Dayton Marcos

The region suffered a devastating flood in the spring of 1913. Marcos star pitcher Bill Sloan leapt to action, commandeering a boat and rescuing as many as 317 Dayton citizens.[6] In 2013, an anonymous Good Samaritan donated a headstone memorializing Sloan's heroic act.[7]

The Marcos were founding members of the Negro National League when it was founded on February 13, 1920.[8] They were managed by Candy Jim Taylor, who also played Third Base. With his managerial career spanning three decades, Taylor would go on to be the winningest manager in Negro League history, including winning two Negro League World Series with the Homestead Grays.[9] The Marcos National Negro League home opener was on June 12, 1920 at Westwood Field (present day James H. McGee Blvd. and Rosedale), a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Giants.[10] Local Koke Alexander led the team in hitting with a .350 batting average, while rookie George "Chippy" Britt was the Marcos' workhorse on the mound.[11] Britt would play for 21 more seasons. The Marcos finished the 1920 campaign in seventh place with a 16-36 record, 23 games behind the pennant winning Chicago American Giants.[12]

The league's winter meetings kicked off on December 4 with owner John Matthews present as representative of the Marcos.[13] Early accounts announced the sale of the Marcos to businessmen in Columbus, Ohio,[14] where it was rechristened as the Columbus Buckeyes. However, a 1943 column in The Pittsburgh Courier written by Hall of Fame player, manager, and executive Cum Posey detailed the true story: "Mathews[sic] of the Dayton Marcos went to sleep in the league meeting. When he awoke "Rube" had taken his franchise and divided his players among the other clubs."[15] While the press billed the move as a transfer and several former Marcos joined the Buckeyes, Matthews continued to operate the Marcos as an independent team. In April, the club hosted the Buckeyes in a 10-5 loss at Westwood Field.[16]

John Matthews, still owner of the Marcos, was present at NNL winter meetings and the Marcos were slated to rejoin the NNL in 1923.[17] However, the team would not rejoin league play until 1926. The Marcos made agreements with local clubs to once again using Westwood Field with plans to renovate their old home including additional seating.[18] Local star catcher Eddie Huff was signed as field manager.[18] The 1926 Marcos were a revolving door of names and faces, with as many as 43 different men wearing a Dayton uniform in league play.[19] In June the Marcos made headlines by grabbing former star shortstop Joe Dewitt from the St. Louis Stars, purchasing him outright along with 4 other players.[20] Hewitt struggled in his new home, hitting .079 in league play.[21] Hewitt was briefly backed up by 20 year old rookie shortstop Alex Radcliff, who would later garner 11 All-Star selections with the Chicago American Giants.[22] On July 13, the Marcos travelled to Schorling Park in Chicago to face the American Giants. The day ended in the Marcos landing on the wrong side of a 13-0 no-hitter by Rube Currie in the second game of a doubleheader. Just six days later, the team withdrew from league play.[23] The Marcos ended the year in last place with a 6-36 record.[24]