1931 Chicago Columbia Giants

1931 Chicago Columbia Giants / Franchise: Chicago American Giants / BR Team Page

Record: 6-17-1, Finished 6th in Negro National League (1931 NNL)

Managed by Dave Malarcher

Ballpark: South Side Park

History, Comments, Contributions

The Chicago Columbia Giants were a later addition to the 1931 NNL, joining the league mid-season; some sources list them as the Chicago American Giants, the traditional name for the Chicago franchise, and some of the players were familiar American Giants, such as player-manager Dave Malarcher.

The team had plenty of offense, hitting .285, best in the league; their 705 OPS was second in the league but they played in an extreme pitcher's park, so their OPS+ was a league-best 108. RF Nat Rogers (.419/.482/.541, 16 R, 16 RBI in 19 G, 201 OPS+) led the league in average and OBP and got plenty of help from LF Sandy Thompson (.347/.380/.400, 130 OPS+), 1B Clarence Smith (.283/.365/.391, 123 OPS+), 3B Malarcher (.306/.432/.306, 119 OPS+) and 2B Halley Harding (.299/.358/.358, 105 OPS+). Others with 20+ AB included C Walter Harper (1 for 21), SS Guy Ousley (.156/.270/.156, 27 OPS+), CF Sanford Jackson (.265/.306/.279, 13 R in 16, 79 OPS+), SS Charley Williams (.516/.559/.742, 282 OPS+, 9 RBI in 8 G), C/3B Harry Jeffries (.323/.382/.355, 118 OPS+), 1B Jack Marshall (.345/.457/.517, 187 OPS+) and 1B/C Jim Brown (.292/.370/.417, 132 OPS+).

The pitching was the weak link with a league-high 4.78 ERA (82 ERA+). Luther McDonald was good at 4-3, 1.82 (215 ERA+) but no other hurler appeared in more than three games and many of those short-trialed pitchers got hammered.

All stats listed are per the Seamheads database 6/11/2021