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Hot Springs Arlingtons

Hot Springs Arlingtons, circa 1896. Mary Dengler Hudgins Collection, Special Collections, University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Hot Springs Arlingtons, circa 1896. Mary Dengler Hudgins Collection, Special Collections, University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

The Hot Springs Arlingtons were a Negro baseball team based in Hot Springs, AR from 1896-1903.

History

Hot Springs Arlingtons, 1900.
Hot Springs Arlingtons, 1900.
The Hot Springs Arlingtons, along with the Little Rock Quapaws, were the first Negro baseball team in Arkansas to attract significant popularity. The team first appeared in 1896 with an undefined degree of affiliation with the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs.1 Home games were played at Whittington Park and were well attended by black and white patrons alike.2 The team's most frequent opponents were their in-state rivals, the Little Rock Quapaws, with whom the Arlingtons periodically competed for the title of Colored Champions of the Arkansas.3 4

At the onset of the 1897 season, the Arlingtons and Quapaws both participated the formation of a southern Negro league, which in addition to Hot Springs and Little Rock, was comprised of the Memphis Cliffords, the Pensacola Acmes, the Birmingham Unions, and Montgomery, AL.5 6 7 After playing a series of games with Little Rock, Memphis and Birmingham, the Arlingtons ceased league play as a result of the league's costly travel schedule.8 Notwithstanding the failure of the league, the Arlingtons and Quapaws both continued to play out the remainder of the 1897 season, which in addition to numerous games against each other, included a series of unprecidented interacial baseball games. In early September, the Quapaws challenged their white counterparts, the Little Rock Senators of the Arkansas State League, to a series of games.9 Likewise, the Arlingtons soon challenged the Hot Springs team of the Arkansas State League to a series at Whittington Park, which was played on September 10th and 11th. The Arlingtons played competitively against the white professionals, but lost both games.10 11

Rube Foster
Rube Foster
The Arlingtons were largely absent from the 1898 baseball season, perhaps as a result of the Spanish-American War and the death of the team's sponsor, Alfred Holden in February. Nevertheless, the team returned to competition in 1899 and continued to play regional teams for several more seasons. Between 1901-1902, the Arlingtons frequently hosted Negro teams from Texas. Among those who faced off against the Arlingtons was Negro baseball legend Andrew "Rube" Foster, who pitched to much fanfare on the mound at Whittington Park as a member of the Fort Worth Colts. However, by 1903, the Arlingtons were less prolific, perhaps a result of new legal and social constraints being placed on black Arkansans at the time.12 In 1904, the team may have played under the name of the Hot Springs Blues.

Dave Wyatt Excerpts

Dave Wyatt
Dave Wyatt
Much of the historical documentation relating to the Arlingtons owes its existence to Dave Wyatt, a well-known Negro baseball player who later became a respected sports journalist. When writing for The Freeman of Indianapolis, IN in February 1910, Wyatt recalled how he had joined the Arlingtons in 1897 and had played in front of segregated crowds of enthusiastic fans.13 Wyatt also gave mention to a number the team's former players, including several who like himself later found success playing professionally across the nation. Most significantly, Wyatt indicated multiple times that Rube Foster had at some point played with the Arlingtons.14

The following are excerpts from Wyatt mentioning the Arlingtons.

"Some well-known players who have played with the Arlingtons of this city are: Campbell of the Minneapolis Keystones, Miliner [sic] of the Gophers, “Herm” Evans, catcher once of the Philadelphia Giants; Rube Foster, David Wyatt, Julian Ware. This club has defeated Gatewood, “Dago” Davis, Foster."15

"It is not generally known but anyhow Hot Springs had at one time one of greatest colored baseball teams in the country. They speak with much pride of the games in which they defeated Rube Foster. They have won above three or four games from Rube Foster, one a 17-inning affair and a 1-0 game."16

