Professional baseball player. McNair played the outfield in the pre-Negro leagues and Negro leagues from 1910 to 1937 with several clubs and had a lengthy stint with the Kansas City Monarchs between 1917 and 1927. He began his career with the Minneapolis Keystones in 1910 before joining the Kansas City Giants the following year. He made appearances with the Brooklyn Royal Giants and Chicago Giants in 1912 and spent time with the Chicago Union Giants and Chicago American Giants between 1913 and 1916. McNair joined the Kansas City Monarchs in 1917. He remained with the team when it joined the newly established Negro National League in 1920 and became one of the league's best hitters. He batted no worse than .325 in each of his first six major league seasons, including a .374 batting average in 1922 when he led the league in on-base percentage (.466) and walks (50). McNair finished in the top nine in the league in batting an average of five times and six times in on-base percentage between 1920 and 1925. He was a key member of the Monarchs' 1924 Negro League World Series championship-winning team. He left the Monarchs after 1927 and played for the Detroit Stars in 1928 and several independent clubs before returning to the Negro major leagues in 1937 with the Cincinnati Tigers. Throughout all levels of competition, McNair batted .320 in 879 documented games, hitting .323 at the major league level. After his playing career, he worked as an umpire for the Negro American League.
Professional baseball player. McNair played the outfield in the pre-Negro leagues and Negro leagues from 1910 to 1937 with several clubs and had a lengthy stint with the Kansas City Monarchs between 1917 and 1927. He began his career with the Minneapolis Keystones in 1910 before joining the Kansas City Giants the following year. He made appearances with the Brooklyn Royal Giants and Chicago Giants in 1912 and spent time with the Chicago Union Giants and Chicago American Giants between 1913 and 1916. McNair joined the Kansas City Monarchs in 1917. He remained with the team when it joined the newly established Negro National League in 1920 and became one of the league's best hitters. He batted no worse than .325 in each of his first six major league seasons, including a .374 batting average in 1922 when he led the league in on-base percentage (.466) and walks (50). McNair finished in the top nine in the league in batting an average of five times and six times in on-base percentage between 1920 and 1925. He was a key member of the Monarchs' 1924 Negro League World Series championship-winning team. He left the Monarchs after 1927 and played for the Detroit Stars in 1928 and several independent clubs before returning to the Negro major leagues in 1937 with the Cincinnati Tigers. Throughout all levels of competition, McNair batted .320 in 879 documented games, hitting .323 at the major league level. After his playing career, he worked as an umpire for the Negro American League.
Bio by: Adam Penale
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