Central League (US)
From BR Bullpen
Contents |
[edit] Cities Represented
[edit] 1888 (PA NY NJ)
- Allentown, PA: Allentown Peanuts
- Binghamton, NY: Binghamton Crickets, moved from International League 1886-1887
- Easton, PA: Easton
- Hazleton, PA: Hazleton Pugilists
- Jersey City, NJ: Jersey City Skeeters, moved from International League 1887, moved to Atlantic Association 1889
- Newark, NJ: Newark Trunkmakers
- Scranton, PA: Scranton Miners
- Wilkes-Barre, PA: Wilkes-Barre Barons, moved from International League 1887 as Wilkes-Barre Coal Barons, moved to Atlantic Association 1889 as Wilkes-Barre Coal Barons
| Year | Champion | W | L | PCT | Runner-up | W | L | PCT | GB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | Newark Trunkmakers | 83 | 23 | .783 | Jersey City Skeeters | 84 | 25 | .771 | 1/2 |
[edit] 1900 (IL IN)
The league was the successor of Western Association. On May 22, the Springfield club moved to Jacksonville, IL due to a poor won-lost record and finances. On July 8, the Peoria and Jacksonville clubs disbanded.
- Bloomington, IL: Bloomington Blues 1900
- Danville, IL: Danville Champions 1900
- Decatur, IL: Decatur Commodores 1900
- Jacksonville, IL: Jacksonville1900
- Peoria, IL: Peoria Distillers 1900
- Springfield, IL: Springfield 1900
- Terre Haute, IN: Terre Haute Hottentots 1900
| Year | Champion | W | L | PCT | Runner-up | W | L | PCT | GB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | Bloomington Blues | 63 | 34 | .654 | Danville Champions | 57 | 44 | .564 | 8 1/2 |
[edit] Class B (1903-1934) & Class C (1926)
- 1903-1917(B), 1920-1922(B), 1926(C), 1928-1930(B), 1932(B), 1934(B)
- Akron, OH: Akron Rubbermen 1912; Akron Tyrites 1928-1929; Akron Tyrites 1932
- Anderson, IN: Anderson 1903
- Canton, OH: Canton Red Stockings 1905; Canton Chinamen 1906-1907; Canton Statesmen 1912, Canton Terriers 1928-1930; Canton Terriers 1932
- Dayton, OH: Dayton Veterans 1903-1917; Dayton Aviators 1928-1930; Dayton Ducks 1932, moved to Middle Atlantic League 1933-1938
- Erie, PA: Erie Sailors 1912, moved from Ohio-Pennsylvania League 1908-1911; Erie Sailors 1915; Erie Sailors 1928-1930; Erie Sailors 1932
- Evansville, IN: Evansville Riverrats 1903-1910, moved from Three-I League 1901-1902; Evansville Strikers 1911; Evansville Riverrats 1913-1915; Evansville Evas 1916-1917
- Fort Wayne, IN: Fort Wayne Railroaders 1903-1905; Fort Wayne Billikens 1908-1910; Fort Wayne Brakies 1911; Fort Wayne Railroaders 1912; Fort Wayne Champs 1913; Fort Wayne Railroaders 1914; Fort Wayne Cubs 1915; Fort Wayne Chiefs 1917; Fort Wayne Chiefs 1928-1930; Fort Wayne Chiefs 1932; Fort Wayne Chiefs 1934, moved to Three-I League 1935
- Grand Rapids, MI: Grand Rapids Orphans 1903-1905; Grand Rapids Wolverines 1906-1909; Grand Rapids Raiders 1910; Grand Rapids Furniture Makers 1911; Grand Rapids Grads 1911; Grand Rapids Black Sox 1912; Grand Rapids Bill-eds 1913; Grand Rapids Champs 1914; Grand Rapids Black Sox 1915-1917 (played as Battle Creek Black Sox for a week in 1916); Grand Rapids Joshers 1920-1921; Grand Rapids Billbobs 1922, moved to Michigan-Ontario League 1923; Grand Rapids Black Sox 1926, moved to Michigan State League mid 1926; Grand Rapids Tigers 1934
- Ionia, MI: Ionia Mayors 1921-1922
- Jackson, MI: Jackson 1921
- Kalamazoo, MI: Kalamazoo Celery Pickers 1920-1922, moved to Michigan-Ontario League 1923; Kalamazoo Celery Pickers 1926, moved to Michigan State League mid 1926
- Lansing, MI: Lansing Senators 1921-1922
- Lima, OH: Lima Buckeyes 1934
- Ludington, MI: Ludington Mariners 1920-1922; Ludington Tars 1926, moved to Michigan State League mid 1926
- Marion, OH: Marion Oilworkers 1903-1904
- Muskegon, MI: Muskegon Reds 1916; Muskegon Muskies 1917; Muskegon Muskies 1920-1922; Muskegon Reds 1926, moved to Michigan State League mid 1926; Muskegon Reds 1934
- Newark, OH: Newark Skeeters 1911, moved to Ohio State League 1912
- Peoria, IL: Peoria Distillers 1904; Peoria Distillers 1917; Peoria Tractors 1934, moved from Mississippi Valley League 1933, moved to Three-I League 1935
- Richmond, IN: Richmond Quakers 1917; Richmond Roses 1930
- South Bend, IN: South Bend Greens 1903-1909; South Bend Bronchos 1910; South Bend Benders 1911; South Bend Bux 1911; South Bend Benders 1912; South Bend Benders 1916-1917; South Bend Twins 1932
- Springfield, OH: Springfield Babes 1905-1907; Springfield Reapers 1912-1914, moved from Ohio State League 1911; Springfield Reapers 1916-1917; Springfield Buckeyes 1928; Springfield Dunnmen 1929; Springfield Blue Sox 1930
- Terre Haute, IN: Terre Haute Hottentots 1903-1909, moved from Three-I League 1901-1902; Terre Haute Stags 1910; Terre Haute Miners 1911; Terre Haute Terre-irs 1912-1914; Terre Haute Highlanders 1915-1916
- Wheeling, WV: Wheeling Stogies 1903-1912, moved to Inter-State League 1913; Wheeling Stogies 1915-1916
- Youngstown, OH: Youngstown Steelmen 1912, moved from Ohio-Pennsylvania League 1910-1911, moved to Inter-State League 1913; Youngstown Steelmen 1915; Youngstown Buckeyes 1932
- Zanesville, OH: Zanesville Infants 1908-1909; Zanesville Potters 1910-1912
In 1926 the class C Central League and the class B Michigan-Ontario League played their last games on June 13, and joined to form the Michigan State League. The first games were on June 15.