"About thirteen years ago the writer landed in this little burg and noticing some boys with uniforms on I asked for a chance to 'butt it' on the practice. I made a hit with the gang and became a member of the team known then as the Arlingtons. We had some warm contests, usually winning. Mr. Al Holden, formerly an old minstrel man from up around Boston, was head waiter at the Arlington at the time and as he had a sufficient supply of this world's goods, he was picked as the real "angel" to back the club. We were in a strained condition owing to the location of the Springs, which made opponents hard for us to get. So we organized a league of the following cities: Hot Springs, Little Rock, Memphis, Birmingham and Pensacola. The season opened in Hot Springs, our opponents being Little Rock, who to our surprise had covered the distance of 64 miles between here and Little Rock in a wagon. I thought if this was going to a wagon-road league we would have to have a lightning calculator to get up our schedule for us. Hot Springs started on the first swing around the circuit, playing four games in Little Rock, four at Memphis and seven at Birmingham. The attendance in all cities was good. Of course, there were separate grandstands in all places for whites and colored spectators --strange to me, but the whites were in the majority at all times and were greatly interested in our players. In getting up this league we had overlooked the mileage end of the "biz", and it later proved to much for us; we had one jump of about 300 miles, one 250, one 210, and 60 was the smallest. We finished the series with the Birmingham and disbanded"17

"Dave Wyatt, ‘Rube’ Foster and Fred Fields are living members of that famous team [Arlingtons] who are still active."18

"[Rube] Foster's pitching attracted the attention of this writer in 1897 at Hot Springs, Ark. I was a member of a baseball club known as the Arlingtons of Hot Springs. They were considered one of the best in the southern states. The Waco Yellow Jackets was another great club. It was a "toss of the coin" as to which was the best."19

Schedule/Results

DateLocationOpponentW-LRRANotes
6/9/1896Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW14920
7/2/1896Association Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL111221
7/3/1896Association Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW9522
7/4/1896Association Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL91123
7/8/1896Arkadelphia, ARArkadelphiaW12624
8/21/1896Association Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW131125
9/7/1896Association Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW12810 innings.26
9/8/1896Association Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL7927
9/9/1896Association Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW20928
5/10/1897West End Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL Forfeit.29
5/11/1897West End Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL111230
5/20/1897Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW11731
5/21/1897Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL81132
6/25/1897West End Park, Birmingham, ALBirmingham UnionsL5633
6/26/1897West End Park, Birmingham, ALBirmingham UnionsL131934
6/28/1897West End Park, Birmingham, ALBirmingham UnionsW9835
6/29/1897West End Park, Birmingham, ALBirmingham UnionsW211436
8/4/1897West End Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL111237
8/5/1897West End Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW4338
8/6/1897West End Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW8439
9/10/1897Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARHot SpringsL1011Interracial Game40
9/11/1897Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARHot SpringsL510Interracial Game41
10/6/1897Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW6442
10/7/1897Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW10743
10/8/1897Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL111344
10/9/1897Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW 45
8/25/1898Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARMemphisL5746
8/26/1898Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARMemphisW12647
7/?/1899West End Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW9748
7/?/1899West End Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL41749
7/?/1899West End Park, Little Rock, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL5650
7/24/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW14151
7/25/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW4352
7/26/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL2353
8/1/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARPine Bluff OwlsW12454
8/2/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARPine Bluff OwlsW141055
8/7/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARMemphisL92156
8/14/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL7812 innings.57 , 58
8/15/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW8659 , 60
8/16/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL81661
8/22/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARWaco Yellow JacketsL67500 attendance.62
9/1/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARKansas City UnionsW20663
9/?/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARKansas City Unions 64
9/?/1899Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARKansas City UnionsW13165
4/17/1900Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW141166
4/18/1900Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsL6867
4/19/1900Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARLittle Rock QuapawsW6468 , 69
5/?/1901Hot Springs, ARPine Bluff (AR) 70 , 71
5/?/1901Hot Springs, ARPine Bluff (AR) 72 , 73
5/?/1901Hot Springs, ARPine Bluff (AR) 74 , 75
6/?/1901Hot Springs, ARFort Worth (TX)W 76
6/?/1901Hot Springs, ARFort Worth (TX)W 77
6/?/1901Hot Springs, ARFort Worth (TX)W 78
6/14/1901Jones Park (Pine Bluff), Pine Bluff, ARPine Bluff (AR)W7279 , 80
6/15/1901Jones Park (Pine Bluff), Pine Bluff, ARPine Bluff (AR)W9281 , 82
6/16/1901Hot Springs, ARAustin (TX) 83 , 84
6/?/1901Hot Springs, ARAustin (TX) 85 , 86
6/21/1901Hot Springs, ARAustin (TX)W 87 , 88
6/26/1901Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARPalestine (TX) TigersL51189 , 90
?/?/1901Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARPalestine (TX) TigersL 91
?/?/1901Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARPalestine (TX) TigersW 92
?/?/1901Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARPalestine (TX) TigersW 93
?/?/1901Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARPalestine (TX) TigersW 94
7/25/1901Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARTexarkanaW10395
7/29/1901Hot Springs, ARFort Worth ColtsL0796
?/?/1901Hot Springs, ARFort Worth ColtsW10497 , 98
8/2/1901Hot Springs, ARFort Worth ColtsL1699
8/?/1901 ArkadelphiaL315100
8/?/1901 ArkadelphiaL820101
8/12/1901Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARFort Worth ColtsL 102
8/14/1901Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARFort Worth ColtsL272,000 attendance.103
8/15/1901Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARFort Worth ColtsW31104
8/18/1901Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARFort Worth ColtsL29105
6/2/1902Hot Springs, ARFort Worth ColtsL37106
6/3/1902Hot Springs, ARFort Worth ColtsL12107
6/4/1902Hot Springs, ARFort Worth ColtsL09108
6/?/1902Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARFort Worth ColtsW126109 , 110
6/9/1902Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARWaco WondersW142111 , 112
6/?/1902Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARWaco WondersL46113
6/?/1902Whittington Park, Hot Springs, ARWaco WondersW53114
6/24/1902Hot Springs, ARMemphis ClippersW53115
5/?/1903 MemphisW21116
5/?/1903 MemphisW123117


