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1920: Roy Hitt's All-Americans
The 1920 season and the months following it were among the most important periods in the history of professional baseball. The Red Sox and Pat O’Farrell began the season on fire, and in early June, Pat received an invitation from old friend and rival Roy Hitt to join a team that would barnstorm the West that fall. Roy Hitt’s All-Americans would play several series of games against a team made up of Negro League stars. Pat accepted the invitation, and after the Red Sox won their seventh World Series title (over the St. Louis Cardinals), he joined Hitt’s squad for an adventure that would indelibly make its mark on the history of major league baseball.
Roy Hitt’s All-Americans included many of the biggest stars in the major league firmament. Besides O’Farrell and Hitt, future Hall of Famers on the squad included Del Mason, Joe Wood, Walter Johnson, Jim Nealon, Ty Cobb, Tillie Shafer, Joe Jackson, and Chuck Rose. The All-Americans played their way from St. Louis to California, where Ty Cobb left the squad after playing relatively poorly. Rumors circulated that Cobb departed because he was uncomfortable playing on the same field as black men, but the Tigers star claimed he was increasingly distracted by business matters back home.
On November 15 in San Francisco, the All-Americans began their first series of games against the Road Kings, a barnstorming squad of Negro players led by catcher Bruce Petway. The All-Americans won three of the first four contests, despite the tremendous play of Road Kings outfielder Oscar Charleston and the skillful pitching of Smokey Joe Williams. As Pat and Roy relaxed in their hotel after the fourth game, they were approached by a young man named Archie Graham, who had played well against them in Sacramento and offered his services as a practice player and substitute for the remainder of the All-Americans’ journey.
Pat exchanged letters with his Grandpa O’Farrell on the trip, the older gentleman sharing with his grandson the lessons of ninety years of life. Likewise, Pat and his teammates served as mentors for young Archie Graham, whom they dubbed “Moonlight” for his willingness to remain on the field long past sundown, sharpening his skills. The exposure young Graham received paid off for him in the form of a minor league contract offer from the Phillies organization. The Phillies traded him to the White Sox early in 1921.
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