Black Baseball Teams in Tidewater: A Timeline
Below is a condensed timeline of Black baseball teams in the Tidewater region, starting with the Norfolk Red Stockings in the late 1800s to the Tides in 2025. Most information comes from Baseball in Norfolk, Virginia, written by Clay Shampoe and Thomas R. Garrett; especially chapter seven's "Black Baseball in
Below is a condensed timeline of Black baseball teams in the Tidewater region, starting with the Norfolk Red Stockings in the late 1800s to the Tides in 2025. Most information comes from Baseball in Norfolk, Virginia, written by Clay Shampoe and Thomas R. Garrett; especially chapter seven's "Black Baseball in Norfolk". Additional thanks goes to Norfolk's Slover Library.
NORFOLK RED STOCKINGS
1876 – 1900s
The Red Stockings gained prominence as a professional Black independent team in 1889 after participating in the “Colored Championship of America”, where they played against the Cuban Giants, the Pittsburgh Keystones and the New York Gorhams. They would play through the early 1900s.
NORFOLK ALL-STARS
1919 - 1921
Following the first World War, the Norfolk All-Stars became the next attempt at a Black professional team in Norfolk. Many longtime Negro League players used the All-Stars as a stepping stone in establishing their careers, including Norfolk native John Cason, Jessie “Nip” Winters, and Webster McDonald.
NORFOLK GIANTS
1921
Many Norfolk Stars would join the Norfolk Giants in 1921, including Winters, James Crump and Cecil Johnson. Unfortunately, they would dissolve after one season. Several independent and semi-pro Black teams would form over the next several decades. Cason would return to Norfolk in 1933 to manage the Berkley Black Sox. Other teams include the Lambert Point Slides, Portsmouth Eagles, Portsmouth Revels, Portsmouth Firefighters, Tittustown Trojans, Belleview Grays, Olney Giants and Suffolk Aces.
BATTLING PALMS
Late 1920s - 1955
According to the Norfolk’s premier Black paper, the Journal and Guide, the Battling Palms were described as “one of the pioneering clubs on the Black baseball front.” For roughly 13 years, they played at Norfolk’s Community Field until 1955, a non-segregated field located near Booker T. Washington High School. That park also served as Norfolk State College’s home field.
NORFOLK-NEWPORT NEWS ROYALS
1948 – 1949
In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier while playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Negro American Association (NAA) was founded in 1948 after MLB integration and was meant to rival the Negro American League. 12 teams made up the Negro American Association, four coming from the Negro Southern League (Atlanta Black Crackers, Raleigh Tigers, Asheville/Charlotte Blues, Jacksonville Eagles) and five from the Negro Carolina League (Greensboro Goshen Red Wings, Richmond Giants, Winston-Salem Pond Giants, Durham Eagles, Danville All Stars). The Norfolk-Newport News Royals were founded to compete in the NAA. They would place third in the 1948 season with a 13-8 record. The historic Homestead Grays, who won the Negro League World Series in 1948, joined the NAA in 1949 and dominated the first half of the season with a 24-2 record. The league folded after the 1949 campaign.
ROYALS vs. BATTLING PALMS
On Sunday, June 26, 1949, the Battling Palms would face off against the Royals in a doubleheader. In game one, the Palms managed to win 7-5. However, the Royals took game two, 7-4, in seven innings. Over 1,100 attended the games that day, reportedly one of the most watched games of the season up until that point.
INTEGRATION IN NORFOLK
Up until 1954, Norfolk was known for being one of the most segregated baseball cities among affiliated minor league localities. The Norfolk Tars, who existed since 1906, played in the Piedmont League from 1934 – 1955 at the Class B level. In their final 16 seasons, the Tars home games were played at Myers Field off of Church Street in Norfolk. Unlike Community Field, Myers Field was not yet racially integrated and discriminated against Black patrons. They were required to enter through a designated “Jim Crow” gate and sit in the “color grandstand”. Other local fields at Portsmouth Stadium and War Memorial Stadium in Newport News had desegregated years prior.
Norfolk’s Black fans would boycott Tars games at Myers Field in 1953 due to the segregation and the failure of the New York Yankees, who the Tars were affiliated with, to integrate the team. At the MLB level, the Yankees were the third-to-last team of the time to integrate players (1955, Elston Howard) and that trickled down through their minor league affiliates. Instead those same fans would support the Portsmouth Merrimacs in the same league, who had several Black players and hosted fans in multi-racial bleachers and grandstands. Despite the Tars winning the regular season and the league championship, attendance fell significantly.
The boycott proved to help progress, as the Yankees sold their ownership of the Tars to local investors. They immediately integrated the Tars’ roster and abolished racial segregation in their seating areas. On Saturday, April 17, 1954, the Norfolk Tars hosted the Battling Palms in an exhibition game, one of the first events at Myers Field that desegrated fans by color.
