The Central League was a minor league baseball league that operated sporadically in 1900, from 1903–1917, 1920–1922, 1926, 1928–1930, 1934, and 1948–1951. In 1926, the league merged mid-season with the Michigan State League and played under that name for the remainder of the season.[1] The Central League later reformed in 1928.
| Classification | Independent (1900) Class B 1903–1917, 1920–1922, 1928–1930, 1932, 1934 Class C 1926 Class A 1948–1951 |
|---|---|
| Sport | Minor League Baseball |
| First season | 1900 |
| Ceased | 1951 |
| President | William F.H. Schmidt (1900) George W. Bement (1903-1904) Frank R. Carson (1905-1911) Louie Heilbroner (1912-1915) Emerson Dickerson (1916-1917) Harry W. Stahlhefer (1917) Emerson Dickerson (1921-1926) L.J. Wylie (1928-1929) Donald C. Jacobs (1930) Frederick Howell (1932) Emerson Dickerson (1934) Thomas J. Halligan (1948-1951) |
| No. of teams | 37 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Most titles | 5 Dayton |
| Related competitions | Central League (1888); Central League (1897) |
The Central League hosted teams from 37 cities over its six decades of league play. Teams from the states of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia were represented.
Minor League class history
editBefore the current minor league baseball classification system was introduced in 1963, minor leagues/teams were classified from Class D up to Class Triple-A. The following is a list of the various classifications that the Central League had during its years of operation:
- Class B: 1903–1917, 1920–1922, 1928–1930, 1932, 1934
- Class C: 1926
- Class A: 1948–1951
Cities represented
editThe following are cities and former teams that made up the Central League.
- Akron, Ohio: Akron Rubbermen 1912; Akron Tyrites 1928–1929, 1932
- Anderson, IN: Anderson Orphans 1903
- Bloomington, IL: Bloomington Blues 1900
- Canton, Ohio: Canton Red Stockings 1905; Canton Chinamen 1906–1907; Canton Statesmen 1912; Canton Terriers 1928–1930, 1932
- Charleston, WV: Charleston Senators 1949–1951
- Danville, IL: Danville Champions 1900
- Dayton, Ohio: Dayton Veterans 1903–1917; Dayton Aviators 1928–1930; Dayton Ducks 1932; Dayton Indians 1948–1951
- Decatur, IL: Decatur Commodores 1900
- Erie, PA: Erie Sailors 1912, 1915, 1928–1930, 1932
- Evansville, IN: Evansville River Rats 1903–1910, 1913–1915; Evansville Strikers 1911; Evansville Evas 1916–1917
- Flint, MI: Flint Arrows, 1948–1951
- 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, 1928–1930, 1932, 1934; Fort Wayne Generals 1948
- 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 Bill-eds 1913; Grand Rapids Black Sox 1912, Grand Rapids Champs 1914 Grand Rapids Black Sox 1915–1917; Grand Rapids Joshers 1920–1921; Grand Rapids Billbobs 1922; Grand Rapids Black Sox 1926; Grand Rapids Tigers 1934; Grand Rapids Jets 1948–1951
- Ionia, MI: Ionia Mayors 1921–1922
- Jackson, MI: Jackson Mayors 1921
- Jacksonville, IL: Jacksonville Reds 1900
- Kalamazoo, MI: Kalamazoo Celery Pickers 1920–1922, 1926
- Lansing, MI: Lansing Senators 1921–1922
- Lima, OH: Lima Buckeyes 1934
- Lansing, MI: Ludington Mariners 1920–1922
- Ludington, MI: Ludington Tars 1926
- Marion, OH: Marion Oilworkers 1903–1904
- Muskegon, MI: Muskegon Reds 1916; Muskegon Muskies 1920–1922; Muskegon Reds 1926, 1934; Muskegon Clippers 1948–1950; Muskegon Reds 1951
- Newark, Ohio: Newark Skeeters 1911
- Peoria, IL: Peoria Distillers 1900, 1904, 1917; Peoria Tractors 1934
- Richmond, IN: Richmond Quakers 1917; Richmond Roses 1930
- Saginaw, MI: Saginaw Bears 1948-1950; Saginaw Jacks 1951
- South Bend, IN: South Bend Greens 1903–1909 South Bend Bronchos 1910; South Bend Bux 1911; South Bend Benders 1911, South Bend Benders 1912, 1916–1917; South Bend Twins 1932
- Springfield, IL: Springfield 1900; Springfield Red Birds 1934
- Springfield, Ohio: Springfield Babes 1905-1907; Springfield Reapers 1912–1914, 1916–1917; Springfield Buckeyes 1928; Springfield Dunnmen 1929; Springfield Blue Sox 1930
- Terre Haute, IN: Terre Haute Hottentots 1900, 1903–1909; Terre Haute Stags 1910; Terre Haute Miners 1911; Terre Haute Terre-iers 1912–1914; Terre Haute Highlanders 1915–1916
- Wheeling, WV: Wheeling Stogies 1903–1912, 1915–1916
- Youngstown, Ohio: Youngstown Steelmen 1912; Youngstown Buckeyes 1932
- Zanesville, Ohio: Zanesville Infants 1908–1909; Zanesville Potters 1910–1912
Standings & statistics
edit1900 Central League
| 1900 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington Blues | 64 | 34 | .653 | - | George Reed |
| Danville Champions | 57 | 44 | .564 | 8.5 | Charles Leverenz |
| Decatur Commodores | 46 | 51 | .474 | 17.5 | Frank Weikart |
| Terre Haute Hottentots | 48 | 61 | .440 | 21.5 | Jap Poor / Roy Montgomery Bill Krieg |
| Peoria Distillers | 29 | 25 | .537 | NA | Alfred Lawson / Bill Krieg |
| Springfield / Jacksonville Reds |
15 | 43 | .259 | NA | Harry Wilson / W.D. Highfield Jim Hackett |
Peoria disbanded July 8; Springfield (4-14) transferred to Jacksonville May 21; Jacksonville disbanded July 8.
