A Loss To the Black Barons In Atlanta

Ponce De Leon Park, Atlanta

The Monarchs met the Birmingham Black Barons in Atlanta's Ponce De Leon Park on Wednesday, April 11th at 4:30. Ponce De Leon is famous for two trees that were in play in center field that are clearly seen in the top picture. It's the only game played in Atlanta during Jackie's tenure with the Monarchs that I'm aware of. However, I don't believe Jackie was in Atlanta for this game; I believe he arrived in Boston on the 11th along with Pittsburgh Courier sportswriter and baseball integration crusader Wendell Smith to pressure the Boston Braves and/or Red Sox into trying out Jackie and two other Negro Leaguers.

From the April 12th Atlanta Daily World:

"...the Birmingham Black Barons, American Negro League champions of 1944, went on to defeat the Kansas City Monarchs...by a score of 5 to 2 before a fair-sized crowd of fans...On the mound for the Barons was Leroy Wellmaker, native Atlantan...Wellmaker was touched for only four bingles the eight innings he toiled and was great with runners on the hassocks. He fanned five Monarchs, and walked none for a grand day's toil.

Opposing him were (Booker) McDaniels, stellar Kansas City tosser, who spaced seven hits nicely the seven frames he toiled, and (Steve Enloe) Wylie, who gave up two smashes the two innings he tossed. Relieving Wellmaker and doing nicely in his stint was (Earl) Bumpus, who displayed a fast ball which was baffling to his enemy batters.

The Barons took an early lead, pushing over three tallies in the first inning, and in the second they added another. They scored their fifth run in the fourth and that was all for them. The Monarchs tallied one run each in the fourth and the seventh and they were done for despite several scoring threats which were short lived."

From here, the Monarchs and Memphis Red Sox were to play two games for which I haven't found results: April 12 in Memphis and April 13 in Little Rock.