Candy Jim Taylor

James Allen "Candy Jim" Taylor (February 1, 1884Template:Spaced ndashApril 3, 1948) was an American third baseman and manager in Negro league baseball. In a career that spanned forty years, he played as an infielder in the early years of the 20th century for over a dozen black baseball teams; by the mid-1920s, he would play less regularly (doing so as a pinch hitter), with his final game came at 58. In 1920, the same year of the start of the golden era of Negro league baseball, he would take on the responsibilities of manager, where he would manage 1,967 games for twelve teams. Described as one of the great strategists of his era, Taylor is the all-time winningest manager in the Negro league era, having 955 wins along with two Negro World Series titles and one additional pennant in 27 seasons as manager.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He has the most seasons managed by an African American manager along with having the seventh most for a manager in the history of baseball.

Biography

Born in Anderson, South Carolina, Taylor was one of four brothers who played in the Negro leagues, along with Ben, C. I. and "Steel Arm" Johnny.

Taylor began playing ball with an amateur club in Anderson, South Carolina in 1901, starting as a catcher.<ref name="leland1910">"Frank Lelands' Chicago Giants Base Ball Club" Fraternal Printing Company, 1910</ref>

He played with several different clubs in 1902 and 1903, finally landing a position with the Birmingham Giants in 1904 where he played third base. That year, he played in 55 regular season games and only made three errors.<ref name="leland1910"/>

File:1910StPaulGophers.jpg

1910 St. Paul Gophers

Taylor continued with Birmingham until 1909, and moved to the St. Paul Colored Gophers for part of a season in 1910. He was named the captain of the team. Later in 1910, he was asked to play for the Chicago Giants,<ref name="leland1910"/><ref name="lelandgiants1910">"Chicago Giants Will Raise Flag Sunday" Chicago Broad Ax, Chicago, IL, Page 2, Columns 4 and 5</ref> but played instead for the West Baden Sprudels as a player/manager until 1913.

In 1914, he moved to the Indianapolis ABC's as a player/manager, and by 1916, he helped the Indianapolis ABC's to win the Black World Championship. During the War, Taylor seemed to rotate between three teams, the Indianapolis ABCs, Dayton Marcos, and the Detroit Stars.

In 1918, 34 year-old Taylor registered for the WWI Draft. He lists his current occupation as a "Laborer" for the Penn Freight House at Dela and Georgia Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. Taylor lists his current address as 645 Blackford Street in Indianapolis. He does not list any dependents and lists his closest relative as Charles Isaac Taylor at 446 Indiana Avenue.<ref name="WWICJTaylor">"WWI Draft Registration of Candy Jim Taylor" Local Board Division 4, Fletcher American Bank Building, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, September 12, 1918</ref>

When the newly formed Negro National League started in 1920, Candy Jim worked as a player-manager for the Dayton Marcos.<ref name="indy1920" /> But he moved on to the Cleveland Tate Stars in the next season. He also served as a vice chairman for the league during its tenure (his brother C.I. also served as one of the co-founders of the league and vice president).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

A disciplinarian and a master strategist, as manager Taylor led the St. Louis Stars to contention in the Negro National League, which coincided with the decision to match first half and second half champions for a Championship Series, starting in 1925 (his third and final season in his first stint). That year, his team won the second half of the season and won the right to be matched against the Kansas City Monarchs. They lost that series four to three.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Taylor returned in 1927 to St. Louis and managed them to their first championship in 1928, doing so over the Chicago American Giants five games to four in the Championship Series.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Great Depression took its toll on the economics of the game, and while managing the 1933 Richmond All-Stars, Taylor was forced to sell the team bus, and later had to send the players home.

In 1943 Taylor took over as manager for the Homestead Grays, which had been led by player-manager Vic Harris. After having won the NNL title for the previous three seasons, the Grays were tasked to try and win it again for the right to advance to the newly created second incarnation of the Negro World Series title. They succeeded in winning the pennant and the World Series, for which they would repeat their success again the following year. Taylor managed in baseball until his death, which involved another stint as manager of the Chicago American Giants from 1945 to 1947. In 27 seasons, he managed eleven teams to a winning record, which saw him win three pennants and finish in second four times. He went 17–17 in postseason games.

