Delaware County Played Its Part in the History of Black Baseball

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Members of the Hilldale League
Image via Philadelphia Baseball History YouTube

Black baseball history wouldn’t be complete without the influence of one team, the Hilldale League, out of Darby Borough.

Black baseball teams formed in Philadelphia as far back as 1860, with the amateur Pythian Club, the first Black team to play against the white competition, writes Neil Lanctot for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Their application to be a major-league team was rejected in 1867 on racial grounds.

In 1902, Philadelphia had its first professional Black baseball team, the Philadelphia Giants.

They lasted until 1913 when they were followed up by the Hilldale Club, based out of Darby Borough.

The owner was Ed Bolden, a quiet and unassuming Black postal employee. He turned the Hilldale Club from a boys’ team into a professional powerhouse in the 1920s, the Hilldale League, part of the professional Negro League. 

Their greatest achievement was beating a group of Philadelphia Athletics in five of six games in 1923.

The Hilldale Club lasted from 1910 to 1932 until it folded during the Depression.

Holden went on to start the Philadelphia Stars in 1933, based out of West Philadelphia. They lasted until 1952, capturing the Negro League championship in 1934.

Post World War II integration ended the Negro Leagues.

Read more about Darby’s influence in Black baseball in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Find out more about the Hilldale League.

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