Playoffs: Danville defeated Bloomington
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Wright | Danville | BA | .329 |
| Fred Abbott | Danville | Runs | 91 |
| Charles Elsey Red Wright |
Bloomington Danville |
Hits | 130 |
| Frank Huelsman | Peoria/Danville | HR | 5 |
| Clarence Jessup | Terre Haute | SB | 32 |
1903 to 1917
edit1903 Central League
| 1903 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne Railroaders | 89 | 49 | .645 | - | Bade Myers |
| South Bend Green Stockings | 88 | 50 | .638 | 1.0 | Angus Grant |
| Marion Oilworkers | 71 | 65 | .522 | 17.0 | John Grim |
| Wheeling Stogies | 69 | 68 | .504 | 19.5 | Barley Kain / Ted Price |
| Evansville River Rats | 64 | 68 | .485 | 22.0 | Tom News / Thomas McKinley Ed Ashenbach |
| Dayton Veterans | 61 | 76 | .445 | 27.5 | Henry Youngman |
| Terre Haute Hottentots | 58 | 80 | .420 | 31.0 | Lou Walters / Peter Somers William M. James Ed Biecher |
| Anderson / Grand Rapids Orphans |
58 | 92 | .343 | 42.0 | McVey Lindsey |
Anderson (15-12) moved to Grand Rapids May 30
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Bonner | Evansville | BA | .329 |
| Ed Coffee | South Bend | Runs | 105 |
| Jack Bonner | Evansville | Hits | 172 |
1904 Central League
| 1904 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne Railroaders | 87 | 51 | .630 | - | Bade Myers |
| Terre Haute Hottentots | 77 | 62 | .554 | 10.5 | Frank Warrender |
| South Bend Greens | 75 | 65 | .536 | 13.0 | Angus Grant |
| Wheeling Stogies | 71 | 66 | .518 | 15.5 | Ted Price |
| Dayton Veterans | 68 | 69 | .496 | 18.5 | John Spaatz / Charles Jewell Hub Knoll |
| Marion Oilworkers / Peoria Distillers |
61 | 75 | .449 | 25.0 | John Grim / Mike Lawrence |
| Grand Rapids Wolverines | 58 | 82 | .414 | 30.0 | John Flannery / John Morrissey |
| Evansville River Rats | 56 | 83 | .403 | 31.5 | Frank Schoeller / Robert Berryhill Frank Cross |
Marion (12-15) moved to Peoria (27-33) May 30; Peoria returned to Marion July 31; Evansville disbanded September 6
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Cogswell | South Bend | BA | .354 | Cy Alberts | Fort Wayne | W | 22 | |
| Bert Dennis | Fort Wayne | Runs | 92 | Elmer Moffit | South Bend | SO | 233 | |
| [John Geyer | Grand Rapids | Hits | 165 | William Pearson | Grand Rapids/Dayton | PCT | .714 20-8 | |
| George McConnell Dick Knox |
Wheeling Evansville |
HR | 9 |
1905 Central League
| 1905 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling Stogies | 81 | 55 | .596 | - | Pop Schriver |
| Grand Rapids Orphans | 75 | 59 | .560 | 5.0 | John Ganzel |
| South Bend Greens | 77 | 62 | .554 | 5.5 | Angus Grant |
| Evansville River Rats | 71 | 67 | .522 | 11.5 | Jimmy Ryan |
| Dayton Veterans | 70 | 64 | .514 | 10.0 | Hub Knoll |
| Springfield Babes | 66 | 68 | .493 | 14.0 | Jack Hendricks |
| Fort Wayne Railroaders Canton Red Stockings |
56 | 79 | .415 | 24.5 | Bade Myers / George Williams |
| Terre Haute Hottentots | 47 | 89 | .345 | 34.0 | Frank Warrender / Bert Dennis |
Fort Wayne (31-41) moved to Canton July 10
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Connors | South Bend | BA | .338 | Walt Miller | Grand Rapids | W | 24 | |
| John Connors | South Bend | Runs | 96 | Elmer Moffit George Miller |
South Bend Wheeling |
PCT | .677 21-10 | |
| John Connors | South Bend | Hits | 184 | |||||
| Jimmy Ryan | Evansville | HR | 10 |
1906 Central League
1906 - schedule
| 1906 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids Wolverines | 99 | 52 | .656 | - | John Ganzel |
| Springfield Babes | 91 | 60 | .603 | 8.0 | Jack Hendricks |
| Canton Chinamen | 85 | 63 | .574 | 12.5 | Bade Myers |
| Dayton Veterans | 78 | 71 | .523 | 20.0 | John Thornton / James Barrett Hub Knoll / McKinley / Ed McLean |
| Wheeling Stogies | 75 | 77 | .493 | 24.5 | Pop Schriver |
| Evansville River Rats | 65 | 82 | .442 | 32.0 | Jimmy Ryan / John Walker Harry Stahlhefer |
