 A leading pitcher in the history of the Negro Leagues, the burly Rube Foster started with the Leland Giants in 1907 and helped them compile a stunning 110-10 record while playing the tough Chicago Negro League teams and other Black teams in the Midwest. In 1911 Rube Foster renamed the Leyland Giants and called the team the American Giants. His dominant pitching arsenal included a split-fingered fastball with excellent arm speed and a straight changeup and also the guts to pitch inside. A member of the Baseball Hall of Fame his plague reads as follows: ANDREW (RUBE) FOSTER RATED FOREMOST MANAGER AND EXECUTIVE IN HISTORY OF NEGRO LEAGUES. ACCLAIMED TOP PITCHER IN BLACK BASEBALL FOR NEARLY A DECADE IN EARLY 1900s. FORMED CHICAGO AMERICAN GIANTS IN 1911 AND BUILT THEM INTO MIDWEST'S DOMINANT BLACK TEAM. IN 1920 HE ORGANIZED NEGRO NATIONAL LEAGUE. HEADED LEAGUE AND MANAGED CHICAGO TEAM UNTIL RETIREMENT FOLLOWING 1926 SEASON. © National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. 25 Main Street • Cooperstown, New York • 13326 • 1-888-HALL-OF-FAME |