[Cool Papa Bell]

Ok, let's stop it already. Why do guys like you love to put words where no words were. Who said the 1880's games shouldn't count? I surely didn't, did I? You've actually just made the argument for all of this. You are exactly right! You can't compare eras, you can't go back and say these stats count or don't count because of mound height or they were pitching from 54 feet or there was no DH or they are using sticky substances on the ball or the ball was hand wound and now it's made by mass production. Do you not see that? You are arguing against yourself.

Baseball Reference clearly says the stats are not complete. I mean seriously, stop saying the same things that aren't true, stop saying things that no one has said. Just stop already.

"The Negro Leagues data is not complete. While the quality of play in the Negro Leagues was on a major league level, the wages, travel, playing conditions, press coverage, and record-keeping were more varied, primarily due to systemic racism. Additionally, Negro League teams played a shorter regular season schedule, but with an extensive amount of exhibitions and barnstorming games that made for seasons that often approached 200 or more games in total. These contests were not part of their league schedule and are therefore not included in this database. This is why Josh Gibson's Hall of Fame plaque says that he hit "almost 800 home runs" while our data shows 165.

It's also important to remember that the history of Black Baseball does not start in 1920 or end in 1948 and even from 1920-1948 our presentation is incomplete. There were hundreds of teams and thousands of players that make up a more complete and richer history of Black Baseball than we are able to present here, and from 1920-1948 there were many star players and teams that found it more feasible to play only a barnstorming schedule (not just in the United States and also the Caribbean, Mexico, and Venezuela) rather than participate in leagues. These independent teams were often the equal of teams we are including as major league teams on the site now. Our complete register of baseball history contains a significant record of Independent and non-major Negro Leagues. For example, we have a page for the 1917 Chicago American Giants."