Death and legacy

File:Grave of James Allen Taylor (1884–1948) at Burr Oak Cemetery.jpg

Taylor's grave at Burr Oak Cemetery

Taylor died at age 64 of a heart attack in Chicago and was interred in the Burr Oak Cemetery, Alsip, Illinois. He was buried in an unmarked grave which remained that way for nearly 54 years, until the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Marker Project raised funds for a proper headstone in 2004.

Taylor managed a variety of black baseball legends in four decades that ranged from Cool Papa Bell to Josh Gibson to Vic Harris while being selected to coach in the East-West All Star Game four times.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He has the most wins for all managers in the Negro League era.

Managerial record

Team	Year	Regular season					Postseason
		Games	Won	Lost	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
DAY	1920	52	16	36	Template:Winning percentage	7th in NNL	–	–	–	–
CLE	1922	62	25	35	Template:Winning percentage	7th in NNL	–	–	–	–
TOL	1923	14	7	7	Template:Winning percentage	8th in NNL (interim)	–	–	–	–
STL	1923	41	15	25	Template:Winning percentage	10th in NNL (interim)	–	–	–	–
STL	1924	84	43	41	Template:Winning percentage	4th in NNL	–	–	–	–
STL	1925	91	59	30	Template:Winning percentage	2nd in NNL	3	4	.429	Lost Championship Series (KC)
CLE	1926	48	7	40	Template:Winning percentage	8th in NNL	–	–	–	–
DET	1926	21	8	13	Template:Winning percentage	4th in NNL	–	–	–	–
STL	1927	99	62	37	Template:Winning percentage	2nd in NNL	–	–	–	–
STL	1928	93	67	26	Template:Winning percentage	1st in NNL	5	4	.556	Won Championship Series (CHI)
STL	1929	107	63	42	Template:Winning percentage	2nd in NNL	–	–	–	–
MEM	1930	86	30	55	Template:Winning percentage	8th in NNL	–	–	–	–
IND	1931	67	32	34	Template:Winning percentage	3rd in NNL	–	–	–	–
IND	1932	61	25	32	Template:Winning percentage	8th in NSL	–	–	–	–
IND	1933	48	17	31	Template:Winning percentage	9th in NNL 2	–	–	–	–
NEG	1934	55	22	32	Template:Winning percentage	6th in NNL 2	–	–	–	–
CEG	1935	57	30	25	Template:Winning percentage	4th in NNL 2	–	–	–	–
WEG	1936	65	30	34	Template:Winning percentage	6th in NNL 2	–	–	–	–
CHI	1937	77	39	37	Template:Winning percentage	3rd in NAL	–	–	–	–
CHI	1938	82	40	39	Template:Winning percentage	3rd in NAL	–	–	–	–
CHI	1939	75	39	36	Template:Winning percentage	2nd in NAL	–	–	–	–
BIR	1940	36	12	24	Template:Winning percentage	6th in NAL	–	–	–	–
CHI	1941	37	13	22	Template:Winning percentage	6th in NAL	–	–	–	–
CHI	1942	43	7	36	Template:Winning percentage	6th in NAL	–	–	–	–
WSH	1943	102	78	23	Template:Winning percentage	1st in NNL 2	4	1	.571	Won Negro World Series (BIR)
WSH	1944	85	63	29	Template:Winning percentage	1st in NNL 2	4	3	.800	Won Negro World Series (BIR)
CHI	1945	101	47	53	Template:Winning percentage	4th in NAL	–	–	–	–
CHI	1946	89	31	56	Template:Winning percentage	6th in NAL	–	–	–	–
CHI	1947	89	28	61	Template:Winning percentage	6th in NAL	–	–	–	–
Total		1,967Template:Efn	955	991	Template:Winning percentage		17	17	.500

External links

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