| South Bend Greens | 62 | 88 | .413 | 36.5 | Angus Grant |
| Terre Haute Hottentots | 44 | 106 | .293 | 54.5 | Jack Boyle / Frank Warrender |
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Ganzel | Grand Rapids | BA | .323 | Ralph Willis | Canton | W | 27 | |
| Goat Anderson | South Bend | Runs | 100 | James Freeman | Evansville | SO | 214 | |
| Goat Anderson | South Bend | Hits | 169 | Roy Hale | Dayton | PCT | .856 12-2 | |
| John Ganzel | Grand Rapids | HR | 13 |
1907 Central League
| 1907 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield Babes | 86 | 49 | .637 | - | Jack Hendricks |
| Wheeling Stogies | 77 | 57 | .575 | 8.5 | Ted Price |
| Canton Chinamen | 69 | 64 | .519 | 16.0 | Bade Myers |
| Evansville River Rats | 69 | 69 | .500 | 18.5 | Punch Knoll |
| Dayton Veterans | 66 | 71 | .482 | 21.0 | Ed McKean / E. Richardson Mal Kittridge |
| Terre Haute Hottentots | 65 | 72 | .474 | 22.0 | Jack McConnell / Don Cameron |
| Grand Rapids Wolverines | 60 | 77 | .438 | 27.0 | Cuppy Groeschow / Elmer Bliss |
| South Bend Greens | 53 | 86 | .381 | 35.0 | Angus Grant |
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champ Osteen | Springfield | BA | .338 | Rube Marquard | Canton | W | 23 | |
| Joe Collins | Springfield | Runs | 96 | Matt Muldowney | Springfield | PCT | .783 18-5 | |
| Champ Osteen | Springfield | Hits | 170 | |||||
| Larry Lejeune Ike Francis Bill Richardson |
Springfield Grand Rapids Dayton |
HR | 7 |
1908 Central League
| 1908 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville River Rats | 84 | 56 | .600 | - | Punch Knoll |
| South Bend Greens | 80 | 60 | .571 | 4.0 | Angus Grant |
| Dayton Veterans | 77 | 63 | .550 | 7.0 | Bade Myers |
| Fort Wayne Billikens | 75 | 65 | .536 | 9.0 | Jack Hendricks |
| Grand Rapids Wolverines | 68 | 71 | .489 | 16.5 | Bobby Lowe |
| Zanesville Infants | 67 | 73 | .479 | 17.0 | Marty Hogan |
| Terre Haute Hottentots | 63 | 75 | .457 | 20.0 | Lew Drill |
| Wheeling Stogies | 44 | 95 | .317 | 39.5 | Ted Price / Tom Fleming |
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles French | Evansville | BA | .339 | Charles Wacke | Evansville | W | 27 | |
| Bert Noblett | Grand Rapids | Runs | 92 | John Rowan | Dayton | SO | 232 | |
| Charles French | Evansville | Hits | 170 | Charles Wacker | Evansville | PCT | .771 27-8 | |
| Punch Knoll | Evansville | HR | 12 | |||||
| Midge Craven | South Bend | SB | 87 |
1909 Central League
| 1909 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling Stogies | 83 | 50 | .624 | - | Bill Phillips |
| Zanesville Infants | 75 | 58 | .564 | 8.0 | Roy Montgomery |
| Fort Wayne Billikens | 71 | 66 | .518 | 14.0 | Jack Hendricks |
| Grand Rapids Wolverines | 67 | 65 | .508 | 15.5 | Joe Raidy |
| Terre Haute Hottentots | 65 | 73 | .471 | 20.5 | Cuppy Groeschow |
| South Bend Greens | 64 | 72 | .471 | 20.5 | Angus Grant |
| Evansville River Rats | 58 | 78 | .426 | 26.5 | Punch Knoll |
| Dayton Veterans | 56 | 77 | .421 | 27.0 | Bade Myers |
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arista DeHaven | Terre Haute | BA | .336 | John Fisher Bill Kenworthy |
Wheeling Zanesville |
W | 24 | |
| Curley Blount | Fort Wayne | Runs | 92 | Bucky O'Brien | Evansville | SO | 180 | |
| Arista DeHaven | Terre Haute | Hits | 173 | Bill Phillips | Wheeling | PCT | .800 12-3 | |
| Punch Knoll Hank Butcher |
Evansville | HR | 11 |
1910 Central League
| 1910 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Bend Bronchos | 88 | 50 | .638 | - | Ed Wheeler / Midge Craven |
| Fort Wayne Billikens | 79 | 58 | .577 | 8.5 | Jimmy Burke |
| Dayton Veterans | 74 | 63 | .540 | 13.5 | Punch Knoll |
| Evansville River Rats | 70 | 67 | .511 | 17.5 | Angus Grant |
| Terre Haute Stags | 63 | 74 | .460 | 24.5 | Cuppy Groeschow |
| Zanesville Potters | 61 | 76 | .445 | 26.5 | Roy Montgomery |
