Career
Born in Dallas, Texas, he played in the pre-Negro Leagues for the Chicago American Giants off and on from 1914 to 1917, and became a pitcher and eventually manager of the Kansas City Monarchs and J. L. Wilkinson"s barnstorming farm-league team All Nations in 1923. Crawford left Wilkinson"s teams in February 1924 to manage the Birmingham Black Barons. Crawford opened up a news stand, after he left baseball, and made the news in 1955 after he was involved in a shooting.
He allegedly shot and killed Pete William DeGraw, telling police that DeGraw came at him in a threatening fashion.
Crawford fired shots at DeGraw"s friend, who Crawford says had a knife.
