The following is a timeline of the evolution of major-league-caliber franchises in Negro league baseball. The franchises included are those of high-caliber independent teams prior to the organization of formal league play in 1920 and concludes with the dissolution of the remnant of the last major Negro league team, the Kansas City Monarchs then based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, in about 1966. (The Indianapolis Clowns continued on through about 1988, but they had morphed into an entertainment act much as the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team of today.) All teams who played a season while a member of a major Negro league are included. The major leagues are the original Negro National League, the Eastern Colored League, the American Negro League, the East–West League, the second Negro National League and the Negro American League. Teams from the 1932 original Negro Southern League are also included which allows for the inclusion of the few high caliber minor Negro league teams.
The two thick gray lines represent trying times: the first is the Panic of 1893 and the second is the Great Depression in 1933. Both crisis led to financial ruin and collapse of most teams and leagues. The two thick black lines represent the formation of organized league play in 1920 and the integration of Major League Baseball in 1946. After integration, the level of play deteriorated rapidly and dramatically. By 1950 all teams were considered to be of minor league status.
DateFormat = yyyyImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:22PlotArea = left:20 right:50 bottom:20 top:20
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Period = from:1867 till:1966TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyyScaleMajor = start:1867 increment:5 gridcolor:majorGridColor
BarData = bar:PYT # Philadelphia Pythians bar:CBG # Cuban Giants bar:CBX # Cuban X-Giants bar:GOR # New York Gorhams bar:PBK # Pittsburgh Keystones (I) bar:CUN # Chicago Unions bar:CCG # Chicago Columbia Giants bar:CUG # Chicago Union Giants / Leland Giants (I) bar:CHG # Chicago Giants bar:CAG # Leland Giants (II) / Chicago American Giants bar:PFG # Page Fence Giants bar:ACB # All Cubans bar:PHG # Philadelphia Giants bar:BRG # Brooklyn Royal Giants bar:SLG # St. Louis Giants / St. Louis Stars (I) bar:CSW # Cuban Stars of Havana / Cincinnati Cuban Stars / Cuban Stars [West] bar:SPG # St. Paul Colored Gophers / Twin City Gophers bar:WBS # West Baden Sprudels bar:BMG # Birmingham Giants bar:MNK # Minneapolis Keystones bar:SAB # San Antonio Black Bronchos bar:KCG # Kansas City (KS) Giants bar:LNG # Lincoln Giants bar:ANT # All Nations bar:FLP # French Lick Plutos bar:HSG # Homestead Grays / Washington (Homestead) Grays bar:IND # Indianapolis ABCs (I) bar:LNS # Lincoln Stars bar:DNM # Dayton Marcos bar:CSE # New York Cuban Stars / Havana Cuban Stars / Cuban Stars (East) bar:BBS # Baltimore