Harrisburg Giants
Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Harrisburg-based Negro League baseball team founded around 1900 and operated by Colonel William Strothers until his death in 1933. One of 27 major Negro League teams across the nation, the Giants finished in second place in the Eastern Colored League in 1925. Among well-known players were Hall-of-Famer Oscar Charleston, Spottswood Poles, Ben Taylor, John Beckwith, Fats Jenkins & Rap Dixon. They played here at Island Park through 1957.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
From around 1900 into the 1950s, the Harrisburg Giants gave the city a place in the golden age of Black baseball. Run for decades by Colonel William Strothers until his death in 1933, the club was one of 27 major Negro League teams and finished second in the Eastern Colored League in 1925. Its rosters glittered with talent — Hall-of-Famer Oscar Charleston among them — and the team played its home games at Island Park through 1957.
Why it matters
In the era of segregated baseball, the Giants showcased world-class Black athletes who were barred from the major leagues, making Harrisburg part of a proud institution that carried African American excellence and community pride.
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Related people
- · William Strothers
- · Oscar Charleston
- · Spottswood Poles
- · Ben Taylor
- · John Beckwith
- · Fats Jenkins
- · Rap Dixon
Themes & tags
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