The second version of the Negro National League (NNLI) or the Negro National League II (NNLII) was one of the major black professional baseball leagues established during the period of time in which organized Major League Baseball was segregated.
The Negro National League II (NNLII) was established by Pittsburgh area business man, Gus Greenlee in 1933.
This was the second Negro National League and its creation was facilitated by Greenlee, a very and influential African-American businessman and philanthropist in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area.
This came two years after the first league, the Negro National League I (NNLI) had disbanded, after folding due to the immense pressure the league endured during the Great Depression. [1]
The Negro National League II lasted until 1948, the year of full integration and the raiding of the Negro Leagues by Major League Baseball. After that, its surviving teams merged with the Negro American League (NAL). [2]
To distinguish between the two leagues during different times in their history, the Negro National League(s) are usually referred to as the first Negro National League (NNLI) and the second Negro National League II (NNLII).
From 1937, 1938, 1940, and 1942 through 1946, the team that finished in first place at the end of the season was declared the pennant winner or league championship winner.
Due to the unorthodox nature of the schedule (and little incentive to enforce it), some teams frequently played many more games than others did in any given season.
In 1933, now Cole’s Chicago American Giants claimed the first half title, but the Pittsburgh Crawfords won the second half and had an overall better record.
The following year saw the Stars have a better winning percentage than the third place Chicago American Giants team despite the fact Pittsburgh played (and won) more games.
This led to many disputed championships and two teams claiming the title.
Generally, the team with the best winning percentage (with some minimum number of games played) was awarded the pennant, but other times it was the team with the most victories.
The games behind method of recording standings was uncommon in most black leagues.
On 5 separate occasions, the Negro National League II held a postseason series to determine the pennant championship.
The 1933 season would have been the first to match the first and second half champions, but the Pittsburgh Crawfords were instead awarded the pennant over the first half champion Chicago American Giants.
In 1936 in particular, featured an array of games that may or may not have been formal postseason games, depending on who you’d asked.
For example, the Washington Elite Giants won the first half after beating the Philadelphia Stars 7–5 in a one-game match on September 17.
Pittsburgh (who had a better record overall) faced the Newark Eagles from September 12–15 and won 3–1–1 in either a second-half playoff or a regular series-turned-playoff. [19]
Washington and Pittsburgh played three games from September 21–27, however no box scores exist for the games in which Washington won two of three in a series that was evidently abandoned. [20]
In the 1939 season in the Negro National League II, the top four teams (Homestead Grays, Newark Eagles, Baltimore Elite Giants, Philadelphia Stars) were matched together in a best-of-five tournament.
Homestead beat the Stars in five games while the Elite Giants beat the Eagles in four games to set up the Championship Series.
The New York Cubans won the second half of the 1947 season but advanced to the Negro World Series over the Newark Eagles.
For the duration of the league, a Negro Leagues World Series took place on several occasions, from 1942 through 1948.
The Negro National League's pennant winner met the champion of the rival Negro American League.
TEAMS IN THE NEGRO NATIONAL LEAGUE II (NNL):
In 1935, the Negro National League II dropped the Philadelphia Bacharach Giants, Baltimore Black Sox (II) and Cleveland Red Sox; Added Brooklyn Eagles, Homestead Grays, New York Cubans and Newark Dodgers.
In 1948, the Negro National League II disbanded and at the completion of season most of its franchises including Baltimore, Philadelphia, Newark Eagles and New York Cubans all joined the Negro American League for the following season in 1949
The Homestead Grays and the New York Black Yankees continued playing as independent teams.
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