Pete Willett

Pete Willett
Pete Willett
	Infielder
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
Negro league baseball debut
	1923, for the Buffalo Colored Giants
Last appearance
	1928, for the Cleveland Tigers
Teams
	Buffalo Colored Giants (1923); Lincoln Giants (1923); Dayton Marcos (1924); Cleveland Browns (1924); Homestead Grays (1925); Pullman Colored Giants (1925); Brown's Stars of Youngstown (1926); Cleveland Elites (1926); Cleveland Oaks (1928); Cleveland Pyramids (1928); Cleveland Tigers (1928);

James R. "Pete" Willett^[1] was an American athlete who played baseball as an infielder in the Negro leagues and basketball. He played baseball with several teams from 1923 to 1928.^[2]

Athletic career

Willett attended Central High School in Cleveland, Ohio, and also played football, basketball and ran track for Wilberforce University in 1922 to 1924.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

In 1923, Willett played baseball with the Buffalo Colored Giants,^[8] and also played with the Lincoln Giants of the Eastern Colored League.^[9] He spent time with the independent Dayton Marcos in 1924, before playing with the Cleveland Browns.^[2] In June 1925, he was acquired by the Homestead Grays to fill in for injured players.^[10] In September 1925, he played with the Pullman Colored Giants of Buffalo.^[11] In 1926, he saw time with the Brown's Stars of Youngstown, Ohio,^[12] and the Cleveland Elites.^[13] Willett later played in 25 recorded games with the Cleveland Tigers of the Negro National League in 1928.^[14] He also appeared with the Cleveland Oaks and Cleveland Pyramids in 1928.^[15]^[16]

Outside of baseball, he captained and coached the Benjee Drugs basketball team in 1925 and 1926.^[1]^[7] Willett also played with the Cleveland Elks in 1926 and 1927,^[17]^[18] and the Loendi Big Five in 1927 and 1928.^[19]

On February 10, 1927, Willett dislocated his knee and two other Elks players were seriously injured after their car went into a ditch and overturned multiple times near London, Ohio.^[20]

References

^ ^a ^b C. W. Moorehead (4 February 1926). "Sport News". The Buffalo American. p. 3. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
^ ^a ^b Riley, James A. (1994). The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues. New York: Carroll & Graf. ISBN 0-7867-0959-6.
^ "Wilberforce Ready for Simmons Tilt". Dayton Daily News. October 20, 1922. p. 44. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Three "Triple Threat" Men at Wilberforce". The New York Age. October 13, 1923. p. 7. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "West Va. Institute Five Defeats Wilberforce Team". Pittsburgh Courier. March 15, 1924. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Baseball, Track and Football Men Report". Pittsburgh Courier. April 5, 1924. p. 11. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b "Cleveland to Have Speedy Floor Team". Pittsburgh Courier. October 17, 1925. p. 12. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Baseball Tonight". The Buffalo Commercial. July 19, 1923. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "8,000 Howling Fans See Lincoln Giants Take Two Games From Hilldale Nine". The New York Age. August 11, 1923. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Homestead Grays Obtain Infielder". Pittsburgh Courier. June 27, 1925. p. 12. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Good Twirlers of Colored Giants to Face Bisons". Buffalo Courier. September 3, 1925. p. 11. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ William G. Nunn (28 August 1926). "Diamond Dope". Pittsburgh Courier. p. 15. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
^ "Cleveland Team To Play Four Games at Stadium" (PDF). Buffalo Evening News. Fultonhistory.com. July 2, 1926. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
^ "Pete Willett". seamheads.com. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
^ "Cleveland Oaks Look Good Now" (PDF). Pittsburgh Courier. Fultonhistory.com. March 10, 1928. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
^ "Cleveland Pyramids Open to Good Clubs" (PDF). Pittsburgh Courier. Fultonhistory.com. April 21, 1928. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
^ "Cleveland Elks Beat Midlands". Pittsburgh Courier. December 11, 1926. p. 14. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Basketball Players Injured". The Daily Advocate. February 10, 1927. p. 9. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Cumberland Posey (11 February 1928). "The Sportive Realm". Pittsburgh Courier. p. 17. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
^ "Three Players Injured". The Lima News. February 11, 1927. p. 22. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

Career statistics from Baseball Reference and Seamheads

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This Negro league baseball infielder article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[Sport_News-1] C. W. Moorehead (4 February 1926). "Sport News". The Buffalo American. p. 3. Retrieved 18 January 2022.

[Riley-2] Riley, James A. (1994). The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues. New York: Carroll & Graf. ISBN 0-7867-0959-6.

[Wilberforce_Ready_for_Simmons_Tilt-3] "Wilberforce Ready for Simmons Tilt". Dayton Daily News. October 20, 1922. p. 44. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Three_Triple_Threat_Men_at_Wilberforce-4] "Three "Triple Threat" Men at Wilberforce". The New York Age. October 13, 1923. p. 7. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[West_Va._Institute_Five_Defeats_Wilberforce_Team-5] "West Va. Institute Five Defeats Wilberforce Team". Pittsburgh Courier. March 15, 1924. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Baseball,_Track_and_Football_Men_Report-6] "Baseball, Track and Football Men Report". Pittsburgh Courier. April 5, 1924. p. 11. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Cleveland_to_Have_Speedy_Floor_Team-7] "Cleveland to Have Speedy Floor Team". Pittsburgh Courier. October 17, 1925. p. 12. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Baseball_Tonight-8] "Baseball Tonight". The Buffalo Commercial. July 19, 1923. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[8,000_Howling_Fans_See_Lincoln_Giants_Take_Two_Games_From_Hilldale_Nine-9] "8,000 Howling Fans See Lincoln Giants Take Two Games From Hilldale Nine". The New York Age. August 11, 1923. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Homestead_Grays_Obtain_Infielder-10] "Homestead Grays Obtain Infielder". Pittsburgh Courier. June 27, 1925. p. 12. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Good_Twirlers_of_Colored_Giants_to_Face_Bisons-11] "Good Twirlers of Colored Giants to Face Bisons". Buffalo Courier. September 3, 1925. p. 11. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Diamond_Dope-12] William G. Nunn (28 August 1926). "Diamond Dope". Pittsburgh Courier. p. 15. Retrieved 19 January 2022.

[13] "Cleveland Team To Play Four Games at Stadium" (PDF). Buffalo Evening News. Fultonhistory.com. July 2, 1926. Retrieved January 19, 2022.

[14] "Pete Willett". seamheads.com. Retrieved January 18, 2022.

[15] "Cleveland Oaks Look Good Now" (PDF). Pittsburgh Courier. Fultonhistory.com. March 10, 1928. Retrieved January 19, 2022.

[16] "Cleveland Pyramids Open to Good Clubs" (PDF). Pittsburgh Courier. Fultonhistory.com. April 21, 1928. Retrieved January 19, 2022.

[Cleveland_Elks_Beat_Midlands-17] "Cleveland Elks Beat Midlands". Pittsburgh Courier. December 11, 1926. p. 14. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Basketball_Players_Injured-18] "Basketball Players Injured". The Daily Advocate. February 10, 1927. p. 9. Retrieved January 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[The_Sportive_Realm-19] Cumberland Posey (11 February 1928). "The Sportive Realm". Pittsburgh Courier. p. 17. Retrieved 18 January 2022.

[Three_Players_Injured-20] "Three Players Injured". The Lima News. February 11, 1927. p. 22. Retrieved January 19, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

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