Description: The Fort Wayne Kekiongas were a professional baseball team, notable for winning the first professional league game on May 4, 1871. Though based in Fort Wayne, they were usually listed in game reports as simply "Kekionga" or "the Kekiongas", per the style of the day. "Fort Wayne Kekiongas" is modern nomenclature. Kekionga - pronounced KEY-key-awn-guh - is the name of Chief Little Turtle's Miami Indian settlement where the St. Joseph River and the St. Marys River join to form the Maumee River. This was the largest settlement of the Miami tribe. General "Mad" Anthony Wayne erected Fort Wayne at that same confluence, and the modern city of Fort Wayne, Indiana grew up around the fort.
Description: Eckford of Brooklyn, or simply Eckford, was an American baseball club from 1855 to 1872. When the Union Grounds opened on May 15, 1862 for baseball in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, it became the first enclosed baseball grounds in America. Three clubs called the field on the corner of Marcy Avenue and Rutledge Street home; however, the Eckford of Brooklyn were the most famous tenant. They played more games than any other club that year (7) and won the "national" championship, repeating the feat in 1863. During that two year period, the Eckfords won 22 straight matches which was the longest undefeated and untied streak to date. In the late 1860s, they were one of the pioneering professional clubs, although probably second to Mutual of New York.
Description: The Martinsville Manufacturers were a Bi-State League baseball team based in Martinsville, Virginia, United States that played from 1934 to 1941. They were affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1936 to 1939 Philadelphia Phillies from 1940 to 1941. They won one league championship, in 1940 under manager Harry Daughtry.
Description: The original Buffalo Bisons baseball club played in the National League between 1879 and 1885. The Bisons played their games at Riverside Park (1879–1883) and Olympic Park (1884–1885) in Buffalo, New York. The NL Bisons are included in the history of the minor-league team of the same name that still plays today; it is thus the only NL team from the 19th century that both still exists and no longer plays in Major League Baseball.
Description: The Wichita Aviators were a professional indoor football team that played in the American Professional Football League (APFL). The Aviators played their home games in Britt Brown Arena at the Kansas Coliseum during the team's first season (2005). In 2006, the Aviators played their home games at the Wichita Ice Center in Wichita, Kansas. The Wichita Aviators and Kansas Koyotes were both owned by APFL founder Ralph Adams. Carl Caldwell was the head coach of the Aviators, and Mike McCoy was the General Manager.
Description: The Olympic Club of Washington, D.C., or Washington Olympics in modern nomenclature, was an early professional baseball team. When the National Association of Base Ball Players permitted openly professional clubs for the 1869 season, the Olympics were one of twelve to go pro. Two years later they were a founding member of the first professional sports league, the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAPBBP or NA, for short). The Olympics played home games at Olympics Grounds in Washington. They were founded by Nicholas Young, an outfielder who continued as non-playing business and field manager after 1870.
Description: The Camden Ouachitas were a minor league baseball team based in Camden, Arkansas in 1906. Preceded by the 1894 Camden Yellow Hammers, the Camden teams played as members of the Class D level Arkansas State League in 1894 and Arkansas-Texas League in 1906. Camden hosted home minor league games at Recreation Park.
Description: Minor league baseball teams were based in Aurora, Illinois, in various seasons from 1888 to 1915. Playing under numerous monikers, Aurora teams played as members of the Interstate League in 1888, Illinois-Iowa League from 1890 to 1892, Western Interstate League in 1895. The 1911 Aurora Blues continued play in the Wisconsin–Illinois League as the league became a Class C level league in 1911. The Blues finished with a record of 56–57 record and in seventh place.
Description: Local enthusiasts in 1942 brought a professional team to Burlington. The Burlington Bees played in Burlington in 1942, and from 1945-1951. The Bees played in the Bi-State League and the Carolina League. Following the departure of the Bees, the Burlington-Graham Pirates came to the area in 1952. This team played four seasons at Graham High School, now known as Tom Zachary field. Jack McKeon was of the most famous to play for them. McKeon went on to manage several teams including the 2003 Florida Marlins who won the World Series.
Description: Lincoln was first represented in organized baseball in 1886 as the Tree Planters in the reorganized original Western League. Lincoln's 19th-century teams played in various leagues between 1886 and 1895. In 1906, Lincoln joined the Class A Western League as the Ducklings (1906), Treeplanters (1907), Railsplitters (1908–13) and Tigers (1914–16). During this time, team nicknames were often unofficially assigned by sportswriters, and The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, published by Baseball America in 2007, lists other nicknames for the Lincoln franchise of the time, including Greenbackers and Antelopes.
