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Ed Bolden

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Edward W. Bolden was born on January 17, 1881 in Concordville, Pennsylvania. Bolden was described as a creative marketer, a skilled businessman, and a knowledgeable baseball scout, assembling several teams during his career. He excelled at recognizing talent, whether it was at the local or professional level.

Born: January 17, 1881 Died: September 27, 1950
Height: 5'7" Weight: 150 lbs.

Early Career

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Prior to his career in baseball, Ed Bolden was a domestic servant and a clerk working for the Philadelphia post office.[1] His post-office position was not a glamorous career, but it was prestigious for a black man in the early 20th century. In addition to his postal career, Bolden established himself as an owner and officer in three different professional leagues, those being, The Eastern Colored League, the American Negro League, and the second Negro National League.[2] However that's not where Bolden's career in baseball began. His first occupation in baseball came about as a volunteer scorekeeper for a team out of Darby, Pennsylvania under 19 year-old manager, Austin Thompson.[3] Thompson went on to organized the Hilldale club in the spring of 1910, out of Darby, five miles from the city of Philadelphia. At the time, Darby was an African American hub of nearly 6,300. The team played other amateur clubs in the Philadelphia area.[4] However, being that Bolden was Thompsons elder by nine years, he was more mature, had more business related and job worthy experience, and eventually proved to have great success in marketing, Thompson experienced a short stint with the ball club.[5]

Hilldale Club

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Bolden was an American baseball executive and owner in the Negro Leagues. After Austin Thompson established the Hilldale Club Bolden quickly took over as owner and head of the team. Bolden quickly transformed the teams status from amateur to professional. This aided the team in taking off financially, as the team attracted high levels of talent and scheduled games against skilled opponents.[6] When it came to recruiting players, he would either go out and look for specific types or levels of talent, or place advertisements in local newspapers regarding open tryouts.

Thompson became known as a strict owner and manager, as he demanded a certain set of rules for not only his players but also the fans of the ball club. He promoted what became known as "clean ball," simply advocating courteous behavior.[7] Ed always had the fans in mind and constantly prided himself in constructing new marketing techniques to promote his team. Darby Field (Hilldale Park) was conveniently located in terms of the teams fan base, but to even further more promote the teams success; Bolden organized a deal with a local streetcar company, requesting a line directly to the park on game days.[8] He also would rent out the ball park and sell advertising that would scattered throughout the confines of the stadium.

1916 proved to be a standout year for the Hilldale Club. Some of the changes that Bolden put into effect were, practices twice a week, pregame workouts, and a ban on alcohol. Changes not only effected players, as a new grandstand was added to the stadium, new uniforms were ordered, and a general admission fee of twenty cents were implemented.[9]

Negro National League and The Eastern Colored League

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Bolden had earned somewhat of a negative reputation between NNL managers, as he often signed players from other teams. One of those owners being Rube Foster, where the feud between him and Bolden began in 1920.[10]

Foster began to support teams in the east such as the Bacharach Giants, and when this club joined the league they raided the Hilldale roster.[11] In 1922 Hilldale resigned from the NLL and joined the ECL. Yet again Hilldale brought many NLL players wit them through the course of the transition. The team won three league titles in their first three years in the ECL, also playing in the first two Colored World Series in 1924 and 1925, winning in 1925.[12] Bolden and Foster were pleased that the Series earned the national recognition of both leagues and focused national attention on black professional baseball.[13]

In 1930 Bolden received the threat of a possible demotion from the post office, and was forced to leave baseball.[14]

Philadelphia Stars

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Bolden returned to professional baseball in 1932 with the Philadelphia Stars, after being gone from the game for two years. At first he didn't want to commit the Stars to any league. Bolden preferred to make most of the teams money through playing exhibition games against white teams, because they ended up losing money when they committed to league games.[15] By the time World War II began and the change of decades occurred, black baseball thrive throughout the 40's. Crowds grew, salaries rose, commission increased, and teams were actually able to use major-league parks. However, at the wars end, integrated baseball began to thrive uncontrollably.[16] Bolden greatly supported integrated baseball and hoped to one day play a role in the Major Leagues. Unfortunately, he passed away before being able to do so.

Notable players under Bolden:
  1. Otto Briggs
 4. Dick Lundy 7. Biz Mackey
2. Smokey Joe Williams 5. Oscar Charleston 8. Judy Johnson
3. Louis Santop 6. Martin Dihigo

Influence on today's game

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Bolden's death truly marked the end of an era in baseball. He left behind great marketing techniques and methods to managing a ball club, through implementing rules in the club house. These techniques and methods have proved to be successful and are commonly used today.

He had welcomed professional baseball integration as a force that would improve the black leagues but the commercial basis was practically destroyed by fans new focus on the major leagues.

  1. ^ Haupert, Michael. Society for American Baseball Research, Ed Bolden http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/84ab3bca
  2. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  3. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  4. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  5. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  6. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  7. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  8. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  9. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  10. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  11. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  12. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  13. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  14. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  15. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
  16. ^ Ibid, Haupert.
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