Frank Lindsey Forbes

AKA: Joe Forbes, Strangler Forbes, Frank Formita

(Not to be confused with the contemporary educator, athlete and coach Dr. Frank Lafayette Forbes of Morehouse University)

Frank Forbes did as much as one man could in sports. He was a three-letter athlete in high school, extending that to college as well. He then played professionally for over 15 years during the early decades of black baseball. He also earned cash in football and basketball, a member of the earliest black pro squads in the latter, one of which was inducted en masse into the Hall of Fame. His teams earned top honors in many campaigns along the way.

He officiated in each of the previously mentioned sports for decades, and built perhaps his most respected career as the first African-American referee, timekeeper and judge in big-time boxing over a 40-year span. Moreover, Forbes was a manager, business manager, owner and promoter in the Negro leagues. After major league integration, he joined the New York Giants as a sort of hand-holder and overseer of the clubs young black talent, particular their prized center fielder Willie Mays. Based in Harlem much of his life, Frank managed a sports marketing and promotion business in New York which prided itself on pushing the community to accept interracial contests.

Family

Frank Lindsey Forbes was born on March 30, 1891 in Philadelphia to Julius Forbes and Adena Maria Forbes, nee Lindsey, which is obviously the origin of Frank’s middle name.

Julius Forbes was born in Cuba to Cuban parents. Family lore has it that his surname at birth was actually Leasa. (Moors-delaware.com) He was born in January 1865. His mother, Mary, or more likely Maria, was Caucasian, a product of two parents who were natives of Nassau in the Bahamas. His father was of African descent. Julius and Mary relocated to the United States within a few years after Julius’ birth, settling in Philadelphia by 1880 at the latest. Julius was a carpenter by trade.

1880 U.S. Census, Philadelphia

Adena Lindsey, an African-American Philadelphia native, was born in December 1864. Her father was a carpenter as well and this may account for her initial connection with Julius. Adena and Julius were married on September 28, 1887 in Philly, both at age 22. Adena was employed as a hair dresser. (1890 Philadelphia city directory) The couple had two other children:

• Joseph, born in September 1893
• Lydia Proctor, born in September 1897 and named after Adena’s mother’s first and maiden name Lydia Proctor

For some reason the Forbes children are not listed with their parents in the 1900 U.S. Census (and couldn’t be located) but they are thereafter.

Academics and Athletics

Frank attended Central High School in Philadelphia, one of the old public secondary education schools in the country. (James A. Riley) In high school, Forbes competed in basketball, baseball and football. In the fall of 1909 or early spring of 1910, he entered Howard University, a historically black college in Washington D.C. There is a reference in the Washington Bee in April 1910 citing that due to an ankle injury Forbes was at home in Philadelphia rehabbing it. Presumably, the injury was obtained during baseball practice.

Likewise in college, Forbes played basketball, football and baseball. He played football at least in the years 1911, as a left halfback, and 1912, as a fullback and kicker. Howard was a particularly strong eleven during the era. On November 14, 1912, they were scored upon at home for the first time in six years. Incidentally, Forbes was injured and did not play that day.

On the Howard gridiron, he was known as “Iron Man.” It is often cited that Forbes was an All-American football player at Howard but the ones that bestowed the formal title on American athletes at that time did not follow the black schools and ignored the players altogether. However, the assessments in 1911 and 1912 by sportswriters for the black newspapers invariably noted Forbes’ contributions, thus perhaps recognizing him as a de facto All-American. For example, at the end of the 1911 season, the Indianapolis Freeman writer placed Frank on the first team at halfback:

Indianapolis Freeman 12/23/1911

Forbes, a third baseman, was a member of the Howard nine that was acknowledged as the black baseball champions of 1912 after a successful southern barnstorming tour. It was the school’s first such recognition. Doc Sykes, in center field, was also on the roster. (Sykes also played basketball at Howard.) (Like Forbes, Honey Oliver played basketball, football and baseball at Howard.)

