Cleveland has enjoyed a long history of black teams in the city leagues as well as in the Negro Leagues.  The Cleveland Tate Stars were the first professional black team organized in Cleveland, in 1918.  Cleveland’s first Negro National League team was the 1922 Tate Stars, who were 17-29 and did not finish the season.  In 1924, it was the Browns, 15-34 and dead last.  In 1926, the Elites were 7-41 and folded before the end of the season.  In 1927, the Hornets were last at 16-38, and in 1928 the Tigers were worse at 19-53.  All were unsuccessful due mainly to a lack of quality players.  This in turn resulted in a lack of fan interest.  Cleveland’s black population and central location were important to the Negro Leagues, so various individuals and groups continued to seek the proper combination.

Upon the demise of the Negro National League after 1931, Cleveland tried a team in each of the 1932 Leagues, The East West, and Negro Southern League.  The Cleveland Stars were a middle of the road team in the E-W League, while the NSL Cleveland Clubs were 22-18—not far from the lead when the league folded.  The Cubs included Satchel Paige.  In 1933, the Cleveland Giants evolved from the demise of the Akron and Columbus franchises but went nowhere.  In 1934 another new team, the Cleveland Red Sox, were 4-25 and cellar dwellers when they gave up.

After four years of no league teams, the Cleveland Bears were formed, as members of the Negro American League.  In 1939 and 1940, they were a .500 team but they were not financially successful.  In 1942, Ernest Wright became the owner and established the Buckeyes.  1942 saw the team being shared by both Cleveland and Cincinnati.  The were 35-15 and second overall, Cleveland’s first successful team.  The 1943 team was also second overall at 27-12, just missing out.  They fell back to 40-41 and third in 1944, but were finally a solid franchise.  In 1945, under the leadership of Quincy Trouppe and with the terrific play of Sam Jethroe (who was probably Cleveland’s all-time best Negro Leagues player, and who would become the National League’s Rookie of the Year in 1950), the Buckeyes blitzed the NAL with a 53-16 mark.  They stunned the NNL champ Homestead Grays in a four-game sweep in the World Series.  They struggled in 1946, but returned to the top of the NAL in 1947 at 54-23.  They could not overcome the New York Cubans and lost in the World Series four games to one.  The were a .500 team, 41-42 in 1948 and combined with the Cleveland Indians terrific championship season and the presence of Larry Doby on the major league roster, attendance plummeted.  They shifted to Louisville for 1949 but with basically a new team, finished a disappointing 15-51 and in fifth place.  A disastrous attempt to revive the Buckeyes in Cleveland occurred in 1950.  Cleveland folded in the second half with a 3-39 mark and 55 rotating players on the roster. 

Cleveland teams played in a variety of parks through the years.  Tate Park, Hooper Field, Cubs Stadium, Hareware Field, and Luna Bowl were all used.  The Bears and Buckeyes played in League Park.