • 1923 Hilldale
  • 1924 Hilldale
  • 1925 Hilldale
  • 1926 Bacharach Giants
  • 1927 Bacharach Giants
  • 1928 None

[edit] See also

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