Editor’s note: The games in the Negro Leagues Diamond Gems Tournament are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will not be used for any games. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur.
Nip Winters led the 1924 Hilldale Athletic Club to a 4-3 win over the 1944 Birmingham Black Barons in the first round of the Negro Leagues Diamond Gems Tournament.
Hilldale is set to meet the 1916 Chicago American Giants in the opener of the semifinal round.
Winters tossed a complete game giving up seven hits and fanning seven, while also driving in a run.
The Black Barons got on the scoreboard in the second when Double Duty Radcliffe had a RBI double to make it 1-0.
Tank Carr tied the contest in the third with a RBI ground out that scored George Johnson, who had tripled to lead off the frame against Birmingham pitcher Greyhound Saylor.
Three runs in the fifth proved to be the difference for Hilldale.
After Winters had a ground out that broke the tie, Frank Warfield hit a solo homer. Biz Mackey tripled and then scored on a single by Louis Santop.
Birmingham added two runs in the eighth, but it wasn’t enough to stay alive in the tournament.
Ed Steele had a run-scoring single that would be followed by a sacrifice fly from Lester Lockett.
Like Winters, Saylor went the distance for Birmingham allowing 12 hits with four strikeouts.
Negro Leagues Diamond Gems Tournament
Semifinals
1924 Hilldale Athletic Club at 1916 Chicago American Giants
First Round
1916 Chicago American Giants 7, 1936 Pittsburgh Crawfords 5
1924 Hilldale Athletic Club 4, 1944 Birmingham Black Barons 3
1938 Kansas City Monarchs at 1922 Indianapolis ABCs
1945 Cleveland Buckeyes at 1931 Homestead Grays