Some brief articles appeared in the Elizabethville Echo in 1930 announcing that the Edgemont Colored Stars of Harrisburg would be playing a baseball game against the Elizabethville team at the Elizabethville ball field. A second team, the Harrisburg Monarchs was also scheduled to play in Elizabethville near the end of their 1930 season. Elizabethville reciprocated, by playing at the Monarch’s home field in Harrisburg.
The Edgemont Clubbers was an African American baseball team that was in existence from 1914 to 1946. very little is known about the team, but a web page is available on which some research is described. The is no mention on that page of the Elizabethville Echo news clippings.
Much research also needs to be done on the team known as the Harrisburg Monarchs. There is some information available that suggests that this team was founded in York, Pennsylvania, and when the league in which it played disbanded in 1891, the team moved to Harrisburg, retaining the Monarch name.
The Edgemont team was one of many Negro League baseball teams that traveled into the Lykens Valley area to play games against the local teams. As mentioned in the Echo articles, the match-ups usually drew large crowds because of the “group of player-funsters” who were with the visiting teams. The Monarchs were also known for their “fast” play, but were not as well-known as the Harrisburg Giants who played many more games with Lykens Valley area teams.
Features in the articles presented below are the two Negro League teams that were a significant part of the Elizabethville Athletic Association’s very successful 1930 season.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, 29 May 1930
COLORED TEAM BASEBALL HEADLINERS HERE SATURDAY
The local baseball team has a three-game schedule for the coming week end which ought to provide some real interesting baseball.
For tomorrow, Memorial Day, Herndon, a team which has not been seen here for several seasons, will provide opposition in a double header. The stage has been set for the first fracas on the local park diamond in the morning, at 10:30 o’clock. In the afternoon, fans will follow the team to Herndon, for the return engagement.
Saturday’s attraction, the Edgemont Colored Stars of Harrisburg, is expected to draw a large crowd of fans from many sections of the Upper End. The local line-up will be strengthened for their fast aggregation from the capital city.
The team last year claimed the championship of independent teams of Harrisburg and received support wherever they play because of the group of player-funsters they carry with them. In addition to this headliner, a fifteen piece German band will do much to inject interest in the game.
The management believes that this program is deserving of a capacity attendance inasmuch as the admission will not be increased, but that the regular price will be charged.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, 5 Jun 1930.
LOCAL TEAM HAD BUSY WEEK END
The Elizabethville team hit their winning stride during the week end when they won three of the four games played.
On Memorial Day they took the Herndon team into camp, 7-3 for the morning game on the park diamond and in the afternoon at Herndon, won by a 6-4 score.
On Saturday they had an easy time of it with the Edgemont Colored Stars of Harrisburg, when they outclassed the visitors 14-0.
Traveling to Shamokin Sunday they were nosed out 3-2, by the strong Bunker Hill aggregation.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, 28 Aug 1930.
COLORED MONARCHS TO PLAY HERE SATURDAY
The Monarchs, fast colored team of Harrisburg will be the attraction on the park diamond, Saturday. The game has been scheduled for three o’clock. The local management ways this team should mot be mistaken for the Edgemont colored stars who played here earlier in the season, and a faster game is anticipated.
On Monday, Labor Day afternoon, the home team will meet the strong Shamokin team at three o’clock. The boys have had a very successful season and your support is asked as it draws to a close.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, September 4, 1930:
INSURANCE AGENCY HELD PICNIC HERE
About fifty representatives of the Rice Insurance Agency of Harrisburg and their families, enjoyed their annual outing and picnic in Memorial Park, Saturday.
In addition to the swimming pool and games, the ball game of the local team and the Harrisburg Monarchs proved an attraction.
The Rice Agency represents the Equitable Life Insurance Company, Des Moines, Iowa, of which Mr. J. C. Deibler, town, is the local agent. It is quite probable the affair will be held in the local park again next year.
