
Hot Springs Arlingtons, circa 1896. Mary Dengler Hudgins Collection, Special Collections, University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
The Hot Springs Arlingtons were a Negro baseball team based in Hot Springs, AR from 1896-1903.
History
The Hot Springs Arlingtons, along with the Little Rock Quapaws, were the first Negro baseball team in Arkansas to attract significant popularity. The team first appeared in 1896 with an undefined degree of affiliation with the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs.1 Home games were played at Whittington Park and were well attended by black and white patrons alike.2 The team's most frequent opponents were their in-state rivals, the Little Rock Quapaws, with whom the Arlingtons periodically competed for the title of Colored Champions of the Arkansas.3 4
At the onset of the 1897 season, the Arlingtons and Quapaws both participated the formation of a southern Negro league, which in addition to Hot Springs and Little Rock, was comprised of the Memphis Cliffords, the Pensacola Acmes, the Birmingham Unions, and Montgomery, AL.5 6 7 After playing a series of games with Little Rock, Memphis and Birmingham, the Arlingtons ceased league play as a result of the league's costly travel schedule.8 Notwithstanding the failure of the league, the Arlingtons and Quapaws both continued to play out the remainder of the 1897 season, which in addition to numerous games against each other, included a series of unprecidented interacial baseball games. In early September, the Quapaws challenged their white counterparts, the Little Rock Senators of the Arkansas State League, to a series of games.9 Likewise, the Arlingtons soon challenged the Hot Springs team of the Arkansas State League to a series at Whittington Park, which was played on September 10th and 11th. The Arlingtons played competitively against the white professionals, but lost both games.10 11

Rube Foster
Dave Wyatt Excerpts
Much of the historical documentation relating to the Arlingtons owes its existence to Dave Wyatt, a well-known Negro baseball player who later became a respected sports journalist. When writing for The Freeman of Indianapolis, IN in February 1910, Wyatt recalled how he had joined the Arlingtons in 1897 and had played in front of segregated crowds of enthusiastic fans.13 Wyatt also gave mention to a number the team's former players, including several who like himself later found success playing professionally across the nation. Most significantly, Wyatt indicated multiple times that Rube Foster had at some point played with the Arlingtons.14
The following are excerpts from Wyatt mentioning the Arlingtons.
"Some well-known players who have played with the Arlingtons of this city are: Campbell of the Minneapolis Keystones, Miliner [sic] of the Gophers, “Herm” Evans, catcher once of the Philadelphia Giants; Rube Foster, David Wyatt, Julian Ware. This club has defeated Gatewood, “Dago” Davis, Foster."15
"It is not generally known but anyhow Hot Springs had at one time one of greatest colored baseball teams in the country. They speak with much pride of the games in which they defeated Rube Foster. They have won above three or four games from Rube Foster, one a 17-inning affair and a 1-0 game."16
"About thirteen years ago the writer landed in this little burg and noticing some boys with uniforms on I asked for a chance to 'butt it' on the practice. I made a hit with the gang and became a member of the team known then as the Arlingtons. We had some warm contests, usually winning. Mr. Al Holden, formerly an old minstrel man from up around Boston, was head waiter at the Arlington at the time and as he had a sufficient supply of this world's goods, he was picked as the real "angel" to back the club. We were in a strained condition owing to the location of the Springs, which made opponents hard for us to get. So we organized a league of the following cities: Hot Springs, Little Rock, Memphis, Birmingham and Pensacola. The season opened in Hot Springs, our opponents being Little Rock, who to our surprise had covered the distance of 64 miles between here