C.I. Taylor

Charles Isham Taylor
(C.I.)

• School Clark Atlanta University

• Born January 20, 1875 in Anderson, SC USA
• Died February 23, 1922 in Indianapolis, IN USA

Biographical information

C.I. Taylor was Negro League second baseman, manager and executive. His brothers included Candy Jim Taylor, Ben Taylor, and John Taylor. Taylor served in the Spanish American War as a member of the Tenth U.S. Cavalry Regiment in the Philippines.

In 1904, he founded the first black professional baseball team in Birmingham, AL, the Birmingham Giants, recruiting from Southern colleges. In 1910, he began managing the West Baden Sprudels in Indiana. In February 1914, he became half-owner and manager of the Indianapolis ABC's, and over the next several seasons developed the team into a power rivaled only by Rube Foster's Chicago American Giants. When World War I drew off many players from his roster, he personally toured Washington, DC with them, pointing out the various government institutions and instilling in them a sense of their duty to their nation. He was also a co-founder and vice president of the Negro National League before his death at age 47. His widow, Olivia Taylor, continued to operate the ABC's for three years, with his brother Ben as manager for the first year, before the team folded in 1926.