1918 in the Negro Leagues

1918 in baseball
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The seven most active top flight teams were the Chicago American Giants (12-5), New York Lincoln Giants (11-8), Cuban Stars (West) (11-11), Philadelphia Hilldales (8-2), Brooklyn Royal Giants (5-3), Indianapolis ABCs (5-6) and Cuban Stars (East) (3-8).

Indianapolis flyhawk Oscar Charleston (.429) was the star of the west in average, while Dick Whitworth of Chicago was the top pitcher (6-2, 2.50). Bernardo Baro no-hit the ABCs in one game. New York's Smokey Joe Williams (7-2, 2.23) remained the top calling card in the east as the star hurler; he hit .514, second to the Eastern Cuba Stars' Pelayo Chacon (.542).

Other active Hall-of-Famers (aside from Charleston and Williams) included Chicago's Pete Hill (.167), ABCs first baseman Ben Taylor (.229), western Cuban Stars OF Cristobal Torriente (.318, 2-2 as a pitcher), Louis Santop (.444 for Brooklyn and Philly) and Brooklyn SS Pop Lloyd (.215).

Williams pitched five games against white major league pitchers in exhibition outings, but only Bullet Joe Bush came with some support, six major league players led by George Burns and Wally Schang. Bush was leading 4-3 when the game was called due to a dispute over the use of a ball previously ruled out of play.

Source: The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues by John Holway