Players


1896
PlayerBirthDeathNotes


1897
PlayerBirthDeathNotes
Davis 118 , 119
Dodd 120
Fertiller 121 , 122
Fred Fields9/23/1876 in AR12/13/1931 in AR123 , 124 , 125 , 126
C. Huff Hot Springs, AR127 , 128 , 129
Jackson 130
Henry LewisAbt. 18729/27/1899 in Malvern, AR131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , 135 , 136 ,137 , 138 , 139 , 140 , 141
Zack PatilloAbt. 1878 in AR3/5/1908 in Hot Springs, AR142 , 143 , 144
Dave WyattAbt. 6/19/1874 in OH12/10/1950 in Chicago, IL145


1898
PlayerBirthDeathNotes


1899
PlayerBirthDeathNotes
Fred Fields9/23/1876 in AR12/13/1931 in AR146
C. Huff Hot Springs, AR147
Jackson 148
Henry LewisAbt. 18729/27/1899 in Malvern, AR149 , 150
Rowell 151


1900
PlayerBirthDeathNotes
William BryantAbt. Nov. 1873 in NC 152 , 153
Andrew Campbell1875 in TX 154 , 155
Davis 156
Alexander Jones8/17/1879 in TX 157 , 158
Jones 159 , 160
Baby Jones 161 , 162 , 163
Hen? 164
Gabbie Milliner11/27/1878 in AR 1/15/1921 in Denver, CO165 , 166 , 167
Zack PatilloAbt. 1878 in AR3/5/1908 in Hot Springs, AR168
Que SimpsonAbt. 1872 in TX10/26/1913 in Fort Worth, TX169 , 170
Skinner 171


1901
PlayerBirthDeathNotes
Andrew Campbell1875 in TX 172 , 173
Solomon ChewAbt. July 1877 in TX1907 in Dallas, TX,174 , 175 , 176 , 177
Rube Foster9/17/1879 in La Grange, TX12/9/1930 in Kankakee, IL178 , 179 , 180 , 181
Alex Miller 182
Gabbie Milliner11/27/1878 in AR 1/15/1921 in Denver, CO183 , 184 , 185
Oliver 186
Zack PatilloAbt. 1878 in AR3/5/1908 in Hot Springs, AR187
Prince 188
Willie Smith 189
Bull Washington 190


1902
PlayerBirthDeathNotes


1903
PlayerBirthDeathNotes


Other Players
PlayerBirthDeathNotes
Brandom 191
S. Butler Little Rock, AR192
Henderson Butler12/20/1876 in Arkansas2/18/1913 in Little Rock, AR193
Walter CollierAbt. 1872 in MS11/13/1902 in Hot Springs, AR194 , 195
Herm Evans 196
C. Huff Hot Springs, AR197 , 198
Murphy 199
Rowell 200
Julian Ware8/7/1874 in AR7/8/1946 in Los Angeles, CA201