| Grand Rapids Raiders | 60 | 77 | .438 | 27.5 | Joe Raidy |
| Wheeling Stogies | 52 | 82 | .388 | 34.0 | Bill Phillips |
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Larry LeJeune | Evansville | BA | .328 | Buck Sterzer | Evansville | W | 28 | |
| Larry LeJeune | Evansville | Runs | 81 | Walt Justis | Dayton | SO | 177 | |
| Del Young | Fort Wayne | Hits | 166 | William Robertson | Fort Wayne | PCT | .800 20-5 | |
| Larry LeJeune | Evansville | HR | 18 |
1911 Central League
| 1911 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton Veterans | 86 | 51 | .628 | - | Punch Knoll |
| Fort Wayne Brakies | 83 | 54 | .606 | 3.0 | Doc Casey |
| Zanesville Potters | 74 | 58 | .561 | 9.5 | Joe Raidy |
| South Bend Benders / Grand Rapids Grads |
73 | 61 | .545 | 11.5 | Ed Smith |
| Evansville Strikers / South Bend Bux |
62 | 72 | .463 | 22.5 | Angus Grant / Harry Arndt |
| Wheeling Stogies | 56 | 73 | .434 | 26.0 | Roy Montgomery |
| Grand Rapids Furniture Makers / Newark Skeeters |
59 | 78 | .431 | 27.0 | Doc Parker / John Pendry |
| Terre Haute Miners | 45 | 91 | .331 | 40.5 | Ed Wheeler / Angus Grant Jock Somerlott |
Grand Rapids (25-36) moved to Newark June 27; South Bend (42-36) moved to Grand Rapids July 13; Evansville (54-54) moved to South Bend August 11
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Connelly | Zanesville/Terre Haute | BA | .355 | Jack Compton George Harden |
Dayton Fort Wayne |
W | 22 | |
| Ed Justice Marion Kilpatrick |
Fort Wayne Dayton |
Runs | 96 | George Harden | Fort Wayne | SO | 172 | |
| Ray Spencer | Dayton | Hits | 176 | Charles Alberts | Fort Wayne | PCT | .800 16-4 | |
| Albert Durham Punch Knoll Hubert Hadley Emil Grefe |
Wheeling Dayton Evansville/South Bend Evansville/South Bend |
HR | 11 |
1912 Central League
| 1912 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne Railroaders | 77 | 52 | .597 | - | Frank Shaughnessey |
| Youngstown Steelmen | 74 | 54 | .577 | 2.5 | Bill Phillips |
| Erie Sailors | 75 | 55 | .577 | 2.5 | Billy Gilbert |
| Springfield Reapers | 72 | 54 | .571 | 3.5 | Charley O'Day / Jack Pendry |
| Dayton Veterans | 73 | 56 | .565 | 4.0 | Punch Knoll |
| Wheeling Stogies | 66 | 61 | .520 | 10.0 | Goat Anderson |
| Canton Statesmen | 64 | 66 | .492 | 13.5 | Ed Gremlinger |
| Akron Rubbermen | 59 | 68 | .465 | 17.0 | Lee Fohl |
| Grand Rapids Black Sox | 58 | 68 | .460 | 17.5 | Ed Smith / Bert Annis |
| Terre Haute Terre-iers | 59 | 70 | .457 | 18.0 | Angus Grant / John Nee |
| Zanesville Potters | 52 | 78 | .400 | 25.5 | Willus Kelley / John Pendry Martin Hogan |
| South Bend Benders | 41 | 88 | .318 | 36.0 | Harry Arndt |
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Larry LeJeune | Grand Rapids | BA | .361 | Buck Sterzer | Erie | W | 24 | |
| Frank Gilhooley | Erie | Runs | 104 | Earl Moseley | Youngstown | SO | 235 | |
| Larry LeJeune | Grand Rapids | Hits | 168 | Fred Sherry Lou Schettler Ted Goulait |
Youngstown Erie Springfield |
PCT | .769 10-3 | |
| Larry LeJeune | Grand Rapids | HR | 25 |
1913 Central League
1913 - schedule
| 1913 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids Bill-eds | 92 | 48 | .657 | - | Ed Smith |
| Fort Wayne Champs | 77 | 63 | .550 | 15.0 | Jimmy Burke |
| Springfield Reapers | 67 | 71 | .486 | 24.0 | Joe Stanley |
| Dayton Veterans | 62 | 77 | .446 | 29.5 | John Nee |
| Terre Haute Terre-iers | 60 | 79 | .432 | 31.5 | Goat Anderson |
| Evansville River Rats | 60 | 80 | .429 | 32 | Punch Knoll |
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Larry LeJeune | Grand Rapids | BA | .346 | Jeff Pfeffer | Grand Rapids | W | 25 | |
| George Brautigan | Springfield | Runs | 99 | Jeff Pfeffer | Grand Rapids | SO | 232 | |
| Pop Shaw | Dayton | Hits | 175 | Sherry Smith William Riley |
Grand Rapids | PCT | .818 9-2 | |
| Bill Keene | Springfield | HR | 15 |
1914 Central League
