This uniform was presented to the Center for Negro League Baseball Research (CNLBR) by the late Albert Williamson who played for the Chicago Barons during the 1940’s. The uniform consists of a jersey, pants, cap and socks. The uniform on display is the one that Albert wore during the 1946 to 1948 seasons.

The Chicago Barons were an independent team that played out of Chicago, Illinois during the 1930’s and 1940’s. The Barons were one of the top independent teams in the Great Lakes region. While they would occasionally play in a local Chicago league, most of their games were played on an independent schedule basis. These games were generally played on a 60/40 split with the winner of the game getting 60 % off the gate revenues after expenses and the loser getting 40%.

Albert Williamson started his baseball career playing for the local town team in Stuttgart, Arkansas. His play on the field did not go unnoticed by the big Negro League teams. In 1939, he was invited to spring training camp in Jackson, Mississippi by the Chicago American Giants for a tryout. Williamson did not make the squad but was encouraged enough to move to Chicago in case he might get called up. When he arrived in Chicago, he immediately started playing for the Chicago Barons. Albert played the rest of his baseball career with the Barons from 1939 to 1948. His only absence from the team was when he was in the U.S. Army from 1942-1945.