Candy Jim Taylor

Biography

Born in Anderson, South Carolina, Taylor was one of four brothers who played in the Negro Leagues, along with Ben, C. I. and "Steel Arm" Johnny.

Taylor began playing ball with an amateur club in Anderson, South Carolina in 1901, starting as a catcher.

He played with several different clubs in 1902 and 1903, finally landing a position with the Birmingham Giants in 1904 where he played third base. That year, the played in 55 regular season games and only made three errors.

Taylor continued with Birmingham until 1909, and moved to the St. Paul Colored Gophers for part of a season in 1910. He was named the captain of the team. Later in 1910, he was asked to play for the Chicago Giants, but played instead for the West Baden Sprudels as a player/manager until 1913.

In 1914, he moved to the Indianapolis ABC's as a player/manager, and by 1916, he helped the Indianapolis ABC's to win the Black World Championship. During the War, Taylor seemed to rotate between three teams, the Indianapolis ABCs, Dayton Marcos, and the Detroit Stars.

When the newly formed Negro National League started in 1920, Candy Jim worked as a Player-Manager for the Dayton Marcos. But he moved on to the Cleveland Tate Stars in the next season.

A disciplinarian and a master strategist, as manager Taylor led the St. Louis Stars to their first championship in 1928. The Great Depression took its toll on the economics of the game, and while managing the 1933 Richmond All-Stars, Taylor was forced to sell the team bus, and later had to send the players home.

In 1943 Taylor managed the Homestead Grays to their first Negro League World Series title, repeating their success again the following year.

Post Baseball Career

Candy Jim Taylor died at age 64 in Chicago, Illinois and was interred in the Burr Oak Cemetery, Alsip, Illinois. He was buried in an unmarked grave which remained unmarked for nearly 54 years, until the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Marker Project raised funds for a proper headstone in 2004.