and Little Rock in a wagon. I thought if this was going to a wagon-road league we would have to have a lightning calculator to get up our schedule for us. Hot Springs started on the first swing around the circuit, playing four games in Little Rock, four at Memphis and seven at Birmingham. The attendance in all cities was good. Of course, there were separate grandstands in all places for whites and colored spectators --strange to me, but the whites were in the majority at all times and were greatly interested in our players. In getting up this league we had overlooked the mileage end of the "biz", and it later proved to much for us; we had one jump of about 300 miles, one 250, one 210, and 60 was the smallest. We finished the series with the Birmingham and disbanded"17
"Dave Wyatt, ‘Rube’ Foster and Fred Fields are living members of that famous team [Arlingtons] who are still active."18
"[Rube] Foster's pitching attracted the attention of this writer in 1897 at Hot Springs, Ark. I was a member of a baseball club known as the Arlingtons of Hot Springs. They were considered one of the best in the southern states. The Waco Yellow Jackets was another great club. It was a "toss of the coin" as to which was the best."19
Schedule/Results
Date | Location | Opponent | W-L | R | RA | Notes |
6/9/1896 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 14 | 9 | 20 |
7/2/1896 | Association Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 11 | 12 | 21 |
7/3/1896 | Association Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 9 | 5 | 22 |
7/4/1896 | Association Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 9 | 11 | 23 |
7/8/1896 | Arkadelphia, AR | Arkadelphia | W | 12 | 6 | 24 |
8/21/1896 | Association Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 13 | 11 | 25 |
9/7/1896 | Association Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 12 | 8 | 10 innings.26 |
9/8/1896 | Association Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 7 | 9 | 27 |
9/9/1896 | Association Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 20 | 9 | 28 |
5/10/1897 | West End Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | Forfeit.29 | ||
5/11/1897 | West End Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 11 | 12 | 30 |
5/20/1897 | Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 11 | 7 | 31 |
5/21/1897 | Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 8 | 11 | 32 |
6/25/1897 | West End Park, Birmingham, AL | Birmingham Unions | L | 5 | 6 | 33 |
6/26/1897 | West End Park, Birmingham, AL | Birmingham Unions | L | 13 | 19 | 34 |
6/28/1897 | West End Park, Birmingham, AL | Birmingham Unions | W | 9 | 8 | 35 |
6/29/1897 | West End Park, Birmingham, AL | Birmingham Unions | W | 21 | 14 | 36 |
8/4/1897 | West End Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 11 | 12 | 37 |
8/5/1897 | West End Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 4 | 3 | 38 |
8/6/1897 | West End Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 8 | 4 | 39 |
9/10/1897 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Hot Springs | L | 10 | 11 | Interracial Game40 |
9/11/1897 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Hot Springs | L | 5 | 10 | Interracial Game41 |
10/6/1897 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 6 | 4 | 42 |
10/7/1897 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 10 | 7 | 43 |
10/8/1897 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 11 | 13 | 44 |
10/9/1897 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 45 | ||
8/25/1898 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Memphis | L | 5 | 7 | 46 |
8/26/1898 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Memphis | W | 12 | 6 | 47 |
7/?/1899 | West End Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 9 | 7 | 48 |
7/?/1899 | West End Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 4 | 17 | 49 |
7/?/1899 | West End Park, Little Rock, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 5 | 6 | 50 |
7/24/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 14 | 1 | 51 |
7/25/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 4 | 3 | 52 |