| 1914 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton Veterans | 85 | 49 | .634 | - | John Nee |
| Evansville River Rats | 73 | 54 | .575 | 8.5 | Punch Knoll |
| Fort Wayne Railroaders | 64 | 70 | .478 | 21.0 | Harry Martin |
| Terre Haute Terre-iers | 61 | 71 | .462 | 23.0 | Larry Quinlan |
| Grand Rapids Champs | 58 | 72 | .446 | 25.0 | George Hughes / James Jones |
| Springfield Reapers | 42 | 67 | .385 | 35.5 | Joe Stanley |
Springfield disbanded August 8
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Sheehan | Terre Haute | BA | .340 | Jake Fromholtz | Evansville | W | 23 | |
| Arista DeHaven | Dayton | Runs | 96 | Paul Fittery | Evansville | SO | 249 | |
| Jack Sheehan | Terre Haute | Hits | 179 | Paul Fittery | Evansville | PCT | .759 22-7 | |
| Howard Baker | Evansville | HR | 15 |
1915 Central League
| 1915 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville River Rats | 72 | 50 | .590 | - | Punch Knoll |
| Grand Rapids Black Sox | 68 | 54 | .557 | 4.0 | Bill Essick |
| Youngstown Steelmen | 66 | 56 | .541 | 6.0 | Curley Blount |
| Terre Haute Highlanders | 66 | 58 | .532 | 7.0 | Rufus Gilbert |
| Erie Sailors | 64 | 58 | .525 | 8.0 | Larry Quinlan |
| Fort Wayne Cubs | 62 | 60 | .508 | 10.0 | Bade Myers |
| Wheeling Stogies | 50 | 76 | .397 | 24.0 | Pop Schriver / Arch Riley |
| Dayton Veterans | 43 | 79 | .352 | 29.0 | Jack Compton |
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Miller | Erie | BA | .336 | Earl Ainsworth Lou Schettler |
Fort Wayne Youngstown |
W | 24 | |
| Red Smyth | Fort Wayne | Runs | 84 | Art Nehf | Terre Haute | SO | 218 | |
| Stump Edington | Grand Rapids | Hits | 142 | Art Nehf | Terre Haute | ERA | 1.38 | |
| Fred Bratchie | Fort Wayne | HR | 10 |
1916 Central League
| 1916 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids Black Sox | 77 | 55 | .583 | - | Bill Essick |
| Dayton Veterans | 73 | 57 | .562 | 3.0 | John Nee |
| Springfield Reapers | 74 | 58 | .561 | 3.0 | Joe Dunn |
| Wheeling Stogies | 65 | 64 | .504 | 20.5 | Harry Smith |
| Evansville Evas | 63 | 66 | .488 | 22.5 | Punch Knoll |
| Terre Haute Highlanders | 62 | 71 | .466 | 25.5 | Rufus Gilbert |
| South Bend Benders | 56 | 77 | .421 | 31.5 | Ben Koehler / Lee Tannehill |
| Muskegon Reds | 55 | 77 | .417 | 32.0 | Bade Myers |
Grand Rapids played some games at Battle Creek, MI
Playoffs: Dayton 4 games, Springfield 2
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Spencer | Dayton | BA | .343 | Nick Lakaff | Dayton | W | 25 | |
| Ray Spencer | Dayton | Runs | 84 | Ted Turner | Evansville | SO | 203 | |
| Ray Spencer | Dayton | Hits | 170 | Dixie McArthur | Grand Rapids | ERA | 1.56 | |
| Earl Sykes | Dayton | HR | 18 | Socks Seibold | Wheeling | PCT | .739 17-6 |
1917 Central League
| 1917 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids Black Sox | 80 | 44 | .645 | - | Bill Essick |
| Springfield Reapers | 74 | 50 | .597 | 6.0 | Joe Dunn |
| South Bend Benders / Peoria Distillers |
66 | 55 | .545 | 12.5 | Harry Smith / William Jackson |
| Muskegon Reds | 65 | 57 | .533 | 14.0 | Jimmy Hamilton |
| Evansville Evas | 56 | 61 | .479 | 20.5 | Punch Knoll |
| Richmond Quakers | 46 | 70 | .397 | 30.0 | Bade Myers / Joe Evers Larry Gilbert |
| Dayton Veterans | 44 | 68 | .393 | 30.0 | John Nee |
| Fort Wayne Chiefs | 47 | 73 | .392 | 31.0 | Carl Vandagrift |
South Bend (26-35) moved to Peoria July 8
Playoffs: Grand Rapids 4 games, Peoria 3
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Walker | Springfield | BA | .370 | Paul Carpenter | Grand Rapids | W | 23 | |
| Frank Walker | Springfield | Runs | 94 | Paul Wachtel | Muskegon | SO | 176 | |
| Frank Walker | Springfield | Hits | 161 | Guy Hoffman | Peoria | PCT | .786 11-3 | |
| Frank Walker | Springfield | HR | 10 |
1920 to 1926
edit1920 Central League
1920 - schedule
