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On April 5, 1946, in a 13-3 win for the Tigers over the Marion Black Sox, Lavender hit for the cycle when he went 4-for-5 with a triple, two duplicates, a solitary and a 450-foot homer with the bases stacked. That day, he batted in a sum of seven runs. 메이저사이트

In one more game playing for the Tigers in Mississippi - a 5-4 win over the Greenville Stars - Chunker radiated on the hill, giving up just three hits, while Lavender gave all of the offense to the day, with four singles and a RBI twofold.

"Lavender played his typical game however saved the game two times by handling terrible tosses," a record of the game said, further highlighting Lavender's capability on guard. Another story, which included Lavender playing for Robert Hasson and the Northport Yellow Jackets, likewise addressed his glove work more than his bat.

"'Huge Train' Lavender was the first baseman and truly put the men out," the Alabama Citizen composed. "On Saturday evening, the Northport Yellow Jackets crushed the Starkville Stars 5 to 4. Again 'Enormous Train' caused a triumphant game."

However, for the Tuscaloosa Red Sox, no competition was greater than that with the Tuscaloosa Gray Sox - its crosstown foe. The two groups would ultimately converge to shape the Tuscaloosa Cubs baseball club, however it would have been a sight to observe their incredible 10-inning confrontation in October 1946 that finished in a 5-5 tie because of obscurity.

The game neglected to see a boss of the association end of the season games delegated and was rescheduled for the next Sunday, which sets up one of the additional intriguing secrets inside the Big Train Lavender story.

"The ongoing baseball series between the Tuscaloosa Gray Sox and the Tuscaloosa Red Sox came to a nearby Sunday evening, yet it was one of the most particular, in the annuals of baseball," the Alabama Citizen detailed. "The Gray Sox was on the battleground early, going through their starter warm-ups, and that was all the baseball fans saw. For reasons unknown the Red Sox neglected to take the field (they were here and in uniform). Supervisor Lemon, of the Red Sox has not submitted himself at this point."

The principles expressed that the success should be given to the Gray Sox, giving them the series and association flag, with the series boiling down to two successes for the Gray Sox and a tie.

So what was the reasoning for the relinquish?

Did the Red Sox not have an adequate number of players to fill the program? That didn't appear to be the case in view of revealing.

Was Willie Croom's arm sore? What might be said about their other expert, Earnest Tate? Where could he have been?

Did Big Train catch a stomach bug? Could he not track down his bat? Did he get diverted en route to the ballpark?

As with such countless parts of Negro Leagues baseball, we'll probably never know the response. Like the story of amazing bluesman Robert Johnson at the junction, so a lot is left for the creative mind.

However, this would be a long way from the finish of Big Train Lavender's vocation on the baseball field, as he would stand apart during the '47 and '48 seasons, prior to proceeding to work out free baseball for African-Americans in Tuscaloosa County.

In 1949, Lavender, alongside individual nearby baseball symbol and mentor Fred Baker, framed the Tuscaloosa Cubs by joining previous stars from the Gray Sox and Red Sox. The group played their games at Alberta City Park and an interest meeting to handle the group was held at Baker's Cafe on 26th Avenue in Peanut Hill the evening of March 9.

Among the new stars would be Ulysses Lavender, Big Train's more established sibling, who ended up being a capable ballplayer by his own doing.

Before the Cubs taking the field interestingly, The Tuscaloosa Red Sox - drove by the Lavender siblings - crushed the Eutaw Reds 24 to 8.

"Ulysses Lavender, sibling of 'Enormous Train' Lavender, truly conveyed the principal half of the game," the Alabama Citizen composed. "'Large Train' likewise excited the group."

Lavender was all the while exciting fans into the 1950s, as well, as papers considered the player-director's glove work. In a 10-0 win against the Eutaw Gray Sox in 1950 that saw 16-year-old pitcher James Eakle strike out 15 players and hit a two-run homerun to help his own triumphant exertion, Lavender actually got a notice for his commitments.

"Supporting the youthful right-hander, the whole group played errorless ball," one paper article said. "One of the tremendous plays of the day was made when [Ed] Germany, incapable to cling to a drive, wrecked the ball, recovered it and threw a wild toss to Big Train Lavender, who sunk it in an excellent strike get on schedule for the out."