Memphis Red Sox players inwards forepart of dugout.

Dr. John B. Martin (1885-1973), oftentimes referred to equally J. B. Martin, was president of Negro League associations and owned the Memphis Red Sox (1923-1950) in addition to the Chicago American Giants (1937-1950) baseball game teams. While many people oftentimes elevate to the "Negro League", this is a full general term used to elevate to a release of associations that included the Negro National League, the Negro American League, the Negro Southern League, equally good equally smaller leagues such equally the Negro Dixie League. J. B. Martin served equally president of the National Southern League, the National American League in addition to the Negro Dixie League was 1 of the several Negro leagues created during the fourth dimension organized during the fourth dimension organized American baseball game was segregated.

A Black-owned Sports Stadium: An Enterprising Black Family

The Memphis Red Sox was a Negro League baseball game squad founded inwards 1923 past times J. B. Martin in addition to Dr. B. B. Martin, brothers inwards a prominent African-American menage unit of measurement inwards Memphis. The Martin brothers were both dentists alongside prominent dental practices. J. B. Martin was a dentist, pharmacist, operated a funeral parlor, invested inwards existent estate in addition to Republican political leader. He built the Martin baseball game commons where he owned in addition to operated the concession stands. He likewise owned a hotel nearby the baseball game champaign inwards Memphis, equally good equally enterprises on Beale Street.

J.B. Martin's menage unit of measurement members were likewise quite enterprising. In add-on to a dental practice, his blood brother Dr. B. B. Martin acted equally the Red Sox trouble concern manager in addition to served equally an officeholder inwards the National Southern League. Dr. A. T. Martin worked equally a full general practitioner for 50 years in addition to worked alongside the Red Sox for 25 years. Dr. William S. Martin, was superintendent of the Collins Chapel Hospital for 35 years, inwards add-on to serving equally an officeholder for the Red Sox in addition to the Negro American League, equally good equally serving equally president of the Negro Southern League. The iv Martins, all Black doctors, were prominent inwards the Memphis community in addition to inside the Negro League franchises.

Negro League's Black-owned Martin Stadium inwards Memphis.
  In 1920, the Martin brothers built Martin Stadium on what is at 1 time Crump Boulevard in addition to Danny Thomas, making the Red Sox 1 of the few baseball game clubs inwards the Negro League alongside their ain ballpark. Most Negro League teams played inwards white squad parks when the white teams were on the road. Not entirely did the Memphis Red Sox convey a stadium, J. B. Martin likewise owned a hotel close the park. The baseball game commons was built from scratch, but non without resistance from the White supremacy institution inwards Memphis nether what was called the "Crump Machine." Edward Hull Crump governed Memphis for decades through manipulation of both the Black in addition to White vote into a political machine that enabled him to command Memphis politics. When J. B. Martin, a Black Republican, denounced Crump inwards 1939, Crump responded with mounting pressure level on Martin using the Memphis police, such equally targeting Martin's Beale Street businesses alongside raids. The Martin Stadium originally had a capacity of 3,000, but grew to nearly 7,000 topographic point capacity. It was demolished inwards 1961.

The Memphis Red Sox


The Memphis Red Sox were initially organized past times Robert S. Lewis, a Memphis funeral director, inwards the early on 1920s. When the Martin's purchased the independent squad inwards 1924, the team joined the Negro National League in addition to B. B. Martin acted equally the Red Sox trouble concern manager. In 1926, the franchise left the Negro National League in addition to joined the newly-established Negro Southern League for its initiatory season. In 1932, it rejoined the Negro Southern League alongside subsequent seasons equally an independent team. In 1937, the Red Sox became a charter fellow member of the Negro American League, where they remained until their dissolution inwards 195X. Four players associated alongside the Memphis Red Sox were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame: Satchel Paige, James "Cool Papa" Bell, Willy Wells, in addition to Turkey Steams.

The Chicago American Giants

 The Negro Leagues began to diminish afterward Brooklyn's Jackie Robinson broke the colouring barrier inwards 1947. In 1949, J. B. Martin leased the Chicago American Giants to William Little because he wanted to pass to a greater extent than necktie managing the affairs of the Negro American League Martin appointed Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe equally manager of the Chicago American Giants inwards 1950. This was 3 years afterward Jackie Robinson broke the colouring line. Martin was concerned nigh Black players joining Major League teams in addition to thus he instructed Radcliffe to sign White players. The squad disbanded inwards 1952. The Negro American League disbanded afterward its 1962 season. 


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