| 1920 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids Joshers | 76 | 50 | .603 | - | Josh Devore |
| Kalamazoo Celery Pickers | 64 | 60 | .516 | 11.0 | Rube Vickers / George Tomer |
| Ludington Mariners | 62 | 62 | .500 | 13.0 | Punch Knoll |
| Muskegon Muskies | 47 | 77 | .379 | 28.0 | Doc White |
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lance Richbourg | Grand Rapids | BA | .415 | William Shoup | Ludington | W | 20 | |
| Harry Carey | Grand Rapids | Runs | 91 | John Bogart | Ludington | SO | 199 | |
| Davey Claire | Ludington | Hits | 137 | Frank Rose | Grand Rapids | PCT | .704 19-8 | |
| Vincent Tydeman | Ludington | HR | 11 |
1921 Central League
| 1921 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ludington Mariners | 87 | 42 | .674 | - | James Sharp |
| Kalamazoo Celery Pickers | 69 | 58 | .543 | 16.0 | George Tomer / Grover Prough |
| Lansing Senators | 65 | 63 | .508 | 21.5 | Newt Hunter |
| Muskegon Muskies | 63 | 67 | .485 | 24.5 | Davey Claire |
| Grand Rapids Joshers | 59 | 71 | .454 | 28.5 | Josh Devore / Louis Wolfe |
| Jackson Mayors / Ionia Mayors |
44 | 86 | .338 | 43.5 | Dan Jenkins / Bill Hartwell |
Jackson (27-45) moved to Ionia July 20
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Purcell | Jackson/Ionia | BA | .380 | William Shoup | Ludington | W | 25 | |
| Joe Napier | Ludington | Runs | 112 | Lawrence Reno | Lansing | SO | 133 | |
| Harry Purcell | Jackson/Ionia | Hits | 176 | William Shoup | Ludington | ERA | 2.71 | |
| Grover Prough | Kalamazoo | RBI | 97 | Clarence Brown | Ludington | PCT | .758 22-7 | |
| Joseph Hamel | Ludington | HR | 21 |
1922 Central League
| 1922 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ludington Mariners | 77 | 53 | .592 | - | Amby McConnell / Andy Woehrs |
| Grand Rapids Billbobs | 73 | 55 | .570 | 3.5 | Bobby Wells |
| Muskegon Muskies | 67 | 62 | .519 | 9.5 | Danny Claire / Carrington Sweeney |
| Kalamazoo Celery Pickers | 61 | 67 | .477 | 15.0 | Grover Prough |
| Lansing Senators | 60 | 67 | .472 | 15.5 | Newt Hunter |
| Ionia Mayors | 47 | 81 | .367 | 29.0 | Carrington Sweeney / Ray Dunn William Wilcox |
Playoffs: Grand Rapids 5 games, Ludington 3
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leo Payne | Grand Rapids | BA | .370 | Oscar Johnson | Ludington | W | 25 | |
| Howard Pennington | Grand Rapids | Runs | 109 | Wilcy Moore | Grand Rapids | SO | 158 | |
| Harry Schwab | Ludington | Hits | 190 | Wilcy Moore | Grand Rapids | ERA | 1.92 | |
| Charles Miller | Lansing | HR | 12 | Oscar Johnson | Ludington | PCT | .758 25-8 |
1926 Central League
| 1926 Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo Celery Pickers | 16 | 8 | .667 | - | Boss Schmidt |
| Ludington Tars | 12 | 12 | .500 | 4.0 | Ovid Nicholson |
| Muskegon Reds | 12 | 13 | .480 | 4.5 | Buck Wheat |
| Grand Rapids Black Sox | 10 | 17 | .370 | 9.0 | Jess Runser / John Devereaux |
League merged with the Michigan-Ontario League to form the Michigan State League, which began play June 15
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanley Sykes | Muskegon | BA | .391 | Frank Negake John Oravetz |
Ludington Muskegon |
W | 5 | |
| Harry Harding | Kalamazoo | Runs | 25 | Victor Ferretti | Ludington | SO | 30 | |
| Harry Harding | Kalamazoo | Hits | 34 | Harvey Freeman Fred Hutton |
Kalamazoo | PCT | 1.000 4-0 | |
| Eddie Radtke | Ludington | HR | 4 |
1928 to 1930, 1932, 1934
edit1928 Central League
1928 - schedule
| 1928 Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie Sailors | 79 | 59 | .563 | - | Buzz Wetzel |
| Dayton Aviators | 76 | 59 | .563 | - | Everett Booe |
| Fort Wayne Chiefs | 72 | 62 | .537 | 3.5 | Punch Knoll |
| Akron Tyrites | 67 | 65 | .508 | 9.5 | John McCloskey |
| Springfield Buckeyes | 67 | 66 | .504 | 10.0 | Joseph Dunn |
| Canton Terriers | 43 | 90 | .323 | 33.0 | Joe Agler / Dan O'Leary |
Playoffs: Fort Wayne 4 games, Erie 2