New York Age 5/16/1912

Forbes’ obituary in The Sporting News states that he was at Howard from 1910-1914, obtaining a degree. However, I contacted Howard University Archivist Dr. Clifford Muse who states that the Howard University Directory of Graduates, 1870-1963 does not list Forbes as a graduate. That seems in line with the fact that no evidence was found that he played baseball or football for the school after 1912. (It was further noted in the Chicago Defender on 10 December 1938 that Forbes attended Penn State but no evidence was found to corroborate.)

1912 Howard Baseball Team Picture Page 96 here

The Man

Forbes permanently relocated to New York City after attending college, settling in Harlem for much of the rest of his life. On June 14, 1916, he married Whitlock Poole, born in August 1893, in Atlanta. The newlyweds were both graduates of Howard University and that’s obviously where they met.

They had one child, Robert L., on September 6, 1919. After marrying, the couple moved into a residence on West 141^st Street in New York City. They separated and divorced sometime during the 1920s.

On a personal level, Forbes was intelligent and an eloquent speaker, as noted by more than one reference. Some found his manner of speaking a little much. Life remarked in 1954, with a racial overtone, that “Forbes is a solid, smart citizen with a slight case of polysyllabism.” Ted Yates of the New York Age described him as, “tall, husky and well-mannered … [an] unassuming chap.” Another reference noted his penchant for bow ties.

Baseball Teams

• Unknown date, Commonwealth Giants
• 1910 Howard University (unconfirmed)
• 1911 Howard University, Philadelphia Giants
• 1912 Howard University
• 1913 New York Imperials, Philadelphia Giants
• 1914 Lincoln Stars, Harrisburg Giants, Lincoln Giants (unconfirmed), American team in Cuba
• 1915 Lincoln Giants
• 1916 Poinciana of Palm Beach, Lincoln Giants
• 1917 Lincoln Giants, Pennsylvania Red Caps
• 1918 Lincoln Giants, Penn Red Caps, Brooklyn Royal Giants, Canada (unconfirmed)
• 1919 Bacharach Giants, Grand Central Red Caps
• 1920 Bacharach Giants, Pennsylvania Red Caps
• 1921 Lincoln Giants (unconfirmed)
• 1922 Philadelphia Giants
• 1927 Breakers of Palm Beach, Chappie Johnson’s Stars
• 1928 Chappie Johnson’s Stars
• 1935 New York Cubans (manager)

Early Baseball

Forbes’ first references as a professional ballplayer can be traced at least to age 20 in September 1911, at third base for his hometown Philadelphia Giants.

Brooklyn Eagle 9/18/1911

Notice the pitcher “Dow” who is assuredly Lorenzo Dow Turner (see below).

Playing with the Giants in September 1911 could very well have caused eligibility issues with Howard University if it was known; it soon would for Jim Thorpe. This may account for the fact that Frank was initially known in pro ball as “Joe Forbes,” his brother’s name. Likewise, Forbes also played under the name Frank Formita, according to black baseball historian Larry Lester.

It’s likely that Forbes played with one or several of the many amateur and semi-pro clubs in Philly and/or New York in the summer during his college years.

Harold Seymour in Baseball: The People’s Game lists Forbes as a member of the Commonwealth Giants, a team that developed from the company club of the Fall River Steamboat Line in Massachusetts in the early 1900s. Commonwealth was the name of the largest passenger liner running between Fall River and New York. Lorenzo Dow Turner was a waiter in the dining room of the steamship. He was also a Howard student and lefthanded pitcher for the nine, entering the college around the same time as Forbes. (Turner also attended the preparatory school at Howard.)

Turner and co-workers established baseball games during the summer along the steamboat’s route. Presumably, Turner recruited Forbes. This suggests that Forbes worked for the company, perhaps in the kitchen or dining room as that would be Turner’s area of influence. Turner played ball with Commonwealth from 1912 and earlier and from 1915 to 1917. Forbes would have participated within the 1910-1912 timeframe.

Forbes was pitching and playing the outfield for the New York Imperials in July and August 1913. The club represented the Hotel Imperial located near Pennsylvania Station. Presumably, he worked at the hotel as well. He was also playing again with the Philadelphia Giants by August, still at third base. He remained with the team through the end of the season. James A. Riley describes him as a “light-hitting infielder…He had excellent speed, which was reflected in his number of triples, but he seldom hit a home run.” In truth, few outside Grant Johnson did.