Professional baseball player. He caught for several teams in the pre-Negro leagues, Cuban Winter League, and Negro leagues from 1906 to 1925, including lengthy stints with the Chicago American Giants from 1911 to 1918 and the Detroit Stars from 1919 to 1925. Regarded as one of the best Black catchers of his era, he was known for his strong and accurate throwing arm. After attending Meharry Medical College in Nashville, he joined his brother Howard on the Leland Giants in 1906. Petway then went on to play for the Cuban X Giants, Nashville Standard Giants, St. Paul Gophers, and Philadelphia Giants before joining the Chicago Leland Giants in 1910. While playing for the Havana Reds in a series in Cuba against the Detroit Tigers in 1910, he gained recognition when he threw out the legendary Ty Cobb trying to steal a base. He joined Rube Foster's Chicago American Giants in 1911 and remained their primary catcher until joining the Detroit Stars in 1919. With the formation of the Negro National League in 1920, Petway hit .261 in 245 documented major league games for Detroit from 1920 to 1925, and served as player/manager of Stars from 1922 to 1925, guiding a team that featured future Hall of Famers Andy Cooper, Pete Hill, and Turkey Stearnes.
Professional baseball player. He caught for several teams in the pre-Negro leagues, Cuban Winter League, and Negro leagues from 1906 to 1925, including lengthy stints with the Chicago American Giants from 1911 to 1918 and the Detroit Stars from 1919 to 1925. Regarded as one of the best Black catchers of his era, he was known for his strong and accurate throwing arm. After attending Meharry Medical College in Nashville, he joined his brother Howard on the Leland Giants in 1906. Petway then went on to play for the Cuban X Giants, Nashville Standard Giants, St. Paul Gophers, and Philadelphia Giants before joining the Chicago Leland Giants in 1910. While playing for the Havana Reds in a series in Cuba against the Detroit Tigers in 1910, he gained recognition when he threw out the legendary Ty Cobb trying to steal a base. He joined Rube Foster's Chicago American Giants in 1911 and remained their primary catcher until joining the Detroit Stars in 1919. With the formation of the Negro National League in 1920, Petway hit .261 in 245 documented major league games for Detroit from 1920 to 1925, and served as player/manager of Stars from 1922 to 1925, guiding a team that featured future Hall of Famers Andy Cooper, Pete Hill, and Turkey Stearnes.
Bio by: Adam Penale
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