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Jordan | Dayton | BA | .362 | Alex McColl Bert Grimm |
Akron | W | 19 | |
| James Jordan | Dayton | Runs | 130 | Edgar Clough | Dayton | SO | 130 | |
| James Jordan | Dayton | Hits | 212 | Alex McColl | Akron | ERA | 2.73 | |
| James Jordan | Dayton | HR | 27 | Marvin Gudat | Dayton | PCT | .727 16-6 |
1929 Central League
1929 - schedule
| 1929 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canton Terriers | 80 | 58 | .580 | - | James Hamilton |
| Erie Sailors | 78 | 61 | .561 | 2.5 | Jocko Munch |
| Dayton Aviators | 68 | 69 | .496 | 11.5 | Merito Acosta |
| Fort Wayne Chiefs | 68 | 70 | .493 | 12.0 | Everett Booe |
| Springfield Dunnmen | 59 | 77 | .434 | 20.0 | Joseph Dunn |
| Akron Tyrites | 58 | 76 | .433 | 21.0 | John McCloskey |
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Hostetler | Akron | BA | .360 | Axel Lindstrom | Canton | W | 24 | |
| Ken Hogan | Erie | Runs | 125 | Carl Schoof | Erie | SO | 120 | |
| John Reider | Fort Wayne | Hits | 185 | Fred Pipgras | Canton | ERA | 2.51 | |
| John Reider | Fort Wayne | RBI | 134 | Earle Browne | Dayton | PCT | .773 17-5 | |
| Tripp Sigman | Canton | HR | 41 |
1930 Central League
1930 - schedule
| 1930 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield Blue Sox | 82 | 55 | .599 | - | Joseph Dunn |
| Erie Sailors | 76 | 63 | .547 | 7.0 | Jocko Munch |
| Fort Wayne Chiefs | 72 | 67 | .518 | 11.0 | Punch Knoll |
| Canton Terriers | 65 | 73 | .471 | 17.5 | Heine Groh |
| Richmond Roses | 63 | 75 | .457 | 19.5 | John McCloskey |
| Dayton Aviators | 56 | 81 | .409 | 26.0 | Norman Cullop |
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pat Wright | Fort Wayne | BA | .419 | Robert Kline | Erie | W | 23 | |
| Leroy Jones | Fort Wayne | Runs | 162 | Clyde Hatter | Dayton | SO | 217 | |
| Pat Wright | Fort Wayne | Hits | 228 | Gus Goeckel | Springfield | ERA | 3.14 | |
| Pat Wright | Fort Wayne | RBI | 169 | Gus Goeckel | Springfield | PCT | .792 19-5 | |
| Pat Wrigh | Fort Wayne | HR | 52 |
1932 Central League
1932 - schedule
| 1932 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie Sailors | 85 | 56 | .603 | - | Chief Bender / Bill McCorry |
| Fort Wayne Chiefs | 77 | 60 | .562 | 6.0 | Bill Wambsganss |
| Dayton Ducks | 77 | 64 | .546 | 8.0 | Ducky Holmes |
| Youngstown Buckeyes | 70 | 69 | .504 | 14.0 | Tony Citrano |
| South Bend | 29 | 57 | .337 | NA | Jess Altenburg / Clarence Roper Whitey Belber |
| Akron Tyrites / Canton Terriers |
28 | 60 | .318 | NA | John McCloskey / Roy Grimes |
Akron (19-34) moved to Canton June 21; Canton disbanded July 21; South Bend disbanded July 21 Playoffs: Dayton 4 games, Fort Wayne 0
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babe Phelps | Youngstown | BA | .372 | Marvin Duke | Erie | W | 23 | |
| Pep Young | Erie | Runs | 128 | Marvin Duke | Erie | SO | 176 | |
| Babe Phelps | Youngstown | Hits | 199 | Marvin Duke | Erie | ERA | 2.36 | |
| Babe Phelps | Youngstown | HR | 26 | Marvin Duke | Erie | PCT | .852 23-4 |
1934 Central League
| 1934 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne Chiefs | 19 | 4 | .826 | - | Bill Burwell |
| Springfield Red Birds | 14 | 12 | .538 | 6.5 | Joe Mathes |
| Grand Rapids Tigers | 11 | 13 | .458 | 8.5 | Earl Wolgamot |
| Peoria Tractors | 11 | 13 | .458 | 8.5 | Frank Murphy |
| Muskegon Reds | 4 | 9 | .308 | NA | Cy Boothby |
| Lima Buckeyes | 0 | 8 | .000 | NA | Jess Orndorf |
Lima disbanded May 26; Muskegon disbanded May 30; League disbanded June 10
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul O'Malley | Grand Rapids | BA | .389 | Allan Baringer | Fort Wayne | W | 5 | |
| Ralph Rhein | Fort Wayne | Runs | 26 | Claude Passeau | Grand Rapids | SO | 50 | |
| Ralph Rhein | Fort Wayne | Hits | 37 | Norm Jung | Fort Wayne | PCT | 1.000 4-0 | |
| Ralph Rhein | Fort Wayne | HR | 6 |