Black Sox (I) bar:HLD # Hilldale bar:ABG # (Atlantic City) Bacharach Giants bar:DET # Detroit Stars (I) bar:ABC # Atlanta Black Crackers (I) / Indianapolis ABCs (IV) bar:NSH # Nashville Standard Giants / N. Elite Giants / Cleveland Cubs / N.E.G. / Columbus E.G. / Washington E.G. / Baltimore E.G. bar:BBB # Birmingham Black Barons bar:KCM # Kansas City Monarchs bar:MGS # Montgomery Grey Sox (I) bar:COL # Columbus Buckeyes bar:PKS # Pittsburgh Keystones (II) bar:MRM # Monroe Monarchs bar:NCS # New Orleans Crescent Stars bar:CTS # Cleveland Tate Stars bar:HBG # Harrisburg Giants bar:TOL # Toledo Tigers bar:MIL # Milwaukee Bears bar:WLM # Washington Potomacs / Wilmington Potomacs bar:MRS # Memphis Red Sox bar:CVB # Cleveland Browns bar:NWS # Newark Stars bar:CLE # Cleveland Elites bar:CLH # Cleveland Hornets bar:CLT # Cleveland Tigers bar:PHT # Philadelphia Tigers bar:LWS # Louisville White Sox bar:INA # Indianapolis ABCs (II) / Detroit Stars (II) bar:NYB # Harlem Black Bombers / New York Black Yankees bar:PBG # (Philadelphia) Bacharach Giants bar:PBC # Pittsburgh Crawfords / Toledo Crawfords / Indianapolis Crawfords bar:MGG # Montgomery Grey Sox (II) bar:LOU # Louisville Black Caps / Columbus Turfs bar:CVS # Cleveland Stars bar:DTW # Detroit Wolves bar:NWB # Newark Browns bar:WSP # Washington Pilots bar:CAC # Columbus Blue Birds / Akron Black Tyrites / Cleveland Giants bar:PHS # Philadelphia Stars bar:NWD # Newark Dodgers bar:BKE # Brooklyn Eagles bar:NWE # Newark Eagles / Houston Eagles / New Orleans Eagles bar:INC # Miami Giants / Ethiopian Clowns / Cincinnati Clowns / Indianapolis-Cin. Clowns / Cin. Clowns / Indianapolis Clowns bar:CRS # Cleveland Red Sox bar:BLB # Baltimore Black Sox (II) bar:ZCG # Zulu Cannibal Giants bar:CNT # Cincinnati Tigers bar:NYC # New York Cubans bar:DTS # Detroit Stars (III) bar:IAT # Indianapolis Athletics bar:SLS # St. Louis Stars (II) bar:WSB # Washington Black Senators bar:JAX # Jacksonville Red Caps / Cleveland Bears bar:SNO # Indianapolis ABCs (III) / St. Louis Stars (III) / New Orleans–St. Louis Stars / Harrisburg–St. Louis Stars bar:ATB # Atlanta Black Crackers (II) bar:CBE # Cincinnati-Cleveland Buckeyes / Cleveland Buckeyes / Louisville Buckeyes
Define $Up = shift:(1)Define $Left = anchor:from align:right shift:(-1,)Define $LeftIn = anchor:from align:left shift:(25,)Define $LeftMargin = anchor:from align:left shift:(3,)Define $UpLeft = anchor:from align:right shift:(-1,1)Define $UpLeftIn = anchor:from align:left shift:(25,1)Define $UpLeftMargin = anchor:from align:left shift:(1,1)Define $Right = anchor:till align:left shift:(2,)Define $RightMargin = anchor:till align:right shift:(-2,)Define $RightIn = anchor:till align:right shift:(-25,)Define $UpRight = anchor:till align:left shift:(2,1)Define $UpRightMargin = anchor:till align:right shift:(-2,1)Define $UpRightIn = anchor:till align:right shift:(-25,1)Define $UpUpRight = anchor:till align:left shift:(2,10)Define $Down = shift:(-10)Define $Downx2 = shift:(-20)Define $DownRight = anchor:till align:left shift:(2,-10)Define $DownLeft = anchor:from align:right shift:(-2,-10)Define $DownLeftMargin = anchor:from align:left shift:(1,-10)