| Year | Champion | W | L | PCT | Runner-up | W | L | PCT | GB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | Erie Sailors | 76 | 59 | .563 | Dayton Aviators | 76 | 59 | .563 | tie | |
| 1929 | Canton Terriers | 80 | 58 | .580 | Erie Sailors | 78 | 61 | .561 | 2.5 | |
| 1930 | Springfield Blue Sox | 82 | 55 | .599 | Erie Sailors | 76 | 63 | .547 | 7 | |
| 1931 | League not Organized. | |||||||||
| 1932 | Erie Sailors | 85 | 56 | .603 | Fort Wayne Chiefs | 77 | 60 | .562 | 6 | |
| 1933 | League Not Organized | |||||||||
| 1934 | Fort Wayne Chiefs | 19 | 4 | .826 | Springfield Red Birds | 14 | 12 | .538 | 6.5 |
[edit] Class A (1948-1951)
- Charleston, WV: Charleston Senators 1949-1951
- Dayton, OH: Dayton Indians 1948-1951, moved from Ohio State League 1946-1947
- Flint, MI: Flint Arrows 1948-1951
- Fort Wayne, IN: Fort Wayne Generals 1948
- Grand Rapids, MI: Grand Rapids Jets 1948-1951
- Muskegon, MI: Muskegon Clippers 1948-1950; Muskegon Reds 1951
- Saginaw, MI: Saginaw Bears 1948-1950; Saginaw Jacks 1951
| Year | Champion | W | L | PCT | Runner-up | W | L | PCT | GB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Flint Arrows | 89 | 49 | .645 | Dayton Indians | 84 | 55 | .604 | 5.5 | |
| 1949 | Dayton Indians | 80 | 57 | .584 | Flint Arrows | 77 | 62 | .554 | 4 | |
| 1950 | Flint Arrows | 80 | 53 | .602 | Muskegon Clippers | 75 | 64 | .540 | 8 | |
| 1951 | Dayton Indians | 87 | 50 | .635 | Muskegon Reds | 86 | 54 | .614 | 2.5 |
[edit] League Records 1888-1951
| Batting | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | |
| Tom Smith | Grand Rapids | GA | 159 | 06 | Ab Wright | Fort Wayne | BA | .419 | 30 | |
| John Reider | Fort Wayne | AB | 619 | 30 | Cowboy Jones | Fort Wayne | RUNS | 162 | 30 | |
| Ab Wright | Fort Wayne | HITS | 228 | 30 | Ab Wright | Fort Wayne | RBI | 169 | 30 | |
| John Reider | Fort Wayne | 2B | 52 | 30 | Curtis Elston | Fort Wayne | 3B | 22 | 08 | |
| Ab Wright | Fort Wayne | HR | 52 | 30 | John Reider | Fort Wayne | EBH | 94 | 30 | |
| Ab Wright | Fort Wayne | TB | 425 | 30 | Frank Matthews | Evansville | SAC | 66 | 14 | |
| John McKee | Wilkes-Barre | SB | 112 | 88 | Louis Urcho | Muskegon | BB | 118 | 50 | |
| Frank Kelleher | Muskegon | HBP | 15 | 20 | Charles Bell | Muskegon | SO | 128 | 51 | |
| Pitching | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Yr | |
| Paul Watchel | Dayton/Muskegon | GA | 48 | 16 | Beeler | Richmond | GA | 48 | 30 | |
| Dave Martin | Terre Haute | CG | 38 | 06 | William Daley | Jersey City | W | 42 | 88 | |
| Dave Martin | Terre Haute | L | 27 | 06 | Marvin Duke | Erie | PCT | .852 | 32 | |
| Art Nehf | Terre Haute | ERA | 1.38 | 15 | Ralph Willis | Canton | IP | 427 | 06 | |
| Ralph Willis | Canton | ShO | 11 | 06 | Paul Fittery | Evansville | SO | 249 | 14 | |
| Robert Harrison | Dayton/Flint | BB | 220 | 51 | ||||||
[edit] Hall of Fame Alumni
- Jesse Burkett, 1888 Scranton Miners
- Max Carey, 1909 South Bend Greens; 1910 South Bend Bronchos
- Jesse Haines, 1913 Dayton Veterans; 1914 Fort Wayne Railroaders; 1916-1917 Springfield Reapers
- Bucky Harris, 1916 Muskegon Reds
- Billy Herman, 1929 Dayton Aviators
- Chuck Klein, 1928 Fort Wayne Chiefs
- Rube Marquard, 1907 Canton Chinamen
- Edd Roush, 1913 Evansville Riverrats
[edit] Source
The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Second Edition
