William Binga

William H. Binga (February 26, 1869 – October 14, 1950) was an American third baseman,[3] catcher[1] and manager in the pre-Negro league baseball era. Born in Michigan, Binga played most of his career in Chicago, Illinois,[8] Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.[13]

1905 Leland Giants
William H. Binga
3rd Baseman / Catcher
Born: (1869-02-26)February 26, 1869
Michigan
Died: October 14, 1950(1950-10-14) (aged 81)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Batted: Right Threw: Right
Teams

Currently, it appears Binga started his baseball career at the age of 26, playing three games as a catcher for a team in Adrian, Michigan. He quickly moved on to the Page Fence Giants,[1] which eventually brought him to Chicago when the team moved to Chicago and became the Chicago Columbia Giants in 1899.

In Chicago, he played for several seasons for the Columbia Giants, Chicago Union Giants, and the Leland Giants.[9] He would move with many fellow players to Minnesota in 1908. Binga left the Colored Gophers based in Minneapolis in August of 1911, the newspaper citing a "disastrous season" due to "bad management" and said the players of the team were "much dissatisfied."[14]

During his career, he played with Sol White, Rube Foster, George Wilson, Walter Ball, Eugene Barton, Andrew Campbell, Alex Irwin, Candy Jim Taylor, Johnny Davis, and he played baseball alongside University of Minnesota famed Bobby Marshall.[12]

1910 St. Paul Gophers

Fellow player Jimmy Smith called Binga "the only third sacker and surest hitter in the country."[15]

After a couple of seasons in Philadelphia, it appears Binga played the rest of his seasons for teams in Minnesota and the Dakotas. The last known game Binga played was in Willmar, Minnesota. He was living in Willmar as late as the 1930 Census, where he is still listed as renting a place from Clayton R. Baker.[16]

Post Baseball Career
William Binga's Grave Marker

Binga was buried in an unmarked grave in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where his grave remained unmarked for more than 63 years. He received a proper headstone for the first time in June 2014 from the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Marker Project.[17] His death records show he was married, to Edna Louise, and his parents were Joshua and Lucy Binga.[18] According to the 1940 Census, Binga's wife had died.[19]

References
  1. "The Diamond" Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA, Saturday, April 24, 1897, Page 5, Column 3
  2. "A Close Game" The Repository, Canton, Ohio, Monday, May 9, 1898, Page 2, Column 5
  3. "The Columbian Giants Beat Lowney's Haymakers in the Opening Game" The Mansfield News, Mansfield, OH, April 25, 1899, Page 4, Column 1, 2, and 3
  4. "The Game Tomorrow" The Fort Wayne Evening Sentinel, Fort Wayne, IN, Tuesday, April 29, 1902, Page 3, column 5
  5. "Colored Men Will Play Here Two Days" The Racine Daily Journal, Racine, WI, Friday Afternoon, September 19, 1902, Page 8, Column 1
  6. "Kilby Homer Wins for Pyotts From U. Giants" Chicago Herald Examiner, Chicago, Illinois, Monday, May 17, 1920, Page 8, Column 5
  7. "Y.M.C.A. Team Should Have Won" The Trenton Times, Trenton, NJ, Monday, September 28, 1903, Page 9, Column 2
  8. "Sporting" Racine Daily Journal, Racine, WI, Page 8, Columns 1 and 2
  9. "Frank Lelands' Chicago Giants Base Ball Club" Fraternal Printing Company, 1910
  10. "Quaker Giants Trimmed Cuban X" The Trenton Times, Trenton, NJ, Page 22, Column 1
  11. "Augusta Beaten" The Daily Kennebec Journal, Kennebec, ME, Page 4, Column 7
  12. "Keystones Trimmed Oelwein Saturday" Monday, July 13, 1908, Page 4, Column 3
  13. "Lose Third" The Eau Claire Daily Leader, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Page 2, Columns 1 and 2
  14. "Mr. William Binga" Twin City Star, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Saturday, August 19, 1911, Page 1, Column 3
  15. "The Past and Present in Baseball" Indianapolis Freeman, Indianapolis, Indiana, Saturday, May 28, 1910, Page 7, Columns 3 and 4
  16. "United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X38W-4L1 : accessed 24 Jan 2013), William H Binga in household of Clayton R Baker, Willmar, Kandiyohi, Minnesota; citing enumeration district (ED) 0032, sheet 18B, family 468, NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1104
  17. Honoring Minnesota's long-gone Negro League players", by Rubén Rosario, at TwinCities.com, June 26, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  18. "Minnesota, Deaths and Burials, 1835-1990," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FD8T-VGS : accessed 24 Jan 2013), William H Binga, 14 Oct 1950
  19. "United States Census, 1940," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KSLS-KZX : accessed 24 Jan 2013), William H Binga, Precinct 1, Ward 2, Willmar, Willmar City, Kandiyohi, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 34-32A, sheet 1A, family 13, NARA digital publication T627, roll 1930
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