The Birmingham Black Barons were the most successful of the many Southern teams that played Negro Leagues baseball in the Jim Crow era.  Organized in 1920 as an entry in the Negro Southern League, Birmingham had its first taste of “major league” baseball in 1923, when Birmingham and Memphis played as “associate” members of the Negro National League.  Birmingham was 15-23-5 against NNL teams.  They became official members of the NNL in 1924 and finished fifth with a 34-44 record.  Harry Salmon, Sam Streeter, and Mule Suttles were the top players on the team.  They were seventh (24-49) in 1925.  Finances kept the team in the “minor” Negro Southern League for 1926 but they rejoined the NNL in 1927 and—led by rookie pitcher Satchel Paige—won the second half championship.  However, they lost in four straight games to the Chicago American Giants for the NNL title.  In 1928 they were 44-54 and fifth.  Fifth in 1929 (29-51) and fourth (44-48) in 1930.

With the Depression going full force, the Black Barons returned to the Southern League in 1931.  They were part of the 1932 major league NSL but stayed in the “minors” until joining the new Negro American League in 1937.  The ’37 and ’38 teams were not good.  They dropped out after 1938, but returned in 1940 and were a strong team throughout the remainder of their history.  In 1943 they were NAL champions topping Chicago in the playoffs.  They battled the Homestead Grays to a seventh game before losing 8-4.  Some of the stars were Lyman Bostock, Sr., Lorenzo “Piper” Davis, Lester Lockett, Ed Steele, and Jesse Walker.  In 1944, the Black Barons took both half pennants and were 48-22 overall.  Unfortunately, the Grays beat them in five games in the Series.  They were 39-30 in 1945, finishing second.  They were near the top also in 1946 and 1947 before grabbing the championship of the NAL in1948.  They defeated the Kansas City Monarchs in seven games but again they could not beat the Homestead Grays, losing in five games.  When the two leagues merged following the season, Birmingham became a Western Division power in the NAL.  In 1950, they were 52-25, but trailed Kansas City at 52-21.  During the ‘50s the Black Barons continued to field formidable teams and provide future major leaguers with a starting point, as they had for Willie Mays in 1948.

Mays must be considered the greatest player who ever donned a Black Baron uniform, but the top longtime Baron was certainly “Piper” Davis.  Other outstanding players were Sam Hairston and Tommy Sampson.  The Black Barons, who played their home games at Rickwood Field, home of the white Birmingham Barons, finally ceased to exist after the 1960 season.