Social entrepreneur
In 1910, postal employee Ed Bolden took over a Darby sandlot team known as the Hilldale Daisies and proceeded to create one of the most successful dynasties in Negro League baseball. He led two teams, the Hilldale Daisies (1925) and Philadelphia Stars (1934) to league championships.
The Daisies played at Hilldale Park in Darby, PA and won three straight Eastern Colored League pennants from 1923-25 and the Colored World Series in 1925.
Hall-of-fame players include: Biz Mackey, Judy Johnson, Oscar Charleston and Pop Lloyd.
Hilldale daises & Philadelphia Stars
Two-time champion
In 1933, Ed Bolden founded a new Negro League team, the Philadelphia Stars.
They began as an independent team, but after one year joined the Negro National League won the championship in their first season.
Famous players include: Slim Jones, Gene Benson, Bill Cash, Malhom Duckett. Hilldale greats Jud Wilson, Biz Mackey and Oscar Charleston also made appearances for Bolden’s team.
Like Catto, Bolden saw games as an opportunity to bring black society together. The 10,000-person Penmar Field at 44th & Parkside became a meeting place for Philadelphia’s black society. Men wore suits and women donned their best dresses to watch pre-game festivities with dignitaries and the O.V. Catto Elks band. Today, a Philadelphia Stars mural marks the location.
