September 17, 1879 - December 9, 1930

Rube Foster

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Considered the "Father of Negro Baseball", Foster was a triple threat: a great pitcher, an excellent executive of one of the top black teams, the Chicago American Giants, and the creator of the Negro National League (NNL)47

  • Interesting Fact

    As the first successful league of organized baseball, Foster created a system where players were properly compensated.2

  • Statistic

    In 1902, he helped the Philadelphia Cuban X-Giants win 44 consecutive games with his pitching, earning him the nickname "Black Christy Mathewson"48

  • Teams Played

    8 teams joined the Negro Leagues: Chicago American Giants, Detroit Stars, Cuban Stars, Kansas City Monarchs, St. Louis Giants, Indianapolis ABCs, Chicago Giants, and the Dayton Marcos47

  • Quote

    As an outstanding pitcher, a colorful and shrewd field manager, and the founder and stern administrator of the first viable Negro League, Foster was the most impressive figure in black baseball history. - Robert Peterson47

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