Philadelphia has a significant connection to the historical relevance and importance of Negro league baseball, spanning from the late 19th century through the mid-1940s when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier.
Hall of Famers such as Satchel Paige and Cool Papa Bell spent time in Philly, but you will not see their names on this list. Instead, this exercise is about remembering those that played the bulk of their career in Philadelphia.
For purposes of this All-Time team, offensive players must have played in a minimum of 120 games, and pitchers must have pitched in at least 80 games. Those figures may seem arbitrary, but year-to-year Negro League data, despite all of the advances from scholars and researchers, remains sketchy at best.
The best datasets for Negro League statistics are Seamheads.com and Baseball-Reference.com. Both of these resources played a significant role in building this roster of Philadelphia greats.
Manager: Sol White
White is one of the pioneers of Black baseball and deserving of more recognition, particularly in Philadelphia. His partnering with white sportswriter Harry Schlichter led to the formation of the Philadelphia Giants in 1902. Within the first six years of existence, White led the Giants to four colored championships.
White also authored the first book on African-American baseball, his “History of Colored Baseball,” published in 1907.
Catcher: Biz Mackey
Mackey often is viewed as the second-best catcher in Negro baseball history behind Josh Gibson. Through 10 seasons in Philadelphia, seven with Hilldale and three with the Stars, he hit a combined .341 over 498 documented games. Mackey led the Eastern Colored League in hitting in 1923 and carried Hilldale to three pennants and a Negro World Series crown in 1925. Later in his career, he mentored Philly-born backstop Roy Campanella - a Hall of Famer and a contributor to the Brooklyn Dodgers dynasty of the mid-1950s.
“In my opinion, Biz Mackey was the master of defense of all catchers,” Campanella once said. “When I was a kid in Philadelphia, I saw both Mackey and Mickey Cochrane in their primes, but for real catching skills, I don’t think Cochrane was the master of defense that Mackey was.”
First Base: Jud Wilson
Wilson spent six seasons with the Stars and played in a pair of All-Star Games. He posted a 161 OPS+ in 1934 when the Stars won the Negro National League pennant. His career slash line in Philadelphia was .334/.413/.506.
Second Base: Frank Warfield
Nicknamed "The Weasel" because of his temper, Warfield was an excitable player that never backed down from a challenge. Small in stature, he played with bravado and excitement. He spent six seasons with Hilldale, swiping 82 bases while playing stellar defense.
Shortstop: Jake Stephens
Stephens was not an offensive threat, but he was a whiz with the glove and a demon on the bases. He had outstanding range and a cannon of an arm. He signed with Hilldale in 1921 after sending a telegram to owner Ed Bolden, telling him of a prospect playing in York, PA., not ever mentioning he was the prospect in question.
Third Base: Judy Johnson
One of the best ballplayers to play in the Negro Leagues, Johnson signed with Hilldale in 1921 and spent 12 seasons with the club, hitting .309 with 427 RBIs over 673 games. He spent time with the Phillies as a scout in his later years. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.
Outfielder: Clint Thomas
Thomas hit .300 over six seasons with Hilldale. He was an outstanding outfielder and has drawn comparisons to Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio. He was part of the nucleus that achieved success with Hilldale throughout the 1920s.
Outfielder: Danny McClellan
Spent six seasons with the Philadelphia Giants and led the club to a title in 1905. He was outstanding with the bat and an ace on the mound. One of the first superstars of Black baseball in Philadelphia.
Outfielder: George Johnson
Hit .301 in nine seasons with Hilldale, hitting 33 homers while collecting 245 RBIs. He also posted a 130 OPS+ during his time nine years with Hilldale.
Bench Infielders: Louis Santop (catcher), Tank Carr (first base), Pat Patterson (second base)
Santop pieced together an outstanding career and spent parts of nine seasons with Hilldale, hitting .340 while posting a 156 OPS+. He's one of the best catchers to play in the Negro Leagues, but not as good as Mackey. Like so many others on this list, Carr played a significant role in Hilldale's success in the 1920s. Over six seasons he hit .316 with 23 homers. Patterson was a two-time All-Star while playing with the Stars. He swung a solid bat and could play anywhere on the diamond.
Bench Outfielders: Otto Briggs, Roy Parnell, Chaney White, Gene Benson
Briggs spent 13 seasons with Hilldale and posted a .713 OPS. Parnell was an All-Star in 1939 and spent eight seasons playing for the Stars while hitting .308. White spent eight seasons with Hilldale and three with the Stars. He was known for his skills on the bases and his ability to put the ball in play. Benson, a three-time All-Star, spent a dozen years with the Stars and was recognized as an elite outfielder.
Pitcher: Nip Winters
Winters is unanimously hailed as the best hurler to have pitched in the Eastern Colored League. A lanky left-hander, he joined Hilldale in 1922 and spent parts of nine seasons in Philadelphia. Winters went 72-22 over 111 appearances with Hilldale, pitching to an ERA of 2.80. Joined by Mackey, he was part of one of the greatest and most overlooked batteries in Negro baseball history.
Unfortunately, like so many other Negro league stars, alcohol was an issue for Winters. His erratic behavior resulted in a trade to the New York Lincoln Giants in April of 1928.
Pitcher: Slim Jones
Jones was one of Black baseball's best hurlers, but his career was tragically cut short due to alcohol. According to published accounts, he pitched in 67 games and pieced together an ERA of 2.81. He played a leading role in helping the Philadelphia Stars to the 1934 Negro baseball championship, finishing 20-4 with a 1.24 ERA.
Pitcher: Webster McDonald
McDonald spent a decade playing in Philadelphia with Hilldale and the Stars and often is regarded as one of the best hurlers in Negro history. He was the No. 2 for the 1934 Stars behind Jones.
Pitcher: Phil Cockrell
Cockrell spent 15 seasons with Hilldale and is the franchise leader in most pitching categories. He posted a 3.86 ERA over 202 appearances.
Pitcher: Henry McHenry
A two-time All-Star with the Stars, McHenry spent eight seasons in Philadelphia and posted a 3.82 ERA.
Pitcher: Red Ryan
Ryan spent eight seasons with Hilldale and posted an ERA+ of 128 over 121 appearances.
Pitcher: Barney Brown
Barney spent seven seasons with the Stars and was a two-time All-Star. He posted a 119 ERA+