1 The Arkansas Gazette, 6/10/1896, p.2 refers to the team as the "Arlington Hotel baseball team." According to Dave Wyatt, the Arlingtons were sponsored by Alfred Holden, the headwaiter of the Arlington Hotel.
6 Birmingham Age-Herald, 4/25/1897
12 The last known games played by the Arlingtons occurred in May 1903. In June of the same year, legislation requiring black Arkansans to sit in the back of public streetcars was put in effect. Consequently, many blacks boycotted or otherwise avoided public streetcars. This made it difficult for black fans to attend games at Whittington Park, which was located at the end of Hot Springs' streetcar line. Furthermore, Whittington Park was owned and operated by the Hot Springs streetcar company.
14 Chicago Whip, 1/29/1921
18 Chicago Whip, 1/29/1921
23 Arkansas Gazette, 7/5/1896
33 Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/26/1897
34 Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/27/1897
35 Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/29/1897
36 Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/30/1897
70 Pine Bluff Graphic, 5/19/1901, p.8 Item states Pine Bluff won one game in series.
71 Pine Bluff Graphic, 5/26/1901, p.2 Item states Pine Bluff won two games in series.
72 Pine Bluff Graphic, 5/19/1901, p.8 Item states Pine Bluff won one game in series.
73 Pine Bluff Graphic, 5/26/1901, p.2 Item states Pine Bluff won two games in series.
74 Pine Bluff Graphic, 5/19/1901, p.8 Item states Pine Bluff won one game in series.
75 Pine Bluff Graphic, 5/26/1901, p.2 Item states Pine Bluff won two games in series.
96 Score was either 0-7 (Fort Worth Morning Register, 7/30/1901) or 7-10 (Fort Worth Morning Register, 8/4/1901
97 Fort Worth Morning Register, 8/4/1901
98 Played between 7/29/1901 and 8/2/1901
102 Fort Worth Morning Register, 8/13/1901
106 Fort Worth Morning Register, 6/3/1902
107 Fort Worth Morning Register, 6/4/1902
108 Fort Worth Morning Register, 6/5/1902
110 This game was the fourth of a series against the Fort Worth Colts and was probably played on 6/5/1902.
118 Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/30/1897
119 Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
121 Possibly a mistranscription of "Patillo."
122 Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/26/1897
125 Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/27/1897
126 Chicago Whip, 1/29/1921
129 "Death in the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/24/1917
130 Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/27/1897
133 Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/26/1897
134 Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/27/1897
135 Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/30/1897
138 Chicago Whip, 1/29/1921
145 "Notes on the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/5/1910 The details described by Wyatt of his time with the Arlingtons correlates to the 1897 season.
152 Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
153 The 1900 U.S. Census lists John Jones, Alexander Jones, Que Simpson and William Bryant residing at 405 South Whittington in Hot Springs. The 1900 Arlingtons team included players named Baby Jones, Jones, Simpson and Bryant, so it seems reasonable to assume that the identities of the players are the same with those in the census.
154 Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
156 Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
157 Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
158 The 1900 U.S. Census lists John Jones, Alexander Jones, Que Simpson and William Bryant residing at 405 South Whittington in Hot Springs. The 1900 Arlingtons team included players named Baby Jones, Jones, Simpson and Bryant, so it seems reasonable to assume that the identities of the players are the same with those in the census.
159 Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
160 The 1900 U.S. Census lists John Jones, Alexander Jones, Que Simpson and William Bryant residing at 405 South Whittington in Hot Springs. The 1900 Arlingtons team included players named Baby Jones, Jones, Simpson and Bryant, so it seems reasonable to assume that the identities of the players are the same with those in the census.
161 Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
162 The 1900 U.S. Census lists John Jones, Alexander Jones, Que Simpson and William Bryant residing at 405 South Whittington in Hot Springs. The 1900 Arlingtons team included players named Baby Jones, Jones, Simpson and Bryant, so it seems reasonable to assume that the identities of the players are the same with those in the census.
163 Either Alexander Jones or John Jones.
164 Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
165 Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
167 Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
168 Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
169 Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
170 The 1900 U.S. Census lists John Jones, Alexander Jones, Que Simpson and William Bryant residing at 405 South Whittington in Hot Springs. The 1900 Arlingtons team included players named Baby Jones, Jones, Simpson and Bryant, so it seems reasonable to assume that the identities of the players are the same with those in the census.
171 Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
179 Chicago Whip, 1/29/1921
180 Pine Bluff Graphic, 6/14/1901, p.6 Mentions Arlingtons player named "Foster."
181 Cincinnati Enquirer, 8/2/1914, p.53. "He [boxing promoter Andy Mulligan] also managed and owned a colored team there [Hot Springs], and it was on his club that the famous ‘Rube’ Foster first started to play ball."
185 Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
191 Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
192 "Death in the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/24/1917
193 "Death in the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/24/1917
194 Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
195 "Death in the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/24/1917
197 "Death in the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/24/1917
198 Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
199 Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
200 Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919