Baseball game changers can be defined in many ways. Some will change the game on the field and some off. In the case of Andrew “Rube” Foster, it was more about what he did off the field. After making his name as a professional pitcher, winning 44 games in a row with the Cuban Giants in 1902, he eventually became a team manager and owner. Hall of Famer Frank Chance one said Foster was the most finished product he ever saw in a pitcher’s box. “Do not worry. Try to appear jolly and unconcerned,” said Foster about pitching out of jams. “I have smiled often with the bases full with two strikes and three balls on the batter. This seems to unnerve.”
Let’s take a look at his APBA card, kindly provided by Pastor Rich Zawadzki. While this Rube Foster card asserts it’s from the 1910 Chicago Leland Giants, it is really more of a “career” card. Stats for Negro league players are often sketchy at best. The official APBA Great Negro League teams set features cards based more on reputations than stats. For example, using a card computer, Foster’s card projects for just a .239 batting average, with very little slugging ability. Honestly, it’s an odd card. He’s a slow player with a 15-11 and 25-10, who’s only really valuable as a B pitcher. Lifetime, Foster was probably close to a .240 hitter and a B grade pitcher. So, based on his probable career statistics, the card represents him effectively.
More importantly, Foster led the formation of the Negro National League (NNL) in 1920 and is considered the Father of Black Baseball. Not only did Foster run the NNL, but he was the owner and manager of the Chicago American Giants, who played at South Side Park, home of the White Sox before their move to Comiskey Park. The kind of baseball developed in the Negro leagues can be credited to Foster’s managerial style. As an owner-manager, Foster taught the bold and aggressive playing style for which the Negro leagues became famous—an emphasis on speed, bunting, place hitting, power pitching, and defense. Because of his game changing influence, Rube Foster was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981, the first Negro leagues executive ever enshrined.
Recommendations: If you’re interested in more about the history of the Negro leagues, consider checking out these books:
Thanks for the Rube Foster notes. Any booklist on BlackBall should also include John Holway’s “Voices From The Great Black Baseball Leagues” and “Blackball Stars”. There is also a good biography on Foster – “The Best Pitcher In Baseball” by Robert Cottrell.