Greenfield Pin Info
 

I just recieved this Greenfield team pin today and noticed that one of the players pictured is black. After doing a little research on the Greenfield team to determine if it was a minor league, college or town team I came across this bit of info:



" A racially-charged incident took place on August 28, 1913. The Bellows Falls team hired Frank Wickware, a great African-American pitcher of his day, to face Northampton. Manager Burns refused to let the Meadowlarks take the field against Wickware, citing the "color line" in the major leagues, a move which provoked much criticism regionally, and some uneasiness among many in the city as well. The ill will already existing between Bellows Falls and Northampton intensified.

In 1914 the Larks fell to last place. During the winter of 1914-15 the directors of the Twin State League, acting upon the complaints of Bellows Falls, issued an ultimatum to Northampton to pay a $1000 guarantee. Northampton dropped out. Greenfield, faced with the same ultimatum, followed suit."

Probably just a coincidence but I thought it was interesting.

http://www.historic-northampton.org/...baseball5.html

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I believe this pin is from Greenfield, Indiana and is just a town team. It originated from a Franklin, Indiana seller which is only one hour away from Greenfield.

The seller claims to have picked up the pin in Louisville, KY. Also, it looks like there are a few states that have a city called Greenfield; Ohio, Indiana, New York to name a few.

We'll probably never know for sure, but just the location of the pin kept me from bidding on it....and if it was picked up in Louisville that's still only two hours away from Greenfield, IN.

But then Greenfield, Ohio is three hours away and Greenfield,NY is thirteen hours away, so it's hard to say where it originated. I'll try and see if I can find any minor league pics featuring Greenfield and see if I can match up uniforms.

That will be the only way this pin will be identified is if you can find a matching photo....I wasn't trying to throw water on your find, I was just stating the reason I didn't bid and why I thought it was a town team.