The International League of Independent Professional Base Ball Clubs, also referred to as the International League,[1] was a racially-integrated independent baseball league league that played a single season during the summer of 1906. It was composed of a mix of white, Cuban and Negro league baseball teams in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as New Jersey and Wilmington, Delaware, . The league was planned to continue the following year,[2] but never materialized for 1907.
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1906 |
| Ceased | 1906 |
| No. of teams | 8 (5 original and 3 replacement) |
| Country | United States |
| Last champion(s) | Philadelphia Giants |
The league's integrated status was unique, given the baseball color line in effect in Major League Baseball and its minor league affiliates. In that sense, it was also not a traditional "Negro league," since fewer than half the teams had all-black rosters. The International League was initially composed of five teams (one white American, two Cuban, and two African American),[1] with three later replacement teams.
Teams
edit
The Havana Stars dissolved in June and were replaced by Riverton–Palmyra;[3] the Cuban Stars and Quaker Giants stopped playing their league schedule in July and both were replaced.[4]
- Cuban Stars of Havana — primarily Cuban roster
- Wilmington Giants — replaced Cuban Stars in July
- Cuban X-Giants — primarily negro/Cuban roster
- Havana Stars — primarily Cuban roster
- Riverton–Palmyra Athletic Club — replaced Havana Stars in June; primarily white roster
- Philadelphia Professionals — primarily white roster
- Philadelphia Quaker Giants — based in New York; primarily negro roster
- Philadelphia Giants — replaced Quaker Giants in July
Freihofer Cup Champion
editWinners of the season were awarded the Freihofer Cup, named after league president William Freihofer.[1] Only 40 games were scheduled; eight games per team with each team playing each other twice.
The Philadelphia Giants were declared the champions even though they joined the league later as a replacement team. They inherited a 3-0 record from the Quaker Giants[5] and finished their schedule going 4-1, for an official record of 7-1.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c "A New Local League". Sporting Life. April 14, 1906. p. 17.
- ^ a b "International League". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 10, 1906. p. 10 (Sports).
- ^ The Philadelphia Inquirer. June 24, 1906. p. 2 (Sports).
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "New Teams in International League". The Trenton Evening Times. July 24, 1906. p. 11 (Sports).
- ^ "What the Future Greats Are Doing". The Philadelphia Inquirer. August 5, 1906. p. 2 (Sports).