The 1930 Detroit Stars baseball team competed in the Negro National League during the 1930 baseball season. The team compiled a 54–41 record (52-37 against league opponents), had a 24-game winning streak in July and August, won the league's second-half championship, and lost to the St. Louis Stars in a postseason series billed as the "Negro World Series".
The team was owned by John A. Roesink and led by player-manager Bingo DeMoss. The Stars played their home games at Hamtramck Stadium in Hamtramck, Michigan.
In its first season at the new Hamtramck Stadium, the team did poorly at the box office. In August 1930, the team's official scorer, Russell J. Cowans, published an article blaming owner Roesink, a white owner of haberdashery shops, for antagonizing the team's fans by a variety of incidents, including an attempt to have manager DeMoss arrested for protesting Roesink's use of abusive language, refusing to advertise in the city's black newspapers, inviting Ty Cobb to throw out the first pitch at the stadium's dedication, failing to visit any of the numerous fans who were injured in the 1929 Mack Park fire, failing to tender a contract to Turkey Stearnes at the beginning of the season, failing to provide adequate funds for the players' needs while on road trips, and staffing the park with white umpires, white concessionaires and white ticket sellers.
Batting The team compiled a team batting average of .271, six points lower than the league average of .277.
Center fielder Turkey Stearnes led the team with a .326 batting average and a .566 slugging percentage. Stearnes died in 1979 and was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.
Left fielder Wade Johnston compiled a.315 batting average and a .459 slugging percentage. He also led the Negro National League with 10 triples in 1930.
First baseman Ed Rile compiled a .304 batting average and a .506 slugging percentage. He tied for second in the league with nine triples.
Right fielder Crush Holloway compiled a .250 batting average and .346 slugging percentage. Along with Ed Rile, he tied for second in the league with nine triples.
Shortstop Jake Dunn compiled a .283 batting average and .415 slugging percentage.
Pitching The Stars ranked third in the Negro National League with a .3.89 earned run average (ERA) and sixth in the league with 275 strikeouts.
Andy Cooper, a left-hander from Texas, appeared in 19 games (13 as a starter) and led the team with a 9-6 win–loss record and 3.10 ERA. Cooper died in 1941 and was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Nelson Dean, a right-hander from Oklahoma, appeared in 19 games (13 as a starter) and compiled a 9–8 record with a 3.71 ERA and 63 strikeouts.
Willie Powell, a right-hander from Alabama, appeared in 20 games (15 as a starter) and compiled a 7–7 record with a 4.60 ERA.
Albert Davis appeared in 18 games (15 as a starter) and compiled a 6–7 record and a 4.58 ERA.
Roster
Name Image Position Height Weight Bats/Throws Place of birth Year of birthAndy Cooper P5'10"200Right/LeftWashington County, TX1896Pepper Daniels C5'10"192Right/RightValosta, GA1902Albert Davis P /Right Nelson Dean P5'7" /RightMuskogee, OK1899Bingo DeMoss 2B5'11"180Right/RightTopeka, KS1889Lou Dials RF6'0"180Left/LeftHot Springs, AR1904Jake Dunn SS5'10"190Right/RightLuther, OK1909Crush Holloway RF6'0"180Both/RightHillsboro, TX1896Wade Johnston LF5'7"142Left/LeftMiddleport, OH1898Andrew Love RF Milton, AL1907Grady Orange 2B /RightTerrell, TX1900Clarence Palm C5'11"176Right/RightGeorgetown, TX1907Willie Powell P5'8"153Left/RightEutaw, AL1903Ed Rile 1B6'2"210Left/RightColumbus, OH1900Bobby Robinson 3B5'10"155Right/RightWhistler, AL1903Ted Shaw P5'8"190Right/LeftMonrovia, CA1906Turkey Stearnes CF6'1"185Left/LeftNashville, TN1901Steel Arm Tyler P5'8"165/RightEvansville, IN1905
Game log
Date Opponent Site Result SourceApril 26Chicago American GiantsChicagoW 3-0April 27Chicago American GiantsChicagoL 2-3April 27Chicago American GiantsChicagoL 2-3April 29Chicago American GiantsChicagoL 3-5April 29Chicago American GiantChicagoL 1-2May 3St. Louis StarsStars Park, St. LouisW 6-5May 4St. Louis StarsStars Park, St. LouisL 8-18May 4St. Louis StarsStars Park, St. LouisW 10-1May 5St. Louis StarsStars Park, St. LouisL 9-10May 6St. Louis StarsStars Park, St. LouisW 7-6May 10Cuban StarsHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIL 4-6(first game at Hamtramck Stadium)May 11Hamtramck Municipal NineHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 11-0(dedication day for Hamtramck Stadium; Ty Cobb threw the first pitch to Dr. Rudolph Tenerowicz, mayor of Hamtramck)May 11Cuban StarsHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 7-4July 24Birmingham Black BaronsRickwood Field, Birmingham, ALW 4-2July 24Birmingham Black BaronsRickwood Field, Birmingham, ALW 2-1July 27ChicagoHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 2-0July 27ChicagoHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 7-3August 4LouisvilleHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 5-4August 5LouisvilleHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 10-2August 5LouisvilleHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 6-2August 10Nashville ElitesHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 6-2August 10Nashville ElitesHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 5-0August 11Nashville ElitesHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 4-2August 12Nashville ElitesHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 3-1August 17Cuban StarsHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 8-0August 17Cuban StarsHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIL 7-8August 23Birmingham Black BaronsHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 14-4August 28Homestead GraysHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 7-5August 30Kansas City MonarchsHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 6-5September 13St. Louis StarsStars Park, St. LouisL 4-5September 15St. Louis StarsStars Park, St. LouisW 11-7September 16St. Louis StarsStars Park, St. LouisL 2-7September 17St. Louis StarsStars Park, St. LouisW 5-4September 20St. Louis StarsHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIW 7-5September 22St. Louis StarsHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIL 7-13September 23St. Louis StarsHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIRainSeptember 24St. Louis StarsHamtramck Stadium, Hamtramck, MIRain
References