Recap
In the 1943 Negro World Series, the Washington Homestead Grays, champions of the Negro National League beat the Birmingham Black Barons, champions of the Negro American League, four games to three, with one tie. The games were played in seven different cities.
Game 1: September 21st, 1943. This game was played at Griffith Stadium in Washington DC, home stadium of the Grays and the Washington Senators. The pitching match-up would see Alfred Saylor pitch a 5 hitter for the Barons, while the Grays' Johnny Wright and Ray Brown would give up 11 hits. The Barons struck first in the top of the 1st inning when Felix McLaurin hit a double past Grays' 1st baseman Buck Leonard. Tommy Sampson hit a single to right field, scoring McLaurin, and then was thrown out trying to steal second. Clyde "Little Splo" Spearman hit a double, advanced on a Piper Davis single, and then scored after Grays' catcher Josh Gibson boggled a low pitch after he slipped in the mud. In the bottom of the 1st, Cool Papa Bell hit a triple for the Grays and then scored on a Buck Leonard sacrifice fly. The score stood 2-1 with the Barons in the lead heading into the 2nd. In the 4th, Barons' outfielder Lester Lockett doubled and scored on a Leonard "Sloppy" Lindsay single, bringing the score to 3-1. The next score would come in the top of the 7th, when both Hoss "Horse" Walker and Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe singled to reach base. Grays' shortstop, Sam Bankhead boggled a grounder by McLaurin which would allow Walker to score. The game stood at 4-1 going into the 9th inning. The Grays had a late 9th inning surge. With one out, Saylor ended up walking both Leonard and Gibson. Howard Easterling stepped up and hit a single, which would score Leonard. However Easterling tried to turn his single into a double and was tagged out on his way to second. Sam Bankhead hit a fly ball and became the 3rd out. The Birmingham Barons had won game one 4-2.
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