Paige, McDaniels Shut-Out Air Force Team In KC

Just two days after meeting a Navy team in KC, the Monarchs hosted another military team on August 5th. The Ft. Leavenworth Sherman Field Flyers started Herman Besse (who split time between the minors and majors between 1936-54) against Satchel Paige. The Monarchs showed the Flyers respect and/or wanted to please the hometown fans by pitching Satchel and Booker McDaniels in the game. The Flyers were no slouches--They had won the 1944 National Baseball Congress (semi-pro) championship. But they were no match for the Monarchs this day. Satchel went five strong innings, allowed three hits, no runs and struck out six. McDaniels picked up where Paige left off and completed the shutout while allowing four hits and four strikeouts.

The Ft. Leavenworth Flyers uniforms may have looked like this in 1945; the auction house where I found the photos lists them as WWII era.

The Monarchs infielders did most of the offensive damage. Taking up the first four spots in the lineup, they got four of the seven KC hits and scored all six runs. In games I have, the infielders (Lee Moody, Herb Souell, Jesse Williams and Jackie Robinson) were hitting between .303 and .450 after this contest. Jackie made the most of his one hit in five at-bats this day; he drove in a run, stole a base, and scored. The Monarchs offense was helped by some sloppy fielding by the Flyers; whoever was keeping score for the Kansas City Call rung them up for nine errors.

Soon after this game, the Monarchs headed off for their final east coast swing of the season.

August 10 Kansas City Call

32 Runs Scored In Exhibition With Naval Team

August 10 Kansas City Call

Robinson, Williams, McDaniels & Duncan In Chicago For East-West Game; Monarchs Take On American Giants In KC

Jackie goes 0-5 at East-West all-star game, Satchel pitches a masterpiece in Kansas City.

August 4 Chicago Defender

August 3 Kansas City Call

July 27 Kansas City Call Game Preview and Ads

July 27 Kansas City Call (click to enlarge)

Jackie Goes Deep, But Monarchs Remain Winless Against Buckeyes

The Monarchs made their lone 1945 appearance in Cleveland on July 24. Their opponent was the formidable Cleveland Buckeyes, first half American League champions. The Monarchs had gone 0-5 against Cleveland in the first half. This game on the 24th is the only time the two teams faced each other in the second half that I'm aware of. Satchel, having pitched a complete game just two days prior, took the hill for KC for the first five innings. He yielded three runs to the powerful Buckeyes lineup.

Eugene Bremer

Eugene Bremer went the distance for Cleveland, and had a shutout through eight innings. In the ninth, trailing 3-0, Jackie launched a pitch beyond the left field wall but a few inches foul. Later in the at-bat, he sent another wallop to left, this time a few inches to the fair side. It was a solo drive, but started a rally that resulted in another run. But Bremer and Cleveland snuck out of the inning to take a 3-2 win and improve to 6-0 against the Monarchs for the '45 season.

Jackie's homer left an impression on Cleveland catcher/manager Quincy Trouppe, who had this to say in his memoir 20 Years Too Soon:

Later that season I played against (Jackie) in Cleveland, and he overpowered my pitcher's curve with a line drive into the left-field stands. I knew then he had the makings of a top pro. When a young player breaks into pro ball hitting the curve with authority, you can expect to see him develop into an excellent hitter.

Although he had the makings of a real good player, I think it came as a surprise when word got out that the Brooklyn Dodgers had signed him to a contract. It was hard to imagine any black player cracking the major leagues, and with Jackie's temper being the way it was, it didn't seem likely that a major-league team would be willing to take a chance with him. The golden dream, the impossible golden dream of sepia players roaming the ball fields of the major leagues, was now crystallizing into reality at last.

July 28 Cleveland Call and Post

Sweep Of Red Sox In Detroit; Jackie's Base Running On Display

The Monarchs traveled to Detroit's Briggs Stadium (later Tigers Stadium) to take on the Memphis Red Sox in a July 22nd double header. It's the only appearance in Detroit the Monarchs made in 1945, and Detroit fans came out in force; the 25,000 fans were one of the largest crowds the Monarchs would play in front of that season. They were treated to a rare complete game performance from Satchel Paige in the first game. Satchel held the  Red Sox scoreless through eight, then gave up a lone run in the ninth before completing the 3-1 win.

Jackie put on a display of classic Negro Leagues small ball in the sixth. Following a Herb Souell triple, Jackie laid down the squeeze. Souell scored, and Jackie reached first. Then he stole second, then third, and raced home safely on a dropped ball at the plate.

In the second game, Hilton Smith faced off against familiar foe Verdell Mathis; Hilton and the Monarchs came away with a 3-1 win.

July 28 Pittsburgh Courier

Meeting With Semi-Pros In Chester, PA

After getting rained out in New York the day before, the Monarchs made the relatively short hop down to Chester, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. Their opponent was a semi-pro club called Lloyd A.C. who had a steady schedule against Negro Leagues clubs. The Monarchs started off the game with three consecutive bunts, the first a hit, the second a sacrifice, and the third, by Jackie, went for a hit. The Monarchs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first before seldom used pitcher Steve Wylie took the hill for KC. Wylie had pitched a grand total of one inning since spring training that I'm aware of, but he had a 3-2 lead after six innings. Unfortunately for KC, Lloyd A.C. came back with two runs in the seventh to win the game. Jackie kept his average at .500 with a 2-for-4 performance.

July 17 Chester Times summary and box

The Monarchs were slated to meet the Baltimore Elite Giants in Baltimore on the 17th, but I've found no account. On the 19th, they were to meet the New York Cubans at the Polo Grounds, but were once again rained out.