1949 East-West Game

The 1949 East-West Game was the 18th East-West Game held at Comiskey Park. It took place on August 14, 1949 and was won by the East in a 4-0 contest. Only 31,097 fans turned out, the worst crowd in nine years and a drop of 10,000 from the 1948 East-West Game in Comiskey, as the Negro Leagues were fading fast. Another clear sign of decline was the drop in the number of players who would appear in the majors - from 13 in the second 1948 East-West Game to eight here, as many stars were being signed by MLB or minor league clubs in the years following Jackie Robinson.

The East got all it needed in the opening frame. Gene Richardson threw eight straight balls to open the game, walking Pee Wee Butts and Fernando Pedroso. Lennie Pearson hit a hard fly to left-center which Willard Brown caught on the run, then Bus Clarkson singled home Butts. In the second, Howard Easterling singled off Richardson, swiped second and scored on a single by East starting pitcher Bob Griffith. Neither team scored again until the 7th, when the East tacked on two more off Gread McKinnis, thanks to three hits and an error by Lonnie Summers.

The East's pitching was absolutely dominating. Griffith and 38-year-old Andy Porter each pitched three hitless, scoreless innings (each walked one batter to avoid perfection). Pat Scantlebury pitched the final three innings of the combined shutout, but did give up two hits, a double by Piper Davis and a single by Summers.

Pedroso (3 for 4, BB) and Easterling (2 for 4, R, 2 RBI) led the East offense while the three pitchers all shone. Their only oh-fers among the starters were Pearson (0 for 5) and Junior Gilliam (0 for 4, but 8 assists and two putouts at second base).

For the West, only Davis (1 for 4, 2B) and Summers (1 for 3, 2 E) connected safely. Bob Boyd had the most hitless at-bats, going 0 for 4. McKinnis (2 R, 4 H in 1 2/3 IP) was their worst moundsman while Bill Greason tossed three shutout innings.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
East	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	4	11	1
West	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3

Players used

East Starting Lineup

• Pee Wee Butts, SS (Bal)
• Fernando Pedroso, CF (NYC)
• Lennie Pearson, 1B (Bal)
• Bus Clarkson, RF (Phi)
• Butch Davis, LF (Bal)
• Junior Gilliam, 2B (Bal)
• Howard Easterling, 3B (NYC)
• Bill Cash, C (Phi)
• Bob Griffith, P (Phi)

Backups Used

• Sherwood Brewer, RF (Ind)
• Dave Hoskins, PH (Cle)
• Andy Porter, P (Ind)
• León Kellman, PH (Cle)
• Pat Scantlebury, P (NYC)

Manager

• Hoss Walker

Coaches

• Buster Haywood

West Starting Lineup

• Jose Burgos, SS (Bir)
• Lloyd Davenport RF Chicago American Giants)
• Bob Boyd, 1B (Mem)
• Pedro Formental, CF (Mem)
• Piper Davis, 2B (Bir)
• Willard Brown, LF (KC)
• Lonnie Summers, C Chi)
• Bob Wilson, 3B (Hou)
• Gene Richardson, P (KC)

Backups Used

• Orlando Varona, SS (Mem)
• Herman Bell, PH (Bir)
• Johnny Davis, CF (Hou)
• Bill Greason, P (Bir)
• Buck O'Neil, PH (KC)
• Gread McKinnis, P (Chi)
• Willie Hutchinson, P (Mem)
• Jim LaMarque, P (KC)

Manager

• Buck O'Neil

Coaches

• Winfield Welch

Umpires

• Frank Duncan, ??? Vaughan, Bob Motley, ?????

Sources: Black Baseball's National Showcase by Larry Lester

               "Chicago Tribune, August 15, 1949: