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Chicago Leland Giants

Chicago Leland · 1905–1910

Frank Leland founded the club and Rube Foster took over the field side in 1907, going 59-22 in the recorded games. The recorded 66-29 across six seasons covers a small share of what was played: this was independent Black baseball, and results reached print irregularly.

Foster and Leland fell out over money and control in 1910 and went to court over who owned the name. Foster won the right to the players; Leland kept a version of the club. Foster's side then went 123-6 by its own count in 1910, and out of it he built the Chicago American Giants and, ten years later, the Negro National League.

Three Hall of Famers played here: Foster, Pete Hill and John Henry Lloyd. Home was Auburn Park and then Normal Park on the South Side.

Season by season

YearClub WLPct FinishResult Attendance
1905 Chicago Leland Giants 11 .500 1
1906 Chicago Leland Giants 66 .500 1
1907 Chicago Leland Giants 50 1.000 1
1908 Chicago Leland Giants 157 .682 1
1909 Chicago Leland Giants 1713 .567 2
1910 Chicago Leland Giants 222 .917 1
Total6 seasons 6629 .695 0 World Series

Notable players