League of Colored Baseball Clubs

The League of Colored Baseball Clubs or the National Colored League was the first attempt to have a league consisting of all-black teams, predating Rube Foster's Negro National League by over three decades. The league president was Walter S. Brown who was also manager of the Pittsburgh club. The Gorhams beat the Keystones 11-8 in the opener on May 6, 1887. Philadelphia and New York disbanded on May 18. Cincinnati and Washington were admitted on May 6, after the season started, but played no games. The league folded after two weeks on May 23.

Cities Represented (with records)

• Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Lord Baltimores 2-4
• Boston, MA: Boston Resolutes 1-0
• Cincinnati, OH: Cincinnati Browns, did not play
• Louisville, KY: Louisville Fall City 1-2
• New York, NY: New York Gorhams 2-2
• Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia Pythians 4-1
• Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh Keystones 3-4
• Washington, DC: Washington Capital Citys, did not play