BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : THE CHICAGO UNION GIANTS - WERE A PROFESSIONAL BLACK BASEBALL TEAM THAT PLAYED IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY PRIOR TO THE FORMATION OF THE NEGRO LEAGUE :

             BLACK    SOCIAL   HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Chicago Unions

Chicago Unions 1887–1900 Chicago, Illinois
League affiliation(s)
Independent (1887–1900)
Name(s)
Merged with Chicago Columbia Giants to formChicago Union Giants 1901

The Chicago Unions were a professional, black baseball team that played in the late 19th century, prior to the formation of the Negro league.

Founding                                                                                                                                                                                                         Organized as the Unions in 1887, the club was led by Abe Jones 1887 to 1889 and by W.S. Peters 1890 to 1900. In 1899 they lost a series for the western championship to theColumbia Giants, also based in Chicago.

Merge

During 1901 and 1902, Frank Leland created the Chicago Union Giants by hiring many players from the Chicago Unions and Columbia Giants. The Union Giants "were recognized as the top team in the West, but lost a challenge playoff to the Algona Brownies in 1903 for the western championship" (Riley 168). The Union Giants were renamed Leland Giants in 1905.

Franchise continuum

1887 Chicago Unions─────────────┐                                               ┌─1910 Chicago Giants──────1921
                                ├──1901 Chicago Union Giants/Leland Giants (I)──┤
   1899 Chicago Columbia Giants─┘                                               └─1910 Leland Giants (II)/Chicago American Giants─────1952