7/26/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 2 | 3 | 53 |
8/1/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Pine Bluff Owls | W | 12 | 4 | 54 |
8/2/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Pine Bluff Owls | W | 14 | 10 | 55 |
8/7/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Memphis | L | 9 | 21 | 56 |
8/14/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 7 | 8 | 12 innings.57 , 58 |
8/15/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 8 | 6 | 59 , 60 |
8/16/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 8 | 16 | 61 |
8/22/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Waco Yellow Jackets | L | 6 | 7 | 500 attendance.62 |
9/1/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Kansas City Unions | W | 20 | 6 | 63 |
9/?/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Kansas City Unions | 64 | |||
9/?/1899 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Kansas City Unions | W | 13 | 1 | 65 |
4/17/1900 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 14 | 11 | 66 |
4/18/1900 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | L | 6 | 8 | 67 |
4/19/1900 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Little Rock Quapaws | W | 6 | 4 | 68 , 69 |
5/?/1901 | Hot Springs, AR | Pine Bluff (AR) | 70 , 71 | |||
5/?/1901 | Hot Springs, AR | Pine Bluff (AR) | 72 , 73 | |||
5/?/1901 | Hot Springs, AR | Pine Bluff (AR) | 74 , 75 | |||
6/?/1901 | Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth (TX) | W | 76 | ||
6/?/1901 | Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth (TX) | W | 77 | ||
6/?/1901 | Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth (TX) | W | 78 | ||
6/14/1901 | Jones Park (Pine Bluff), Pine Bluff, AR | Pine Bluff (AR) | W | 7 | 2 | 79 , 80 |
6/15/1901 | Jones Park (Pine Bluff), Pine Bluff, AR | Pine Bluff (AR) | W | 9 | 2 | 81 , 82 |
6/16/1901 | Hot Springs, AR | Austin (TX) | 83 , 84 | |||
6/?/1901 | Hot Springs, AR | Austin (TX) | 85 , 86 | |||
6/21/1901 | Hot Springs, AR | Austin (TX) | W | 87 , 88 | ||
6/26/1901 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Palestine (TX) Tigers | L | 5 | 11 | 89 , 90 |
?/?/1901 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Palestine (TX) Tigers | L | 91 | ||
?/?/1901 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Palestine (TX) Tigers | W | 92 | ||
?/?/1901 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Palestine (TX) Tigers | W | 93 | ||
?/?/1901 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Palestine (TX) Tigers | W | 94 | ||
7/25/1901 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Texarkana | W | 10 | 3 | 95 |
7/29/1901 | Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth Colts | L | 0 | 7 | 96 |
?/?/1901 | Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth Colts | W | 10 | 4 | 97 , 98 |
8/2/1901 | Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth Colts | L | 1 | 6 | 99 |
8/?/1901 | Arkadelphia | L | 3 | 15 | 100 | |
8/?/1901 | Arkadelphia | L | 8 | 20 | 101 | |
8/12/1901 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth Colts | L | 102 | ||
8/14/1901 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth Colts | L | 2 | 7 | 2,000 attendance.103 |
8/15/1901 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth Colts | W | 3 | 1 | 104 |
8/18/1901 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth Colts | L | 2 | 9 | 105 |
6/2/1902 | Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth Colts | L | 3 | 7 | 106 |
6/3/1902 | Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth Colts | L | 1 | 2 | 107 |
6/4/1902 | Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth Colts | L | 0 | 9 | 108 |
6/?/1902 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Fort Worth Colts | W | 12 | 6 | 109 , 110 |
6/9/1902 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Waco Wonders | W | 14 | 2 | 111 , 112 |
6/?/1902 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Waco Wonders | L | 4 | 6 | 113 |
6/?/1902 | Whittington Park, Hot Springs, AR | Waco Wonders | W | 5 | 3 | 114 |
6/24/1902 | Hot Springs, AR | Memphis Clippers | W | 5 | 3 | 115 |
5/?/1903 | Memphis | W | 2 | 1 | 116 | |
