The Chicago Unions emerged as a leading Black baseball team in 1886 while competing against New York teams. Owned by Frank Leland and W.S. Peters, they played a crucial role in the development of Black baseball in Chicago. In 1896, the Columbia Giants joined them, enhancing their stature. However, racial tensions were high, exemplified by Cap Anson's refusal to play against Black players, thereby establishing the "color line" in MLB. The Unions' legacy eventually led to the founding of the Chicago American Giants in 1911, a pivotal moment for the Negro Leagues, with Rube Foster as a significant figure in that movement.
1886: The Chicago Unions emerge "as the city's top Black team." The Unions were one of the leading Black teams in the country, competing with mostly New York teams in the late 19th century.
Cap Anson refused to play against Black players in an exhibition game, helping forge the MLB's "color line" that would stand for 60 years.
Out of the ashes of the Unions, the American Giants became one of the Negro Leagues' founding teams, with Rube Foster being a significant driving force behind this transformation.
Early owners tried to integrate baseball on the sly, evidenced by Charles Comiskey exposing a plot to pass off a Black player as Native American.
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