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Hank Utley gleaned through the Concord Tribune to uncover the only surviving statistics for the Carolina Independent "Outlaw" Baseball League
A mock funeral for the Towelers, the Kannapolis franchise, held in 1938 by Concord Weavers pitchers Ken Chitwood, Bud Voight and Witt Guise. Chitwood and Guise jumped organized baseball contracts to play in the "Outlaw League." The tombstone reads “Here lies Kannapolis - Died of growing pains.”
In 1992, Marvin Watts explained that the reason behind the small number of players appearing in this photograph was that the Outlaw League was beginning to collapse, and the professionals did not want their picture taken for fear of being banned from the major leagues.
Front row, left to right: Mickey O’Neil, Wilbur McGill, Davis (bat boy), “Buck” Redfern (3B, MGR), "Chick" Suggs (OF), “Ginger” Watts (C).
Back row: Jake Daniel, Chief Daney, Jim White (P), Marvin Watts and Terry Terhune.
The 1936 Kannapolis Towelers
Front row, kneeling, left to right: Batboy, George Barley (P), Grey Clarke (3B), “Razz” Miller (OF), Reynolds (INF), Beams (INF), Ginger Watts (C-MGR); Back row, standing: Vince Barton (OF), Fletcher Heath (2B), Marvin Watts (SS), Frank Hopkins (1B), Wilson (P), Horne (P), Gillespie (P), “Lefty” Archer (P), Rhem (P). Not Shown: Virgil “Coddle Creek” Taylor (P), "Chick" Suggs (OF).
The 1937 Kannapolis Towelers. Kneeling, left to right: Dunbar, Fletcher, Heath, “Coddle Creek” Taylor, Hayes (P), Bill Parker (P), Parks, Herman “Ginger” Watts (C), Harris. Back row, standing: Ellis Taylor, Tracey Hart (P), Marvin Watts (SS), Jim White (P), “Razz” Miller (OF), Eric Tipton, "Chick" Suggs (OF), Vince Barton (OF), Morris Wilson (P).
Outlaw behavior was common among owners, team management, and players before and during the time of the ICBL. Fights were not uncommon among the players or the fans if an umpire made an unpopular call. Managers, on the behalf of the owners, made financial offers to out-of-work players that were impossible to refuse, contract or not.
The roots of the Independent Carolina Baseball League (ICBL), nicknamed the Outlaw League began in the Carolina Textile League. Various textile owners supported local baseball teams. The local clubs served as training grounds for unemployed, professional baseball players, and college baseball stars who all hoped to be noticed by scouts for the major ball clubs. Assured of a mill job in the off-season, the Textile League attracted players from all over the country.
List of Teams in 1936
List of Teams 1937
The 1938 Concord Weavers Board of Directors.
Front row, left to right: L. A. Fisher, head of Concord Light and Water Department; J. Eris Cassell, high school principal and insurance executive; Alex Howard (1937-38 team president), Cannon Mills executive; Archie Cannon, businessman, Cannon family member; Ed K. Willis (team vice president), owner of Willis Hosiery Mill.