This is an extremely brief history of the Crawfords.
The Pittsburgh Crawfords played at Greenlee Field in Pittsburgh’s Hill district. Part of Negro the Leagues from 1931-1938. They were named after a prominent night club in the Hill District called the Crawford Grill. Hall of Famers who put on the Crawfords uniform included Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Judy Johnson and Cool Papa Bell. A team that would have given any of the all-white teams of major leagues fits. They won the Negro League pennant in 1935 defeating the New York Cubans in a 7 game series.
The Crawfords attendance took a nose dive after a series of defections in 1937 by the best players to the more lucrative barnstorming circuits or playing for the dictator Rafael Trujillo’s Dominican Republic’s team. Another reason is because of the great depression some of the white co-owners demanded that all the workers at Greenlee Field be white. The mostly African-American fan base was justifiably angry at this, and stayed away in droves. The team moved on to become the Toledo Crawfords in 1939.
At times this place can be very busy for obvious reasons. If there is a game going on, go for it at another time, or grab a dog and a soda and watch the action.
Please, please, please rehide the container as best as you can.