Description: The Bassett Furnituremakers were a minor league baseball team based in Bassett, Virginia, USA that played from 1935 to 1940. Bassett was a member of the Bi-State League (1935–1940) and the Blue Ridge League (1950). Bassett was an affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers (1940), Cincinnati Reds (1939) and New York Yankees (1936–1937). Baseball Hall of Fame member Phil Rizzuto played for Bassett in 1937, his first professional season.
Description: The Sioux City Cowboys were a minor league baseball team that played in the Western League (1934–1937), Nebraska State League (1938) and another incarnation of the Western League (1939). The team, based in Sioux City, Iowa, was affiliated with the Detroit Tigers in 1937 and 1939. It was the first team to be based in Sioux City since 1924. They played at Stockyards Park. The team made the playoffs in four of its six seasons, reaching the league finals three times and winning the league championship once, in 1939 under managers Pete Monahan and Jimmy Zinn.
Description: In 1903 the former Des Moines Midgets were renamed the Des Moines Undertakers. The club was just 55-76, 7th in the 8-team Western League, though Harvey Cushman led the league with 195 strikeouts. Shortstop Charley O'Leary was fourth in the circuit with a .311 batting average and had the best fielding percentage at his position. Due to the presence of the insurance industry in Des Moines, IA the club was renamed the Des Moines Prohibitionists in 1904.
Description: The Toledo White Stockings were a minor league baseball team based in Toledo, Ohio. In 1894 and 1895, Toledo teams played exclusively as members of the Class A level Western League. Toledo was known as the "Swamp Angels" in 1895, before the team relocated as the result of Blue laws. The Western League evolved to become today's American League in 1901. In 1895, the Toledo Swamp Angels continued play in the Western League, before the franchise relocated during the season. Some references have the team continuing under the "White Stockings" nickname in 1895.
Description: The Mount Airy Graniteers were a minor league baseball Class D team that represented the city of Mount Airy, North Carolina. The team played under two different names in two leagues over their 13 non-consecutive seasons spanning 1934–1950. The club joined the Bi-State League for the 1934 season. In 1935, the Graniteers changed its name to the Mount Airy Reds and continued to operate in the league through 1937.
Description: The Muskogee Navigators were a Western Association baseball team based in Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States that played from 1909 to 1910. Multiple major league baseball players played for them, including Pug Cavet, Dick Crutcher, Bert Graham and Paddy Mayes. They were managed by George Dalrymple in 1909 and Peck Harrington and Ed Nichols in 1910.
Description: The Jersey City Skeeters were a minor league baseball team which operated in Jersey City, New Jersey. The club started in the 1860s and by 1870 joined the National Association of Base Ball Players. By 1885, Jersey City had joined the Eastern League, but they dropped out before the end of the season. The team rejoined the league the following year, finishing in second place. In 1887, a Jersey City Skeeters team was playing in the International League, but in 1888, they were in the Central League, a much lower league, competition-wise.
Description: The Poplar Bluff Tigers were a minor league baseball team based Poplar Bluff, Missouri. In 1908, the Tigers played briefly as members of the Class D level Arkansas State League. During the 1908 season, Poplar Bluff relocated to Brinkley, Arkansas and became the Brinkley Infants for the remainder of the season. The Tigers hosted minor league home games at Sportsman's Park. The combined Poplar Bluff/Brinkley team finished last in the Arkansas State League standings.
Description: Lincoln was first represented in organized baseball in 1886 as the Tree Planters in the reorganized original Western League. Lincoln's 19th-century teams played in various leagues between 1886 and 1895. In 1906, Lincoln joined the Class A Western League as the Ducklings (1906), Treeplanters (1907), Railsplitters (1908–13) and Tigers (1914–16). During this time, team nicknames were often unofficially assigned by sportswriters, and The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, published by Baseball America in 2007, lists other nicknames for the Lincoln franchise of the time, including Greenbackers and Antelopes.
Description: On August 24, 1910, the Shelbyville Grays franchise of the Class D level Blue Grass League relocated to Maysville, Kentucky, finishing the 1910 season playing as the Maysville Rivermen. Reports state that Maysville owners purchased the Shelbyville franchise for $500.00. The owners of the Maysville team were local citizens, headed up by businessmen, J.W. Fitzgerald and Preston Wells. The Rivermen had a record of 3–24 after the move to Maysville. In 1910, Maysville businesses offered gifts to players who hit home runs. The Shelbyville/Maysville team finished last, in sixth place, with a 37–89 overall record and were 42.5 games behind the first place Paris Bourbonites in the final standings.
