The Color Barrier in the Red River Valley League

From 1890 to 1946, the exclusion of black players from major league baseball was an unwritten rule. This stark reality, however, didn't prevent blacks from competing on town teams, and from eventually forming their own leagues. In the Red River Valley, a black man named "Bish" Dorsey played prominently throughout the late 1890s with Grand Forks teams. But the versatile Dorsey was conspicuously absent from the Red River Valley League of 1897. He appeared in some exhibition games that summer with amateur local teams, but did not appear for the Grand Forks Senators. Since the Red River Valley League of 1897 was officially sanctioned by the National League, it is likely that influence from league officials kept Dorsey out of uniform.

While prejudice in baseball was widespread, the role of Adrian "Cap" Anson in the segregation of baseball was in no way minor. One of baseball's brightest stars in the late 1800s, Anson was in his 27th season as a player in 1897, also serving as manager of the Chicago Colts of the National League. The man sometimes called "Pop" was highly regarded as one of the game's wise and influential veterans. During Anson's prime years in baseball, he refused to play against Moses Fleetwood Walker, a black minor leaguer, on at least two separate occasions. Cap was unsuccessful in preventing Walker's inclusion in an 1883 exhibition game, but succeeded in keeping Walker out of an 1888 contest. Not long after the second incident, the unofficial color line was drawn by the National League and American Association, preventing future participation of blacks at baseball's highest level for over a half century. The color barrier would significantly limit opportunities for blacks in the minor leagues, as well, as it undoubtedly did with Bishop Dorsey in the summer of 1897.

On This Date: Steele Loses, Wahpeton Saga Continues, Wilmot Fired

July 22, 1897 - Fred Steele fared better in his second start for the Divorcees, but still ended up on the losing end of a 8-3 game against Wahpeton-Breckenridge. Steele, the 21-year-old pitcher from Neola, IA, had a terrible debut for Fargo against Moorhead on June 12th, giving up six runs and lasting just two innings. On this day, Steele was a bit erratic, throwing a wild pitch, walking six, and hitting a batter, but he and the Fargo club entered the ninth inning tied 3-3. The final inning was disastrous,though,  as Steele gave up four hits and the team committed four errors.

Though Wahpeton-Breckenridge certainly enjoyed their come from behind win on the Fargo grounds, it still appeared that all was not well for the Methodist franchise. The uncertainty surrounding the future of the W-B team was addressed publicly by Manager Ed Corbett. In the Forum, (July 23) Corbett denied rumors that the Methodists were to be transferred to Crookston to finish out the season, and reasserted clearly that his team was perfectly stable. The coming days would prove otherwise.

Also on this date, Walter Wilmot, player/manager of the Minneapolis Millers of the Western League, was relieved of his duties. The Forum cited the Minneapolis Journal, who accused Wilmot of "poor fielding, poor batting, and worse management in releasing good players." A rumored theory was that Wilmot was trying to devalue the franchise to allow his old friend and Chicago Colt manager Cap Anson to take ownership of the team at a discount rate. Throughout 1897, Anson had worked with Wilmot in the development of a quasi-farm system between Chicago of the National League, Minneapolis of the Western League, and the teams of Red River Valley League. This working relationship is what led Deacon Phillippe and other Western League players to the valley in 1897. With Minneapolis struggling in the standings after some questionable personnel decisions, Wilmot quickly fell out of favor with the Miller magnates. Though Wilmot would return to the Minneapolis franchise the following season, Anson moved on to manage the National League's New York Giants, ruining any future hope of a farm system involving teams in the Red River Valley.* Without big-league backing, the RRVL never got off the ground for the summer of 1898.

*Wilmot, who played six years for Anson in Chicago, spent 35 games as a player for Cap's Giants team in 1898.

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican July 23, 1897 p.4
"Lost in the Ninth" and "After Wilmot"