1948 to 1951
edit1948 Central League
| 1948 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flint Arrows | 89 | 49 | .645 | - | Jack Tighe |
| Dayton Indians | 84 | 55 | .604 | 5.5 | Joe Vosmik |
| Muskegon Clippers | 73 | 66 | .525 | 16.5 | Bennie Huffman |
| Fort Wayne Generals | 64 | 76 | .457 | 26.0 | Boom-Boom Beck |
| Saginaw Bears | 55 | 85 | .393 | 35.0 | Robert Finley |
| Grand Rapids Jets | 52 | 86 | .377 | 37.0 | Milton Galatzer / Jack Knight |
Playoffs: Fort Wayne 3 games, Flint 2; Dayton 3 games, Muskegon 1
Finals: Dayton 4 games, Fort Wayne 2
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herb Conyers | Dayton | BA | .354 | Charles Sipple | Dayton | W | 18 | |
| Richard Lane | Muskegon | Runs | 121 | Bill Evans | Muskegon | SO | 187 | |
| Louis Farotto | Saginaw | Hits | 185 | Alex Nedelco | Flint | ERA | 2.08 | |
| Homer Johnson | Muskegon | RBI | 109 | William Morgan | Dayton | PCT | .765 13-4 | |
| Joe Morjoseph | Dayton | HR | 31 |
1949 Central League
| 1949 Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton Indians | 80 | 57 | .584 | - | Oscar Melilo |
| Flint Arrows | 77 | 62 | .554 | 4.0 | Jack Tighe |
| Grand Rapids Jets | 70 | 66 | .515 | 9.5 | Jack Knight |
| Charleston Senators | 67 | 68 | .496 | 12.0 | Joe Beggs |
| Muskegon Reds | 60 | 79 | .432 | 21.0 | Red Ruffing |
| Saginaw Bears | 58 | 80 | .420 | 22.5 | Bob Finley |
Playoffs: Charleston 3 games, Dayton 1; Grand Rapids 3 games, Flint 2
Finals: Grand Rapids 4 games, Charleston 2
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Higdon | Muskegon | BA | .330 | Charles Sipple | Dayton | W | 19 | |
| Everett Robinson | Grand Rapids | Runs | 91 | Jose Santiago | Dayton | SO | 233 | |
| Stuart Locklin | Dayton | Hits | 169 | Ernie Funk | Flint | ERA | 2.13 | |
| Ron Bowen | Saginaw | RBI | 123 | Sanford Lambert | Grand Rapids | PCT | .800 12-3 | |
| Ron Bowen | Saginaw | HR | 25 |
1950 Central League
| 1950 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flint Arrows | 80 | 53 | .602 | - | Gene Desautels |
| Muskegon Clippers | 75 | 64 | .540 | 8.0 | Robert Finley |
| Dayton Indians | 69 | 63 | .523 | 10.5 | Dolph Camilli |
| Grand Rapids Jets | 64 | 68 | .485 | 15.5 | Jack Knight |
| Charleston Senators | 58 | 73 | .443 | 21.0 | Joe Beggs |
| Saginaw Bears | 56 | 81 | .409 | 26.0 | Hank Camelli |
Playoffs: Flint 3 games, Grand Rapids 1; Muskegon 3 games, Dayton 2
Finals: Flint 4 games, Muskegon 1
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Rowell | Dayton | BA | .344 | Ernie Funk | Flint | W | 22 | |
| Louis Urcho | Muskegon | Runs | 112 | William Abernathie | Dayton | SO | 171 | |
| Ron Bowen | Muskegon | Hits | 169 | Jimmy Wallace | Saginaw | ERA | 2.05 | |
| Ron Bowen | Muskegon | RBI | 128 | James Vitter | Dayton | PCT | .800 12-3 | |
| Ron Bowen | Muskegon | HR | 28 |
1951 Central League
| 1951 Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayton Indians | 87 | 50 | .635 | - | Jimmy Crandall |
| Muskegon Clippers | 86 | 54 | .614 | 2.5 | Jimmy Gleeson |
| Saginaw Jacks | 79 | 58 | .577 | 8.0 | Bert Niehoff |
| Charleston Senators | 69 | 70 | .496 | 19.0 | Ernie White |
| Grand Rapids Jets | 53 | 82 | .393 | 33.0 | Jack Knight / Everett Robinson |
| Flint Arrows | 38 | 98 | .279 | 48.5 | Steve Bysco |
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Greengrass | Muskegon | BA | .379 | Emil Patrick | Muskegon | W | 20 | |
| Ed Krage | Muskegon | Runs | 128 | Ryne Duren | Dayton | SO | 238 | |
| Oscar Khederian | Saginaw | Hits | 185 | Calvin Howe | Grand Rapids | ERA | 2.33 | |
| Ed Krage Ron Bowen |
Muskegon | RBI | 114 | Bob Freels | Dayton | PCT | .773 17-5 | |
| Ed Krage | Muskegon | HR | 31 |
References
edit- ^ Ball Park Digest Archived October 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d e Lloyd Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.