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3 unusual facts about Providence Grays


Providence Grays

The team had a putative claim to being the first Major League Baseball team to field an African-American baseball player, William Edward White, a Brown University student who played one game for the Grays on June 21, 1879.

William Edward White: First African-American player in major league history

One of the leading players from the 1879 pennant winner was Hall of Famer John Montgomery Ward.


1883 Providence Grays season

The Providence Grays finished the 1883 season in third place after a hard-fought four-way battle for the National League pennant.

Charlie Getzein

Getzein finished the 1884 season with a 1.95 earned run average, third best in the National League behind Old Hoss Radbourn (1.38) and Charlie Sweeney (1.95), both of whom played for the league champion Providence Grays.

Heinie Beckendorf

In May 1906, after gaining his release from Kingston, Beckendorf signed with the Providence Grays of the Eastern League.

Lon Knight

He finished his career in 1885 when he split the season between the Athletics and the Providence Grays.


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