BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : THE DARK DAYS OF GROSS SEGREGATION WHEN ONE RACE ACTED AS IF GOD GAVE THEM THE RIGHT TO RULE AND OPPRESS BLACK PEOPLE :

                   BLACK            SOCIAL           HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             NEWTON STREET LAWMEN

Los Angeles Police Department, July 22, 1929

By Sergeant John Thomas
On July 22, 1929, the Department’s black baseball team, the Lawmen, played a charity baseball game against a team of black doctors, and other medical professionals appropriately named the Medicos. The game was played at White Sox Park, the City’s only integrated baseball diamond.

The game benefited the Dunbar Hospital, which was the only hospital at that time in the City that would treat black patients. The Dunbar Hospital and Newton Street’s Detective Lieutenant Jesse L. Kimbrough, Officers Maceo B. Sheffield, and Arthur McClanahan (Who was partnered with Charles P. Williams on that fateful evening in 1923, when he was killed responding to a man with a gun call) organized the game. Lieutenant Kimbrough would act as both coach and play catcher during this contest.

White Sox Park, located at 38th and Compton, presently the site of Ross Snyder Park in Newton Area was the only place that black teams like the Lawmen could play in a very segregated Los Angeles. Yet, this team comprised of African-American Patrolmen, Detective-Sergeants and Lieutenants took on all comers, both black and white to benefit individuals and charitable organizations in their community in need of help.

Chief of Police, James E. Davis who along with Newton Street’s Commanding Officer, Captain H. A. Hager was in attendance along with several Hollywood celebrities and city dignitaries, threw the ceremonial first pitch of the game.

Prior to this game, The Medicos had amassed an impressive string of wins. Their success was largely based upon the talents of their pitcher, Dr. James Wyndon a strong young lefthander. Wyndon was well known for his fastball throughout the local Negro Winter League. However, the Lawmen were equally revered for their hot bats that made them a popular draw when they played the National Negro League teams whose barnstorming circuit regularly included games with the Lawmen. The Lawmen jumped out to an 8 run lead in the first inning and would never look back.

The Medicos would out hit the Lawmen for much of the game; however, the early lead established by the Lawmen was too great for them to overcome. The Lawmen would go on to win the game 22-15 before a large and enthusiastic crowd.

This would be the first of several benefit baseball games that the Lawmen would play against the Medicos that year. Despite much pre-game bravado by the Medicos prior to each contest, the Lawmen would go on to win each game that year. The Lawmen would raise over $10,000 for various charities in 1929 alone. They would continue to raise money for the needy throughout the Great Depression years and beyond.