John Moore (baseball)

John W. Moore was an American multi-sport athlete. He was a Negro league infielder in the late 1920s while also playing professional basketball and semi-professional football.

John Moore
NationalityAmerican
Other namesJohnny Moore, Judy Moore
Baseball career
Infielder
Negro league baseball debut
1928, for the Pittsburgh Crawfords
Last appearance
1929, for the Birmingham Black Barons
Teams
Basketball career
Career information
High schoolSchenley
( Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
PositionCenter

Baseball career

Moore began his career with the semi-pro Pittsburgh Crawfords in May 1928 as a first baseman.[1][2] In August, both Moore and third baseman Bill Harris left the club to join the Homestead Grays. One of the two players to fill vacancies of Moore and Harris was Josh Gibson.[3]

Moore played for the Birmingham Black Barons in 1929.[4] In three recorded games with Birmingham as a shortstop, he posted one hit and one base on balls in eight plate appearances.[5][6]

Basketball and football career

Moore was a multi-sport athlete. In addition to playing in the Negro leagues, he was an all-city basketball player at Schenley High School in Pittsburgh.[7][8] He was also selected three times as an all-scholastic center.[9][10] When he was selected unanimously for the third consecutive year as the best scholastic center in Pittsburgh, The Pittsburgh Courier wrote:

"Considering his youth, his natural athletic abilities and his quick susceptibility to teaching, Johnny undoubtedly will reach the peaks in basketball achievements. A perfect gentleman wherever you meet him, bashful John is an excellent example of the ideal man of tomorrow. If there were only more young athletes with a similar deportment, what a world, what a world this would be."[11]

Moore also played professional basketball for the Loendi Big Five, one of the early black basketball teams known as the Black Fives. He also was a member of the Homestead Grays basketball team in 1927, led by Cumberland Posey, the organizer of the baseball team of the same name,[12] and the Holy Cross Parishioners.[13] Moore won a reputation as "a real offensive threat at all times" who "garnered a large number of baskets."[14] In 1930, he played basketball with the Bailey Bige Five with fellow Negro leaguers Vic Harris and Claude Johnson.[15]

From at least 1934 to 1936, Moore played basketball with the Iron City Elks along with fellow Negro leaguer Joe Ware and future photographer Teenie Harris.[16][17][18]

Moore was described by The Pittsburgh Courier in 1936 as "one of the best 'stretch-runners' who ever swept down the hardwoods . . . the left-handed hook artist, who is a clever all-around floorman and one of the finest ponies bred on Smoketown's hills in many moons."[19]

He also played at the quarterback position for the Pittsburgh Crawford's football counterparts, the Garfield Eagles.[7] He also played quarterback in 1931 for the East Liberty Scholastics, described at the time as "Pittsburgh's outstanding grid eleven."[20]

References
  1. Riley, James A. (1994). The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues. New York: Carroll & Graf. ISBN 0-7867-0959-6.
  2. "Crawfords to Open Friday". Pittsburgh Courier. May 5, 1928. p. 17. Retrieved January 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "On The Sandlots". Pittsburgh Courier. August 18, 1928. p. 18. Retrieved January 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Rosters - Birmingham Black Barons-1919-1929" (PDF). negrosouthernleaguemuseumresearchcenter.org. Negro Southern League Museum Research Center. p. 10. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  5. "John Moore". seamheads.com. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  6. "John Moore". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  7. Rob Ruck (1987). Sandlot Seasons: Sport in Black Pittsburgh. University of Illinois Press. p. 51. ISBN 0252063422.
  8. "Judy Moore runs wild in big game". The Pittsburgh Courier. 13 March 1926. p. 12. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  9. Fred Landucci (4 March 1928). "Stars "place" on mythical teams". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 49. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  10. "All-Star Quintets Will Clash Thursday". The Pittburgh Courier. March 17, 1928. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Shelkie (March 17, 1928). "Local Sports Dope". The Pittsburgh Courier. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Homestead Grays and Big Five in Washington, PA. For Game Monday". Pittsburgh Courier. April 16, 1928. p. 17. Retrieved January 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Floor Dope". Pittsburgh Courier. December 17, 1927. p. 19. Retrieved January 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Ex-Hi Stars Make Good in 1st Pro Year". The Pittsburgh Courier. March 9, 1929. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Lion Tamers to Vie With Baileys Feb. 27". Pittsburgh Courier. February 22, 1930. p. 14. Retrieved January 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "The Big Four of the Antlered Herd!". The Pittburgh Courier. December 22, 1934. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Elks Out to Extend Victory Streak". The Pittburgh Courier. December 21, 1935. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. "Former School Stars Compose Negro Team". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. January 12, 1935. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. "Ches' Sez". The Pittsburgh Courier. March 28, 1936. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. "Scholastics Triumph In Two Thrillers". The Pittsburgh Courier. October 31, 1931. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
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