thehistorymakers.org
Ted Radcliffe was given the nickname “Double Duty” because he would often pitch the first game of a doubleheader and then catch the second game. His brother Alex Radcliffe was also a Negro Leagues legend.
“I was the greatest of all-time.”
Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe
Radcliffe’s career spanned from 1928-1950. He spent time with the Detroit Stars, St. Louis Stars, Homestead Grays, Pittsburgh Crawfords, New York Black Yankees, Chicago American Giants, Memphis Red Sox, Birmingham Black Barons, and Kansas City Monarchs, among others. In addition to pitching and catching, he also managed. In 1931 he played on a stacked Homestead Grays team with Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston, Jud Wilson, and Smokey Joe Williams. He was lured to Cum Posey’s Pittsburgh Crawfords in 1932, where he played with Oscar Charleston, Judy Johnson, Josh Gibson, Rap Dixon, Cool Papa Bell, Jimmie Crutchfield, Sam Streeter, and Satchel Paige. That Crawfords team went on to win 99 games against only 36 losses that season. In 1944, the Grays traded for Radcliffe to help carry the load with an ill Josh Gibson.
Radcliffe played in 6 East-West All Star games. He was named the Negro American League’s Most Valuable Player in 1943. He won the World Series with the Crawfords in 1932.
Double Duty passed away in 2005 at the age of 103.