PlotData = color:inactive textcolor:black width:20 fontsize:S mark:(line,black) anchor:middle # other options are anchor:from anchor:till align:center # other options are align:left align:right shift:(0,-5)
bar:PYT from:1867 till:1872 color:red text:"Philadelphia Pythians" $LeftMargin
bar:CBG from:1885 till:1892 color:iceblue text:" " bar:CBG from:1892 till:1893 color:inactive text:" " bar:CBG from:1893 till:1915 color:iceblue text:"Cuban Giants" $LeftMargin
bar:CBX from:1897 till:1897 text:"Part of the Giants revolted in~1897 and formed the X-Giants" $UpLeft bar:CBX from:1897 till:1908 color:gold text:"Cuban X-Giants"
bar:GOR from:1886 till:1893 color:teal text:"New York~Gorhams" $Up
bar:PBK from:1887 till:1888 color:green text:"Pittsburgh~Keystones (I)" $UpLeftMargin
bar:CUN from:1888 till:1901 color:orange text:"Chicago Unions" bar:CUN from:1901 till:1901 text:"The Chicago Unions and the Chicago Columbia Giants merged" $DownLeftMargin
bar:CCG from:1899 till:1901 color:yellow text:"Chicago~Columbia Giants" $UpRightMargin bar:CCG from:1901 till:1901 text:"for the 1901 season creating the Chicago Union Giants" $UpLeftMargin
bar:CUG from:1901 till:1905 color:vegasgold text:"Chicago~Union Giants" $UpRightMargin bar:CUG from:1905 till:1910 color:vegasgold text:"Leland~Giants (I)" $UpLeftMargin
bar:CHG from:1910 till:1910 text:"The Leland Giants split into two teams for the 1910 season" $DownLeft bar:CHG from:1910 till:1922 color:purple text:"Chicago Giants"
bar:CAG from:1910 till:1910 text:"creating the Chicago Giants and the new Leland Giants" $UpLeft bar:CAG from:1910 till:1911 color:yellowgreen text:"Leland~Giants (II)" $UpLeftMargin bar:CAG from:1911 till:1953 color:yellowgreen text:"Chicago American Giants"
bar:PFG from:1895 till:1899 color:lightorange text:"Page Fence~Giants" $UpLeftMargin
bar:ACB from:1899 till:1906 color:brightblue text:"All Cubans"
bar:PHG from:1902 till:1917 color:dullyellow text:"Philadelphia Giants"
bar:BRG from:1905 till:1943 color:lightpurple text:"Brooklyn Royal Giants"
bar:SLG from:1906 till:1922 color:limegreen text:"St. Louis Giants" $RightIn bar:SLG from:1922 till:1932 color:limegreen text:"St. Louis Stars (I)" $RightIn
bar:CSW from:1906 till:1920 color:redorange text:"Cuban Stars of Havana" $LeftMargin bar:CSW from:1920 till:1922 color:redorange text:"Cincinnati~Cuban Stars" $Up bar:CSW from:1922 till:1933 color:redorange text:"Cuban Stars (West)" $RightMargin
bar:SPG from:1907 till:1911 color:skyblue text:"St. Paul~Colored Gophers" $UpRightMargin bar:SPG from:1911 till:1912 color:skyblue text:"Twin City~Gophers" $UpLeftMargin
bar:WBS from:1907 till:1914 color:yellowgreen text:"West Baden~Sprudels" $Up
