1932 Homestead Grays

1932 Homestead Grays / Franchise: Homestead Grays / BR Team Page

Record: 24-16-1, Finished 2nd in East-West League (1932 EWL)

Managed by Jud Wilson (22-20-1) and Cum Posey (20-11)

Ballpark: Greenlee Field

History, Comments, Contributions

The 1932 Homestead Grays were one of the top teams in the short-lived East-West League, which was run by Homestead owner and manager Cum Posey. The team had the league's second-best record at the time it collapsed but the top team (Detroit) had folded before that so an argument could be made that they were first in the league's only season.

The roster experienced some turnover as the team picked many of Detroit's players when that team folded. The OPS+ of 107 led the league. Mack Eggleston (.292/.393/.375, 111 OPS+) and Bill Perkins (.407/.455/.667, 205 OPS+) wound up tied for the most time at catcher (20 games). George Giles hit .338/.400/.455 (134 OPS+) and was the main first baseman. Newt Allen, one of their six Hall-of-Fame-bound players, batted .250/.327/.357 (87 OPS+) and started at second the most. Jake Stephens (.327/.424/.364, 117 OPS+, 26 R in 28 G), Chester Williams (.305/.345/.329, 85 OPS+) and Cooperstown-bound Willie Wells (.263/.317/.500, 122 OPS+, 9 RBI in 10 G) all played at least ten games at short. At third, George Britt (.319/.372/.431, 119 OPS+), Jud Wilson (.373/.447/.418, 137 OPS+) and Bill Evans (.287/.361/.322, 87 OPS+) alternated. Evans was also their most-used center fielder, followed by Cool Papa Bell (.400/.442/.525, 164 OPS+, 12 R in 10 G). In left, Vic Harris (.312/.403/.424, 126 OPS+, 29 R in 32 G) and Jabbo Andrews (.247/.291/.320, 67 OPS+) were the most common players. In right, it was LeRoy Taylor (.304/.333/.384, 96 OPS+) and Joe Strong (.400/.495/.576, 193 OPS+). That long listing doesn't include some other guys who saw lots of action like 3B/SS Walter Cannady (.259/.302/.383, 87 OPS+), 1B Jasper Washington (.258/.324/.419, 103 OPS+) and UT Anthony Cooper (.228/.302/.246, 51 OPS+) in a team with so much turnover.

The staff had a 133 ERA+, second in the EWL. Strong (4-4, 2.07, 212 ERA+) led the league in ERA while Harry Salmon was 7-5 with a 2.49 ERA (175 ERA+) and |Ray Brown went 5-4 with a 3.68 ERA (119 ERA+). Other fine hurlers included Leroy Matlock (4-0, 3.11, 141 ERA+), 46-year-old legend Joe Williams (4-1, 2.39, 183 ERA+) and George Britt (2-3, 4.33, 101 ERA+). The league's WHIP leader William Bell (2-1, 3.33, 131 ERA+) and win leader Bert Hunter (4-0, 2.84, 154 ERA+) both finished the year with Homestead after Detroit folded.

All stats listed are per the Seamheads database 3/22/2021