Biography
After playing in the Little Rock City League for a number of years in 1911, Hatch Black pitched for the University of Arkansas in the spring of 1912.2 After the end of the school year, he debuted in professional baseball with Texarkana in the 1912 South Central League, winning one game and losing five.3 The following spring, he was given a tryout with Nashville in the Southern Association,4 but did not make to club and instead joined Sherman in the 1913 Oklahoma-Texas League. He performed well, going 17-15, and returned to Sherman again for the 1914 season. He was sold to Paris, TX, before the start of the 1915 season, but was only with the team briefly.5 6
After baseball, Black worked as a draftsman and architect.7 Black was buried in Edgewood Cemetery in North Little Rock, AR.8
Excerpts
"Hal ("Hatch") Black, no-hit, no-run slinger of the United Clothing Company of 1911, left last night for Fayetteville, where he will enter the University of Arkansas and study architecture. He has been in the employ of H. J. Harker, a local architect and is a draftsman of no mean ability. But as to his baseball future at the university. Of course, "Hatch" will go in for baseball as he falls for that like a kid to cream puffs. And i taking up baseball he will work under Coach Bezdek, conceded to be one of the leading coaches of the United States. If there is big league timber in "Hatch," Bezdek will bring it out, and it is believed by many of the young hurler's admirers here that only inside information of the game is necessary to build of him a star pitcher . . . "Hatch" has an arm which many a National Leaguer would envy. There were wings working each year in the big leaguers that had nothing on that right of Black's. They're better because the noodle behind the wing does the pitching. And that is just what Black needs, and is likely to get. He needs a man that knows, to tell him how. Black was easily the leading pitcher of last year's City League. He led world without end in the strikeout column. Fewer hits were made off his delivery than any other hurler working the same number of inning. But "Hatch" is not only a pitcher, he's a hitter. Not a slugger but a real hitter. The kind that has the aggravating habit of waiting out the bad ones and stinging the good ones at moments --inconvenient moment to pitchers. "Hatch" will probably be going good and booked for big things in baseball within a year, now that he is under a man who knows baseball as well as he does football."9
"Secretary Jacobson, of the Southern league, is somewhat of a scout, and recently put Schwartz next to a young pitcher in Little rock by the name of Harrell Black. Black is touted as a wonder and, relying on Jacobson's judgement of players, Bill forwarded him a contract a few days ago. It was returned yesterday, duly signed in a firm bold hand. Mr. Black is an amatuer, but may have the stuffy that makes winning hurlers."10
"Hal Black, star of the slabman of 1912 in the Little Rock City League, star of the hurlers of the Texarkana bunch of the Southwestern League, star of the University of Arkansas staff, is going up. Hal leaves today for Nashville, where "Bill" Schwartz will take him under his wing for a season and cuddle him carefully. Schwartz has declared that he intends to carry two young pitchers during the season, and with the dope running right Hal ought to be half of that two. Schwartz had his first news on Black from Adolph Jacobson, secretary of the Southern Association. "He's a comer and you can make something out of the lad," says Jacobson. "I'll look him over," replies Mr. Schwartz, not given to overlooking any bets. Correspondences with Black followed and Hal, if he makes good, will be the second Little Rock lad in the Southern League, with Gene Paulet permanently located, provided he goes no higher."11
""Hatch" Black, the Little Rock boy who made a fine record with Bonham last season after his release by Texarkana, intends taking several Capital City [Little Rock] boys to the Texas town."12
""Hatch" Black, who hurled for Texarkana before going to Sherman . . . "13
"Black, one [the Paris club's] most promising pitchers, was out of the game the first two weeks with a sore arm, but is now rounding into form nicely."14
Stats
Statistics at Baseball-Reference.com.
1
Black's WWI Draft Card (employer listed as H. J. Harker, architecht) and WWII Draft Card.