bar:BMG from:1907 till:1910 color:claret text:"Birmingham~Giants" $UpLeftMargin
bar:MNK from:1908 till:1912 color:darkgreen text:"Minneapolis~Keystones" $UpLeftMargin
bar:SAB from:1908 till:1910 color:darkred text:"San Antonio~Black Bronchos" $UpLeftMargin
bar:KCG from:1909 till:1912 color:powderblue2 text:"Kansas City (KS)~Giants" $UpLeftMargin
bar:LNG from:1911 till:1930 color:yellow2 text:"Lincoln Giants"
bar:ANT from:1912 till:1926 color:tan2 text:"All Nations"
bar:FLP from:1912 till:1915 color:brightgreen text:"French Lick~Plutos" $UpLeftMargin
bar:HSG from:1912 till:1938 color:yelloworange text:"Homestead Grays" bar:HSG from:1938 till:1952 color:yelloworange text:"Washington (Homestead) Grays" $RightMargin
bar:IND from:1913 till:1927 color:blue text:"Indianapolis ABCs (I)"
bar:LNS from:1914 till:1918 color:lavender text:"Lincoln~Stars" $Up
bar:DNM from:1914 till:1931 color:drabgreen text:"Dayton Marcos"
bar:CSE from:1916 till:1920 color:red2 text:"New York~Cuban Stars" $UpRightMargin bar:CSE from:1920 till:1921 color:red2 text:"Havana~Cuban Stars" $UpLeftMargin bar:CSE from:1921 till:1935 color:red2 text:"Cuban Stars (East)" $RightMargin
bar:BBS from:1916 till:1934 color:powderblue text:"Baltimore Black Sox (I)"
bar:HLD from:1916 till:1933 color:tan1 text:"Hilldale"
bar:ABG from:1916 till:1930 color:teal2 text:"(Atlantic City) Bacharach Giants"
bar:DET from:1919 till:1932 color:oceanblue text:"Detroit Stars (I)"
bar:ABC from:1919 till:1939 color:sand text:"Atlanta Black Crackers (I)" bar:ABC from:1939 till:1940 color:sand text:"Indianapolis~ABCs (IV)" $UpLeftMargin
bar:NSH from:1919 till:1921 color:yellow text:"Nashville~Standard Giants" $UpRightMargin bar:NSH from:1921 till:1931 color:yellow text:"Nashville~Elite Giants" $Up bar:NSH from:1931 till:1932 color:yellow text:"3" # Cleveland Cubs bar:NSH from:1932 till:1935 color:yellow text:"4" # Nash. E. G. bar:NSH from:1935 till:1936 color:yellow text:"5" # Columbus E. G. bar:NSH from:1936 till:1938 color:yellow text:"6" # Washington E. G. bar:NSH from:1938 till:1952 color:yellow text:"Baltimore Elite Giants" bar:NSH from:1952 till:1952 text:"3=Cleveland Cubs 4=Nash. E. G.~5=Columbus E. G. 6=Wash. E. G." $UpRight
bar:BBB from:1920 till:1962 color:brown text:"Birmingham Black Barons"
bar:KCM from:1920 till:1966 color:red text:"Kansas City Monarchs"
bar:MGS from:1920 till:1922 color:iceblue text:"Montgomery~Grey Sox (I)" $UpLeftMargin
bar:COL from:1921 till:1922 color:gold text:"Columbus~Buckeyes" $UpLeftMargin
bar:PKS from:1921 till:1923 color:teal text:"Pittsburgh~Keystones (II)" $UpLeftMargin
bar:MRM from:1921 till:1936 color:green text:"Monroe Monarchs"
bar:NCS from:1921 till:1938 color:orange text:"New Orleans Crescent Stars"
bar:CTS from:1922 till:1924 color:navy text:"Cleveland~Tate Stars" $UpLeftMargin
bar:HBG from:1922 till:1928 color:vegasgold text:"Harrisburg~Giants" $Up
bar:TOL from:1923 till:1924 color:purple text:"Toledo~Tigers" $UpLeftMargin
