1932 Monroe Monarchs

1932 Monroe Monarchs / Franchise: Monroe Monarchs / BR Team Page

Record: 34-14, Finished 2nd in Negro Southern League (1932 NSL)

Managed by Frank Johnson

Ballpark: Casino Park

History, Comments, Contributions

The 1932 Monroe Monarchs were the only major league team from Monroe, LA. They nearly won a title, finishing only one game behind the NSL champion Chicago American Giants and dominating the league leaderboards. Due to the league's split-season format, they did not make the finals, not having won either half. The team complained about its exclusion from the postseason. They beat the Austin Black Senators in the Dixie Series and wound up staging a series against the independent Pittsburgh Crawfords, billed as the world championship; Monroe dropped that series.

SS Leroy Morney (.378/.427/.522, 205 OPS+, 49 R in 51 G) led the NSL in runs, hits (76), doubles (12, tied), average, OBP and OPS. CF Roy Parnell (.350/.387/.556, 202 OPS+) led in slugging, RBI, triples (11) and doubles (12, tied with Morney) as the duo were the top hitters in the league. RF Zollie Wright (.297/.372/.438, 160 OPS+) led the league with 22 walks. The only other regular with an OPS+ over 100 was 3B Porter Dallas (.279/.322/.355, 118 OPS+). 1B Chuffie Alexander batted .256/.295/.317 (97 OPS+), 2B Augustus Saunders .256/.306/.283 (90 OPS+), C Harry Else .218/.265/.261 (70 OPS+) and LF Shorty Walker .222/.263/.253 (67 OPS+). The main back-up was OF Sammy Harris (.186/.213/.198, 33 OPS+).

The staff was even better with a 131 ERA+. Dick Matthews (11-2, 2.17, 143 ERA+) led the NSL in wins, one ahead of Barney Morris (10-4, 3.06, 101 ERA+), who led with 81 K. Elbert Williams (9-6, 1.91, 162 ERA+) led in WHIP (0.88) and Parnell also dazzled on the hill (5-1, a league-best 0.83 ERA, 371 ERA+) as the top four hurlers all led the league in a pitching department. Hall-of-Famer Hilton Smith pitched one game.

All stats listed are per the Seamheads database 3/4/2021. Also see the season write-up at Seamheads