5/?/1903 | Memphis | W | 12 | 3 | 117 |
Players
1896
Player | Birth | Death | Notes |
1897
Player | Birth | Death | Notes | |||
Davis | 118 , 119 | |||||
Dodd | 120 | |||||
Fertiller | 121 , 122 | |||||
Fred Fields | 9/23/1876 in AR | 12/13/1931 in AR | 123 , 124 , 125 , 126 | |||
C. Huff | Hot Springs, AR | 127 , 128 , 129 | ||||
Jackson | 130 | |||||
Henry Lewis | Abt. 1872 | 9/27/1899 in Malvern, AR | 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , 135 , 136 ,137 , 138 , 139 , 140 , 141 | |||
Zack Patillo | Abt. 1878 in AR | 3/5/1908 in Hot Springs, AR | 142 , 143 , 144 | |||
Dave Wyatt | Abt. 6/19/1874 in OH | 12/10/1950 in Chicago, IL | 145 |
1898
Player | Birth | Death | Notes |
1899
Player | Birth | Death | Notes | |||
Fred Fields | 9/23/1876 in AR | 12/13/1931 in AR | 146 | |||
C. Huff | Hot Springs, AR | 147 | ||||
Jackson | 148 | |||||
Henry Lewis | Abt. 1872 | 9/27/1899 in Malvern, AR | 149 , 150 | |||
Rowell | 151 |
1900
Player | Birth | Death | Notes | |||
William Bryant | Abt. Nov. 1873 in NC | 152 , 153 | ||||
Andrew Campbell | 1875 in TX | 154 , 155 | ||||
Davis | 156 | |||||
Alexander Jones | 8/17/1879 in TX | 157 , 158 | ||||
Jones | 159 , 160 | |||||
Baby Jones | 161 , 162 , 163 | |||||
Hen? | 164 | |||||
Gabbie Milliner | 11/27/1878 in AR | 1/15/1921 in Denver, CO | 165 , 166 , 167 | |||
Zack Patillo | Abt. 1878 in AR | 3/5/1908 in Hot Springs, AR | 168 | |||
Que Simpson | Abt. 1872 in TX | 10/26/1913 in Fort Worth, TX | 169 , 170 | |||
Skinner | 171 |
1901
Player | Birth | Death | Notes | |||
Andrew Campbell | 1875 in TX | 172 , 173 | ||||
Solomon Chew | Abt. July 1877 in TX | 1907 in Dallas, TX, | 174 , 175 , 176 , 177 | |||
Rube Foster | 9/17/1879 in La Grange, TX | 12/9/1930 in Kankakee, IL | 178 , 179 , 180 , 181 | |||
Alex Miller | 182 | |||||
Gabbie Milliner | 11/27/1878 in AR | 1/15/1921 in Denver, CO | 183 , 184 , 185 | |||
Oliver | 186 | |||||
Zack Patillo | Abt. 1878 in AR | 3/5/1908 in Hot Springs, AR | 187 | |||
Prince | 188 | |||||
Willie Smith | 189 | |||||
Bull Washington | 190 |
1902
Player | Birth | Death | Notes |
1903
Player | Birth | Death | Notes |
Other Players
Player | Birth | Death | Notes | |||
Brandom | 191 | |||||
S. Butler | Little Rock, AR | 192 | ||||
Henderson Butler | 12/20/1876 in Arkansas | 2/18/1913 in Little Rock, AR | 193 | |||
Walter Collier | Abt. 1872 in MS | 11/13/1902 in Hot Springs, AR | 194 , 195 | |||
Herm Evans | 196 | |||||
C. Huff | Hot Springs, AR | 197 , 198 | ||||
Murphy | 199 | |||||
Rowell | 200 | |||||
Julian Ware | 8/7/1874 in AR | 7/8/1946 in Los Angeles, CA | 201 |
1
The Arkansas Gazette, 6/10/1896, p.2 refers to the team as the "Arlington Hotel baseball team." According to Dave Wyatt, the Arlingtons were sponsored by Alfred Holden, the headwaiter of the Arlington Hotel.
6
Birmingham Age-Herald, 4/25/1897
12
The last known games played by the Arlingtons occurred in May 1903. In June of the same year, legislation requiring black Arkansans to sit in the back of public streetcars was put in effect. Consequently, many blacks boycotted or otherwise avoided public streetcars. This made it difficult for black fans to attend games at Whittington Park, which was located at the end of Hot Springs' streetcar line. Furthermore, Whittington Park was owned and operated by the Hot Springs streetcar company.
14
Chicago Whip, 1/29/1921
18
Chicago Whip, 1/29/1921
23
Arkansas Gazette, 7/5/1896
33
Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/26/1897
34
Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/27/1897
35
Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/29/1897
36
Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/30/1897
64
Kansas City Journal, 9/7/1899, p.5 Played about 9/2/1899. Kansas City Journal, 9/1/1899, p.5
65
Kansas City Journal, 9/7/1899, p.5 Played about 9/2/1899. Kansas City Journal, 9/1/1899, p.5
70
Pine Bluff Graphic, 5/19/1901, p.8 Item states Pine Bluff won one game in series.
71
Pine Bluff Graphic, 5/26/1901, p.2 Item states Pine Bluff won two games in series.
72
Pine Bluff Graphic, 5/19/1901, p.8 Item states Pine Bluff won one game in series.