INTO THE PRESENT
With the collapse of MLB’s color barrier, Negro League teams would start disbanding from there. The Palms disbanded after 1955 due to Community Field being sold. Baseball was changing locally and nationally overall. The Tars and would disband in July of 1955 after Myers Field also closed their gates. With the Merrimacs also disbanding after 1955, the Tidewater region wouldn’t have a team until 1961 when the Portsmouth-Norfolk Tides were established and joined the Class A South Atlantic League. They would play at Frank D Lawrence Stadium in Portsmouth, and occasionally at High Rock Park (off Rugby & Church Street) in Norfolk.
After two seasons, the Tides would switch into the Class A Carolina League through 1968, largely due to an overhaul of the minor leagues. The team would switch its identity to the Tidewater Tides while remaining in Portsmouth. In 1969, the Tides would join the Triple-A International League after the New York Mets moved their Triple-A affiliation from Jacksonville. After the inaugural Triple-A season, the Tides would move back to Norfolk and play at Met Park. They were the first team in Norfolk since the Tars and Battling Palms in 1955. Fast forward to 1993, the Tidewater Tides would move into Harbor Park and rebrand as the Norfolk Tides, which remains to this day.
2025
To honor the history of Black baseball in Norfolk, the Tides will play as the Norfolk Red Stockings this season on April 11 vs. the Gwinnett Stripers. It will be the third consecutive year the Tides will wear the alternate uniform.
Norfolk Splits Doubleheader with Gwinnett
NORFOLK, Va --- The Norfolk Tides (6-8) split a doubleheader with the Gwinnett Stripers (6-7) on Saturday night at Harbor Park. Gwinnett took game one, 6-1, and Norfolk won game two, 6-2. The series is in Gwinnett's favor, 3-2, entering Sunday's season finale. It was all Gwinnett in game one,
Friday Night's Game vs. Gwinnett Postponed
Friday night's game vs. the Gwinnett Stripers has been postponed due to inclement weather. It will be made up as part of a single admission doubleheader tomorrow, April 12. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 5:35 p.m., with gates opening at 4:00 p.m. Tonight’s Norfolk Red Stockings and
Gibson, Strider Matchup Ends in Tides Loss
NORFOLK, Va --- The Norfolk Tides (5-7) fell to the Gwinnett Stripers (5-6), 6-1, on Thursday night at Harbor Park. It was a highlighted pitcher's duel between two former Major League All-Stars in Kyle Gibson for the Tides and Spencer Strider for Gwinnett. Gibson, who made his season debut for
Norfolk Goes to Extras For Second Straight Night in Loss
NORFOLK, Va --- The Norfolk Tides (5-6) fell to the Gwinnett Stripers (4-6), 4-2, in 10 innings on Wednesday night at Harbor Park. It was the second straight night the Tides went to extras with Gwinnett, except this time it was the Tides falling short in their first loss of
Tides Walk Off Homestand Opener vs. Gwinnett
NORFOLK, Va --- The Norfolk Tides (5-5) defeated the Gwinnett Stripers (3-6), 8-7, in 10 innings on Tuesday night at Harbor Park. Gwinnett scored four runs in the ninth inning to force extras, but Norfolk prevailed as Maverick Handley would walk it off for the Tides in the 10th. Gwinnett
Charlotte Rallies Back to Defeat Norfolk in Series Finale
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Young Leads Norfolk, Pitching Staff to Victory
CHARLOTTE, NC --- The Norfolk Tides (4-4) defeated the Charlotte Knights (5-3), 3-2, on Saturday night at Truist Field. The Tides carried a combined no-hitter through the seventh inning, helping them clinch a series split with their third win of the road trip. Norfolk scored all of their runs early,
Late Norfolk Comeback Falls Short as Series Evens
CHARLOTTE, NC --- The Norfolk Tides (3-4) fell to the Charlotte Knights (5-2), 7-6, on Friday night at Truist Field. Two big innings by the Knights were enough to hold off the Tides, who would make it a one-run game late. The loss evens the road trip at 2-2. Norfolk
Three Home Runs Power Tides to Victory
CHARLOTTE, NC --- The Norfolk Tides (3-3) defeated the Charlotte Knights (4-2), 6-3, on Thursday night at Truist Field. The Tides won their second consecutive game with the help of three home runs. The first home run came in the second inning from Luis Vázquez, his first of the season.
Weston Shines, Bullpen Holds in First Tides Road Win
CHARLOTTE, NC --- The Norfolk Tides (2-3) defeated the Charlotte Knights (4-1), 3-1, on Wednesday night at Truist Field. The Tides would win a pitcher's duel in game two of their road trip, handing the Knights their first loss of the season. Cameron Weston made his Triple-A debut as Norfolk's
Home Runs Not Enough to Topple Knights
CHARLOTTE, NC --- The Norfolk Tides (1-3) fell to the Charlotte Knights (4-0), 4-3, on Tuesday night at Truist Field. Gunnar Henderson blasted a home run for a second straight game, finishing the night 1-for-4 with a walk. Gunnar's home run broke the scoring open in the third inning, a
Mayo, Henderson Homer in Norfolk's First Win
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Basallo Hits First Home Run in Loss to Durham
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Gunnar Gets First Hit on MLB Rehab in Opening Night Loss
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