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Also, from the Elizabethville Echo, September 4, 1930, the box score of the aforementioned game between Elizabethville and the Harrisburg Monarchs.
Players for the Monarchs: Robertson, 2nd base; Banks, 3rd base; Goodman, centerfield; Fields, 1st base; Taylor, leftfield; A. Williams, shortstop; T. Williams, rightfield; Waters, catcher; D. Williams, pitcher; Brown, pitcher.
Players for Elizabethville: F. Hoffner, shortstop; R. Hoffner, 3rd base; Temple, centerfield; Buffington catcher; Keaffer, pitcher; Miller, rightfield; Collier, 2nd base; Zeigler, leftfield; T. Hoffner, 1st base.
The Monarchs defeated Elizabethville 10-9 in a 12-inning game that lasted 2 hours and 10 minutes.
The text of the article included the following description of the game:
The faithful fans, those who believe a baseball game is never won or lost until the last man is out, were treated to a real game Saturday afternoon, when the locals dropped a twelve inning affair to the colored Harrisburg Monarchs.
Trailing this fast aggregation through the game, the locals scored four to tie it up at nine runs. The visitors scored the winning run in their half of the twelfth and the home lads threatened when they loaded the bases with none retired. But their hopes were smothered in the gloves of outfielders who took fly balls for three straight outs.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, September 11, 1930, the 3-2 loss of Elizabethville to the Harrisburg Monarchs in a game played at Harrisburg:
Elizabethville players: Grubb, 2nd base; R. Hoffner, 3rd base; Temple, rightfield; Buffington, catcher; Keaffer, pitcher; Good, centerfield; Miller, 1st base; Moyer, leftfield; F. Hoffner, shortstop.
Monarch players: Robinson, 2nd base; W. Banks, 3rd base; Goodmnan, centerfield; Fields, 1st base; Taylor, rightfield; Reeves, leftfield; T. Williams, shortstop; Carpenter, shortstop; Waters, catcher; Buck, pitcher.
The Monarchs scored two runs in the home half of the 9th inning to achieve a walk-off victory, 3-2.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, September 25, 1930:
A front-page advertisement (above) for the baseball game between the Harrisburg Colored Monarchs and the Elizabethville team, 3 p. m., Saturday, September 27th [1930], at the Park Diamond.
BASEBALL CARNIVAL SATURDAY
The Elizabethville Baseball Association will conduct its final carnival of the season Saturday evening, September 27th in Elizabethville’s Memorial Park.
The opening event of the day will be a baseball game scheduled for three o’clock that afternoon. Efforts were concluded early this week to secure the Harrisburg, colored Monarchs, contenders for the County baseball title. The local team has lost two games to this aggregation, on each occasion by a slim margin of one run, and Saturday’s game promises some real interest.
Following the game, a supper will be served in the park. The menu will include bean soup, ham, frankfurter and egg sandwiches, iced cream, coffee, cake and pie. Later in the evening, a bake and food sale will be held.
For your entertainment there will be a fishing pond for the kiddies, bingo, probably beano and a number of other games. So that there will be not a dull minute, the popular 104th Cavalry Band will render concerts and will present some of the latest song hits.
The local team has had a very successful season, providing this community with fast baseball and strong teams, and now it merits your support at its festival Saturday evening.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, October 2, 1930:
CLOSED BASEBALL SEASON HERE SATURDAY
In a game which turned to a riot of base hits and runs, the local team brought its 1930 season to a close by defeating a combined team of the Harrisburg Monarchs and Edgemont Colored Stars. 21-11, Saturday afternoon.
On Sunday, Elizabethville defeated the Susquehanna Park team 15-9 on the Susquehanna Park diamond.
In spite of the cool weather Saturday evening, the club is satisfied with the results of their carnival and festival held in the borough park. The association appreciates the support received during the season and is contemplating the purchase of new uniforms for next year.
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
[African American]