bar:MIL from:1923 till:1924 color:yellowgreen text:"Milwaukee~Bears" $UpLeftMargin
bar:WLM from:1923 till:1924 color:lightorange text:"Washington~Potomacs" $UpRightMargin bar:WLM from:1924 till:1926 color:lightorange text:"Wilmington~Potomacs" $UpLeftMargin
bar:MRS from:1923 till:1964 color:brightblue text:"Memphis Red Sox"
bar:CVB from:1924 till:1925 color:dullyellow text:"Cleveland~Browns" $UpLeftMargin
bar:NWS from:1926 till:1927 color:lightpurple text:"Newark~Stars" $UpLeftMargin
bar:CLE from:1926 till:1927 color:limegreen text:"Cleveland~Elites" $UpLeftMargin
bar:CLH from:1927 till:1928 color:redorange text:"Cleveland~Hornets" $UpLeftMargin
bar:CLT from:1928 till:1929 color:skyblue text:"Cleveland~Tigers" $UpLeftMargin
bar:PHT from:1928 till:1929 color:yellowgreen text:"Philadelphia~Tigers" $UpLeftMargin
bar:LWS from:1931 till:1932 color:claret text:"Louisville~White Sox" $UpLeftMargin
bar:INA from:1931 till:1933 color:orange text:"Indianapolis~ABCs (II)" $UpRightMargin bar:INA from:1933 till:1934 color:orange text:"Detroit~Stars (II)" $UpLeftMargin
bar:NYB from:1931 till:1932 color:brightgreen text:"Harlem~Black Bombers" $UpRightMargin bar:NYB from:1932 till:1960 color:brightgreen text:"New York Black Yankees"
bar:PBG from:1931 till:1943 color:powderblue2 text:"(Philadelphia) Bacharach Giants"
bar:PBC from:1931 till:1939 color:yellow2 text:"Pittsburgh~Crawfords" $UpLeftMargin bar:PBC from:1939 till:1940 color:yellow2 text:"Toledo~Crawfords" $UpRightMargin bar:PBC from:1940 till:1941 color:yellow2 text:"Indianapolis~Crawfords" $UpLeftMargin
bar:MGG from:1931 till:1933 color:tan2 text:"Montgomery~Grey Sox (II)" $UpLeftMargin
bar:LOU from:1932 till:1933 color:darkred text:"Louisville Black Caps/~Columbus Turfs" $UpLeftMargin
bar:CVS from:1932 till:1933 color:yelloworange text:"Cleveland~Stars" $UpLeftMargin
bar:DTW from:1932 till:1933 color:blue text:"Detroit~Wolves" $UpLeftMargin
bar:NWB from:1932 till:1933 color:lavender text:"Newark~Browns" $UpLeftMargin
bar:WSP from:1932 till:1933 color:drabgreen text:"Washington~Pilots" $UpLeftMargin
bar:CAC from:1933 till:1934 color:red2 text:"Columbus Blue Birds/~Akron Black Tyrites/Cleveland Giants" $UpLeftMargin
bar:PHS from:1933 till:1953 color:powderblue text:"Philadelphia Stars"
bar:NWD from:1933 till:1936 color:tan1 text:"Newark~Dodgers" $UpRightMargin bar:NWD from:1936 till:1936 text:"The Newark Dodgers and the Brooklyn Eagles merged" $DownLeftMargin
bar:BKE from:1935 till:1936 color:teal2 text:"Brooklyn~Eagles" $UpRightMargin bar:BKE from:1936 till:1936 text:"for the 1936 season creating the Newark Eagles" $UpLeftMargin
bar:NWE from:1936 till:1949 color:oceanblue text:"Newark Eagles" bar:NWE from:1949 till:1951 color:oceanblue text:"Houston~Eagles" $UpRightMargin bar:NWE from:1951 till:1952 color:oceanblue text:"New Orleans~Eagles" $UpLeftMargin