73
Pine Bluff Graphic, 5/26/1901, p.2 Item states Pine Bluff won two games in series.
74
Pine Bluff Graphic, 5/19/1901, p.8 Item states Pine Bluff won one game in series.
75
Pine Bluff Graphic, 5/26/1901, p.2 Item states Pine Bluff won two games in series.
96
Score was either 0-7 (Fort Worth Morning Register, 7/30/1901) or 7-10 (Fort Worth Morning Register, 8/4/1901
97
Fort Worth Morning Register, 8/4/1901
98
Played between 7/29/1901 and 8/2/1901
99
No-hitted by Rube Foster (Rube Foster in His Time: On the Field and in the Papers with Black Baseball's Greatest Visionary, by Larry Lester)
102
Fort Worth Morning Register, 8/13/1901
106
Fort Worth Morning Register, 6/3/1902
107
Fort Worth Morning Register, 6/4/1902
108
Fort Worth Morning Register, 6/5/1902
110
This game was the fourth of a series against the Fort Worth Colts and was probably played on 6/5/1902.
118
Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/30/1897
119
Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
121
Possibly a mistranscription of "Patillo."
122
Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/26/1897
125
Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/27/1897
126
Chicago Whip, 1/29/1921
129
"Death in the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/24/1917
130
Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/27/1897
133
Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/26/1897
134
Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/27/1897
135
Birmingham Age-Herald, 6/30/1897
138
Chicago Whip, 1/29/1921
145
"Notes on the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/5/1910 The details described by Wyatt of his time with the Arlingtons correlates to the 1897 season.
152
Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
153
The 1900 U.S. Census lists John Jones, Alexander Jones, Que Simpson and William Bryant residing at 405 South Whittington in Hot Springs. The 1900 Arlingtons team included players named Baby Jones, Jones, Simpson and Bryant, so it seems reasonable to assume that the identities of the players are the same with those in the census.
154
Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
156
Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
157
Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
158
The 1900 U.S. Census lists John Jones, Alexander Jones, Que Simpson and William Bryant residing at 405 South Whittington in Hot Springs. The 1900 Arlingtons team included players named Baby Jones, Jones, Simpson and Bryant, so it seems reasonable to assume that the identities of the players are the same with those in the census.
159
Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
160
The 1900 U.S. Census lists John Jones, Alexander Jones, Que Simpson and William Bryant residing at 405 South Whittington in Hot Springs. The 1900 Arlingtons team included players named Baby Jones, Jones, Simpson and Bryant, so it seems reasonable to assume that the identities of the players are the same with those in the census.
161
Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
162
The 1900 U.S. Census lists John Jones, Alexander Jones, Que Simpson and William Bryant residing at 405 South Whittington in Hot Springs. The 1900 Arlingtons team included players named Baby Jones, Jones, Simpson and Bryant, so it seems reasonable to assume that the identities of the players are the same with those in the census.
163
Either Alexander Jones or John Jones.
164
Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
165
Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
167
Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
168
Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
169
Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
170
The 1900 U.S. Census lists John Jones, Alexander Jones, Que Simpson and William Bryant residing at 405 South Whittington in Hot Springs. The 1900 Arlingtons team included players named Baby Jones, Jones, Simpson and Bryant, so it seems reasonable to assume that the identities of the players are the same with those in the census.
171
Caption to 1900 Hot Springs Arlingtons photograph.
179
Chicago Whip, 1/29/1921
180
Pine Bluff Graphic, 6/14/1901, p.6 Mentions Arlingtons player named "Foster."
181
Cincinnati Enquirer, 8/2/1914, p.53. "He [boxing promoter Andy Mulligan] also managed and owned a colored team there [Hot Springs], and it was on his club that the famous ‘Rube’ Foster first started to play ball."
185
Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
186
Arkansas Democrat, 6/27/1901, p.7 Oliver also played for the Hot Springs Blues.
191
Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
192
"Death in the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/24/1917
193
"Death in the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/24/1917
194
Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
195
"Death in the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/24/1917
197
"Death in the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/24/1917
198
Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
199
Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919
200
Hot Springs Echo, 5/3/1919