Elwood “Bingo” DeMoss

Born in Topeka in 1889, Bingo DeMoss made his professional debut at age 16 with the Topeka Giants.  He was a shortstop until hurting his arm, forcing a move to second base.

After stops in Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Chicago and West Baden, Indiana, DeMoss’s career took off with the Indianapolis ABCs.  In his first season in Indianapolis in 1915, DeMoss hit .316 and stole 34 bases in 50 games.  The ABCs lost the western black championship to Rube Foster’s Chicago American Giants.

Two years later, DeMoss joined the Giants and teamed with Bobby Williams to form a top double play combination for what is considered one of the best black teams in the Deadball era.

DeMoss would play nine seasons with the American Giants, contributing hustle and team play.  He was team captain his final six seasons, during which the Giants won three Negro National League pennants.

After another stop in Indianapolis in 1926, DeMoss went to the Detroit Stars where he became manager for six seasons.  He went on to manage in Indianapolis, Cleveland, Chicago (Brown Bombers) and Brooklyn.  His last season as manager was 1945.

DeMoss died in Chicago in 1965.  In 2011, the Topeka Capital-Journal ranked him #12 on their list of “Top 100 Athletes in Shawnee County History.”

For more, read Bingo DeMoss’s Society for American Baseball Research bio.