Negro League Catcher League Leaders



Catchers who led their leagues are listed here league by league, with the Western leagues first. The Negro National League was considered Western during its first incarnation from 1920 through 1931. When it was reformed in 1933 it was considered Eastern, so you'll find NNL records from 1933 through 1948 listed there.

Western Leagues

Batting Champions

Negro National League (NNL)
Year Catcher Team AVG
1922
1928
1929
Oscar "Heavy" Johnson
Pythias Russ
Pythias Russ
Kansas City Monarchs
Chicago American Giants
Chicago American Giants
.389
.405
.391


Negro American League (NAL)
Year Catcher Team AVG
1947
1949
1950
John Ritchey
Len Pigg
Sam Hairston
Chicago American Giants
Indianapolis Clowns
Indianapolis Clowns
.381
.388
.424


Homerun Champions

Negro National League (NNL)
Year Catcher Team HR
1923 Oscar "Heavy" Johnson Kansas City Monarchs 18


Negro American League (NAL)
Year Catcher Team HR
1950 Sam Hairston Indianapolis Clowns 17


Eastern Leagues

Batting Champions

Eastern Colored League (ECL)
Year Catcher Team AVG
1924
1928
John Henry "Pop" Lloyd
John Henry "Pop" Lloyd
Bacharach Giants
Bacharach Giants
.433
.564


American Negro League (ANL)
Year Catcher Team AVG
1929 Charles "Chino" Smith New York Lincoln Giants .454


Negro National League (NNL)
Year Catcher Team AVG
1943
1945
Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson
Homestead Grays
Homestead Grays
.517
.398


Homerun Champions

Eastern Colored League (ECL)
Year Catcher Team HR
1926
1929
Raleigh "Biz" Mackey
Charles "Chino" Smith
Hilldale
New York Lincoln Giants
10
20


East-West League (EWL)
Year Catcher Team HR
1932
1934
Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson
Pittsburgh Crawfords
Pittsburgh Crawfords
7
11


Negro National League (NNL)
Year Catcher Team HR
1935
1936
1939
1942
1943
1945
1946
Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson
Pittsburgh Crawfords
Pittsburgh Crawfords
Homestead Grays
Homestead Grays
Homestead Grays
Homestead Grays
Homestead Grays
11
11
17
15
16
11
16


All-Time Single-Season Leaders

Batting Champions

Rank Year Catcher Team AVG
1
2
3
5
1928
1943
1930
1929
John Hnery "Pop" Lloyd
Josh Gibson
Charles "Chino" Smith
Charles "Chino" Smith
New York Lincoln Giants
Homestead Grays
New York Lincoln Giants
New York Lincoln Giants
.564
.517
.492
.462


Homerun Champions

Rank Year Catcher Team HR
8 1929 Charles "Chino" Smith New York Lincoln Giants 20






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