Providence Grays

The Providence Grays were a 19th century baseball team. The team was based in Providence, Rhode Island and played at the Messer Street Grounds in the Olneyville neighborhood. They were a member of the National League from 1878 to 1885. They won the National League championship in 1879 and 1884. One of the leading players from that 1879 pennant winner was Hall of Famer John Montgomery Ward, while the 1884 team was led by fellow Hall of Famer Old Hoss Radbourn.

Related Topics:
19th century - Baseball - Providence, Rhode Island - Messer Street Grounds - Olneyville - National League - 1878 - 1885 - 1879 - 1884 - Hall of Famer - John Montgomery Ward - Old Hoss Radbourn

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The team may have been the first Major League Baseball team to field an African-American baseball player, William Edward White, a Brown University player who played one game for the Grays on June 21, 1879. Evidence is strong but not conclusive: Peter Morris of the Society for American Baseball Research has researched this issue, as reported by the Wall Street Journal on January 30, 2004.

Related Topics:
Major League Baseball - African-American - William Edward White - Brown University - June 21 - 1879 - Society for American Baseball Research - Wall Street Journal - January 30 - 2004

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The Grays also were one of the early teams to win a national championship before the creation of the modern World Series, beating the American Association champion New York Metropolitans three games to none in 1884.

Related Topics:
World Series - American Association - New York Metropolitans - 1884

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