bar:INC from:1933 till:1936 color:sand text:"Miami~Giants" $UpLeftMargin bar:INC from:1936 till:1943 color:sand text:"Ethiopian Clowns" bar:INC from:1943 till:1944 color:sand text:"3" bar:INC from:1944 till:1945 color:sand text:"4" bar:INC from:1945 till:1946 color:sand text:"5" bar:INC from:1946 till:1963 color:sand text:"Indianapolis Clowns"
bar:CRS from:1934 till:1935 color:darkblue text:"Cleveland~Red Sox" $UpLeftMargin bar:CRS from:1955 till:1955 mark:(line,majorGridColor) text:"3&5=Cincinnati Clowns~4=Indianapolis–Cincinnati Clowns" $UpRight
bar:BLB from:1934 till:1935 color:brown text:"Baltimore~Black Sox (II)" $UpLeftMargin
bar:ZCG from:1934 till:1938 color:red text:"Zulu~Cannibal Giants" $UpLeftMargin
bar:CNT from:1934 till:1938 color:iceblue text:"Cincinnati~Tigers" $UpLeftMargin
bar:NYC from:1935 till:1937 color:gold text:" " $RightIn bar:NYC from:1939 till:1951 color:gold text:"New York Cubans" $RightIn
bar:DTS from:1937 till:1938 color:teal text:"Detroit~Stars (III)" $UpLeftMargin
bar:IAT from:1937 till:1938 color:green text:"Indianapolis~Athletics" $UpLeftMargin
bar:SLS from:1937 till:1938 color:orange text:"St. Louis~Stars (II)" $UpLeftMargin
bar:WSB from:1938 till:1939 color:navy text:"Washington~Black Senators" $UpLeftMargin
bar:JAX from:1938 till:1939 color:vegasgold text:"Jacksonville~Red Caps" $UpLeft bar:JAX from:1939 till:1941 color:vegasgold text:"Cleveland~Bears" $Up bar:JAX from:1941 till:1943 color:vegasgold text:"Jacksonville~Red Caps" $UpRight
bar:SNO from:1938 till:1939 color:yellow text:"1" bar:SNO from:1939 till:1940 color:yellow text:"2" bar:SNO from:1940 till:1942 color:yellow text:"3" bar:SNO from:1943 till:1944 color:yellow text:"4" bar:SNO from:1944 till:1944 text:"1=Indianapolis ABCs (III) 2=St. Louis Stars (III)~3=New Orleans–St. Louis Stars 4=Harrisburg–St. Louis Stars" $UpRight
bar:ATB from:1940 till:1949 color:yellowgreen text:"Atlanta~Black Crackers (II)" $Up
bar:CBE from:1942 till:1943 color:orange text:"1" bar:CBE from:1943 till:1949 color:orange text:"Cleveland~Buckeyes" $Up bar:CBE from:1949 till:1950 color:orange text:"3" bar:CBE from:1950 till:1951 color:orange text:"4" bar:CBE from:1951 till:1951 text:"1=Cincinnati–Cleveland Buckeyes~3=Louisville Buckeyes 4=Cleveland Buckeyes" $UpRight
LineData = layer:back at:1893 color:gray2 # Panic of 1893, wiped out all but 2 Negro league teams at:1897 color:black frompos:1805 tillpos:1846 layer:front # Split of Cuban X-Giants at:1901 color:black frompos:1698 tillpos:1759 layer:front # Merge of at:1910 color:black frompos:1653 tillpos:1716 layer:front # Split of at:1920 color:black # beginning of organized league play at:1932 color:gray2 # Great Depression at:1936 color:black frompos:326 tillpos:389 layer:front # Merge of Newark Eagles at:1948 color:black # integration, teams considered minor league after this at:1966 color:black width:0.5 # virtual end of Negro league baseball
The NNL was established with eight teams, the first black baseball league to be designated a major league.
