Did Jimmy Claxton know Pete Standridge?
In a 1964 interview Jimmy Claxton claimed he was betrayed by a "supposed friend" who told Oakland Oaks management of his true racial heritage in 1916. For those unfamiliar with the story Claxton tried to pass as a Native American though he was African American. I had assumed it was a teammate but evidence suggests the person responsible may have been the opposing pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels on May 28, 1916, Pete Standridge. I can not find another player on either team that had previous exposure to the southpaw.
Pete Standridge was born in 1891 and raised in Enumclaw, Washington (some sources say 1892 in nearby Black Diamond, Washington). He attended Enumclaw Public School until 1907, then transferred to newly constructed Lincoln High School in Seattle (part of inaugural senior class of 1908). The Standridge family farm was located less than 100 yards from the Green River.
On the opposite bank of the Green River lay the mining town of Franklin, Washington. Claxton was born in 1892 and lived in Franklin with his father from 1905-12. Claxton's father was a well-known deacon at the A.M.E. church in Franklin. Claxton began his career as a catcher. The town of Franklin is now a ghost town, a forgotten corner of the Palmer-Kanaskat National Park.
My question is: Since Claxton and Standridge were about the same age and lived within a couple miles of each other, what is the likelihood they had formed a battery for a town team, or faced each other in the past before their meeting on the mound in 1916. I have combed over countless area newspapers for the time 1905-09 without finding a "smoking gun" that indicates they were on the same field. Both towns had a population of less than 1,000 people. So, I am soliciting the opinions of those on the board as to the likelihood they knew each other. Thank you very much.
Below is a photo of Pete Standridge & a photo of the ballpark in Franklin (Green River Gorge behind Knights of Pythias Labor Hall/Saloon, on the opposite hillside is the town of Enumclaw)
Last edited by pariah1107; 03-02-2013 at 10:34 AM.
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