The New York Black Yankees: Forgotten Rivals in a Shared City

Humble Beginnings in Harlem

The New York Black Yankees began as the Harlem Stars, founded in 1932 by James “Soldier Boy” Semler — a barber, businessman, and hustler who saw more than just a ballclub. He saw a symbol. At a time when Black Americans had few public arenas for expression or acclaim, Semler assembled a team that could represent Harlem with power and pride.

Like many Negro League teams, the Black Yankees began as a barnstorming club. This meant driving cross-country, playing back-to-back games in distant towns, fighting for pay, fighting for rooms, and often fighting just to be allowed on the field. But they weren’t fringe players. These were serious athletes — often good enough for the white majors but barred by segregation. And they knew it.

Joining the Negro National League

In 1936, the team formally joined the Negro National League — a major step toward legitimacy. But legitimacy didn’t come with luxury. The team never had a stadium of their own. Their “home games” floated — sometimes played at Yankee Stadium when the American League Yankees were on the road, other times at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey, or even later in Rochester, NY.

They were a traveling symbol of survival. Without the deep rosters or funding of teams like the Pittsburgh Crawfords or the Kansas City Monarchs, the Black Yankees relied on grit and local loyalty. But don’t mistake that for weakness.

The Players: Street-Legend Greats

• George “Mule” Suttles: A towering power hitter, Suttles made brief appearances with the club. His bat was mythic — known for clearing fences with ease.

• Fats Jenkins: A multi-sport athlete and Harlem Renaissance fixture, Jenkins captained both the Black Yankees and the all-Black Harlem Rens basketball team. He was speed, smarts, and charisma in cleats.

• Satchel Paige: While not officially rostered, Paige barnstormed with the Black Yankees on occasion — drawing crowds like a sideshow and delivering strikeouts with a smirk.

The team was a patchwork — but each thread was strong. They weren’t always dominant on the scoreboard, but they were cultural heavyweights.

Life as the "Other Yankees"

The branding wasn’t accidental. “Black Yankees” was provocative — an intentional parallel to the dominant (and segregated) New York Yankees franchise. Same city. Same name. Different universe.

While DiMaggio and Mantle were adored in the Bronx, Black Yankees played in obscurity. Newspapers barely covered their games. Record-keeping was inconsistent. Some games weren’t even officially counted. But in Harlem, the team was a point of pride. Young boys in the street knew those names. They copied their swings. They bragged that their Yankees were just as good — if not better — than the ones downtown.

Post-War Decline and Disappearance

After World War II, the world shifted. Jackie Robinson debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Integration — long overdue — came quickly and unevenly. It should have been a triumph. And in some ways, it was. But integration didn’t come with infrastructure. The Negro Leagues were gutted. The Black Yankees, like many clubs, folded quietly in 1948.

They disappeared from the box scores. From the papers. From memory.

But their story didn’t end — it just went underground.

Why This Jacket Matters

The New York Black Yankees Satin Varsity Jacket isn’t just a throwback. It’s a resurrection. It brings the team back into the spotlight, even if just for a moment. The felt lettering, the sleek satin, the quilted lining — it’s styled like the streets of Harlem in the ‘30s and ‘40s. Tough. Sharp. Full of presence.

And through its partnership with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, it supports the preservation of Black baseball history — making sure that the next generation knows who the Black Yankees were, and why they mattered.

This isn’t just a jacket. It’s a stitched reminder that there were once two Yankees in New York.