Sarasota Magazine: In 1937, the Bradenton Nine Devils Took the Field for the First Time

Part of the Florida Negro League, the team is now honored with a historic marker at LECOM Park—the first step in the creation of the African American Heritage Trail.

Published September 2, 2025. Written by Megan McDonald.

The Bradenton Nine Devils. Image: Courtesy Sarasota County Historical Resources.

In 1937, the Bradenton Nine Devils—a Black semi-professional baseball team—took the field at McKechnie Field (now LECOM Park) in Bradenton for its first-ever game. Part of the Florida Negro League, the team got its name because it handily won the first nine games it played. The Nine Devils traveled around the state going head to head against other Negro League teams, from Miami to Daytona Beach. The team disbanded in 1956, 19 years after it formed, when desegregation allowed Black players to enter the major leagues.

Today, a historic marker at LECOM Park honors the Nine Devils and is the first step in the creation of the African American Heritage Trail—a community initiative led by the Boxser Diversity Initiative, Manatee Community Foundation, Bradenton Marauders, Pittsburgh Pirates, Manasota Black Chamber of Commerce and others—that celebrates Black culture and contributions in Manatee County.  

Read at SarasotaMagazine.com