| Team withdrew after this season ^^ |
| NNL | |
|---|---|
| Chicago American Giants | |
| Chicago Giants | |
| Cuban Stars | |
| Dayton Marcos^^ | |
| Detroit Stars | |
| Indianapolis ABCs | |
| Kansas City Monarchs | |
| St. Louis Giants |
| Team folded after this season ^ | Only season in NNL § |
| NNL | |
|---|---|
| Chicago American Giants | |
| Chicago Giants^ | |
| Cincinnati Cuban Stars | |
| Columbus Buckeyes§ | |
| Detroit Stars | |
| Indianapolis ABCs | |
| Kansas City Monarchs | |
| St. Louis Giants |
| First season in NNL * | Only season in NNL § |
| NNL | |
|---|---|
| Chicago American Giants | |
| Cleveland Tate Stars | |
| Cuban Stars | |
| Detroit Stars | |
| Indianapolis ABCs | |
| Kansas City Monarchs | |
| Pittsburgh Keystones§ | |
| St. Louis Stars |
| Only season in NNL § | Only season in NNL, folded mid-season §§ | Associate member, joined mid-season, team folded after season ^ |
| First season in NNL or ECL* | Only season in NNL § |
| Team folded mid-season ^ | Team withdrew after this season ^^ |
| Only season in NNL or ECL, folded mid-season § | Team folded after this season ^ | Last season in NNL, withdrew mid-season ^^ |
| Team rejoined from minor league Negro Southern League ** | Only season in NNL § | Last season in NNL or ECL ^ | Team departed after this season ^^ |
| Only season in NNL or ECL § |
| Team folded after this season ^ | Team independent after this season ^^ |
| NNL | ANL | |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Black Barons | Atlantic City Bacharach Giants^ | |
| Chicago American Giants | Baltimore Black Sox^^ | |
| Cuban Stars (West) | Cuban Stars (East)^ | |
| Detroit Stars | Hilldale Club^^ | |
| Kansas City Monarchs | Homestead Grays^^ | |
| Memphis Red Sox | New York Lincoln Giants^^ | |
| St. Louis Stars |
| First season in NNL * | Team folded after this season ^ | Team departed after this season ^^ |
| First season in NNL * | Team folded after this season ^ |
| NNL | |
|---|---|
| Chicago Columbia Giants | |
| Cleveland Cubs | |
| Detroit Stars^ | |
| Indianapolis ABCs | |
| Louisville White Sox | |
| St. Louis Stars^ |
| Team rejoined from ANL or NNL ** | Only season in NSL or EWL § | Team folded after this season ^ | Team departed after this season ^^ |
| First season in NNL * | Team moved from former EWL or NSL ** | Only season in NNL, folded mid-season § | Only season in NNL, joined mid-season §§ | Team folded after this season ^ | Team departed after this season ^^ |
| First season in NNL * | Only season in NNL § | Team folded after this season ^ |
| NNL | |
|---|---|
| Baltimore Black Sox^ | |
| Chicago American Giants | |
| Cleveland Red Sox§ | |
| Nashville Elite Giants | |
| Newark Dodgers | |
| Philadelphia Bacharach Giants§ | |
| Philadelphia Stars | |
| Pittsburgh Crawfords |
| First season in NNL * | Team rejoined NNL ** | Only season in NNL § | Team folded after this season ^ | Team departed after this season ^^ |
| NNL | |
|---|---|
| Brooklyn Eagles§ | |
| Chicago American Giants^^ | |
| Columbus Elite Giants | |
| Homestead Grays | |
| New York Cubans | |
| Newark Dodgers^ | |
| Philadelphia Stars | |
| Pittsburgh Crawfords |
| First season in NNL * | Team departed after this season ^^ |
| NNL | |
|---|---|
| Homestead Grays | |
| New York Black Yankees | |
| New York Cubans^^ | |
| Newark Eagles | |
| Philadelphia Stars | |
| Pittsburgh Crawfords | |
| Washington Elite Giants |
| Team rejoined from NSL or first NNL ** | Only season in NAL § |
| First season in NAL * | Team rejoined MLB ** | Only season in NNL § | Team departed after this season ^^ |
| Team joined NAL or rejoined NNL ** | Team folded after this season ^ | Team left NNL mid-season ^^ |
| Team rejoined NAL ** | Team folded after this season ^ |
| Team temporarily folded after this season ^^ |
| First season in NAL * | Team left mid-season ^ |
| First season in NAL * | Team folds mid-season ^ |
| NAL | NNL | |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham Black Barons | Baltimore Elite Giants | |
| Chicago American Giants | Harrisburg–St. Louis Stars^ | |
| Cincinnati Clowns | Homestead Grays | |
| Cleveland Buckeyes | New York Black Yankees | |
| Kansas City Monarchs | New York Cubans | |
| Memphis Red Sox | Newark Eagles | |
| Philadelphia Stars |
| Team folded after this season ^ |