Description: Minor league baseball teams were based in Leavenworth, Kansas in various seasons between 1886 and 1949. Leavenworth teams played as members of the Western League (1886–1888), Kansas State League (1895), Missouri Valley League (1903–1904) and Western Association (1905–1907, 1946–1949). Leavenworth played in the 1907 Western Association as the Leavenworth Convicts. The moniker corresponds to Leavenworth being home of the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, which opened in 1903. The 1907 Leavenworth Convicts finished 29–108, placing a distant eighth in the Western Association, 71.0 games out of first place. The team folded following the 1907 season.
Description: The Grand Rapids Baseball Club was a minor league baseball team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan that played under several different names at various times between 1883 and 1951. In the 1890s, they played in the Western League, a minor league precursor to what is now the American League of Major League Baseball, before moving to Cleveland in 1900 and becoming the present-day Cleveland Guardians. Later Grand Rapids teams played mostly in the Central League but also in various other Michigan-based leagues. After a long minor league hiatus in Grand Rapids, the West Michigan Whitecaps of the Midwest League began play in Comstock Park, Michigan, just outside Grand Rapids, in 1994.
Description: Minor league professional baseball began in Ardmore during the 1904 season. On August 5, 1904, the Texas League member franchise Paris Red Ravens relocated from Paris, Texas to Ardmore and became the Ardmore Territorians to finish the 1904 season. The team finished with a 26–75 overall record. Ardmore teams played as a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians from 1947 to 1948, St. Louis Cardinals from 1953 to 1957 and Baltimore Orioles in 1961. Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Carl Hubbell played for the 1924 Ardmore Bearcats at age 21.
Description: In 1894, the Jacksonville Jacks joined the reformed Western Association. The Des Moines Prohibitionists, Lincoln Treeplanters, Omaha Omahogs, Peoria Distillers, Quincy Ravens, Rock Island-Moline Islanders and St. Joseph Saints joined Jacksonville in league play. Jacksonville finished with a 67–57 record in 1894, placing fourth in the standings, finishing 6.0 games behind the first place Rock Island-Moline Islanders, playing the season under manager Con Strothers. Joe Strauss of Jacksonville led the league with 33 home runs. The Jacksonville Jacks continued play in 1895 and had a record of 33–36 on August 8, 1895, when the franchise moved to nearby Springfield, Illinois.
Description: The Okmulgee Drillers were a minor league baseball team that played in the Western Association from 1920 to 1927. They were based in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. In 1922, they played at Athletic Park, and from 1923 to 1927, they played at Petrolia Park. Under managers Whitey Hensling and Ed Brennan in 1920, the Drillers went 83-46, finishing first in the standings. They tied for the league championship that season. In 1921, they had three or four different managers. One source says they were managed by Frank Herriott, Harry Womack and Johnny Wuffli, while another says Ed Klepfer managed them as well. They finished seventh in the standings that season, going 71-76. Under managers Wuffli and Troy Agnew in 1922, the Drillers finish
Description: The Western baseball club of Keokuk, Iowa, or Keokuk Westerns in modern nomenclature, was a professional baseball team in the National Association in 1875, the last season of that first professional league. It is considered a major league team by those who count the NA as a major league. It was geographically the farthest west that major league baseball had progressed up to that time.
Description: The Pottstown Legionaires were a short lived minor league baseball team based in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. In 1932, the Legionaires played as members of the six–team, Class D level Interstate League. The Interstate League folded during the 1932 season, with Pottstown in second place.
Description: The Casper Ghosts are moving from Casper, Wyo., to Grand Junction, Colo. — and that means baseball is losing one of its neatest team/nickname combinations, just four years after the Pioneer League team adopted the name. The team, formerly known as the Butte Copper Kings and the Casper Rockies, was in the news in 2008, when it announced its unique glow-in-the-dark caps. An affiliate of the Colorado Rockies organization, the Ghosts seem to have ingratiated themselves with the community. A notice on its website announced its partnership "with US Bank, Taco Johns, and the Casper Police Department to provide a positive influence on the youth in Natrona County."
Description: The Asbury Park Sea Urchins were a minor league baseball team based in Asbury Park, New Jersey in 1914. The Asbury Park team previously played as members of the 1897 New Jersey State League before the Urchins played a partial season as members of the 1914 Atlantic League. Minor league baseball play began in Asbury Park, New Jersey in 1897, when the Asbury Park team played as members of the 1897 New Jersey State League. The league was a four–team Class D level league. The New Jersey State League was formed with teams in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Bridgeton, New Jersey and Millville, New Jersey joining Asbury Park as charter members.
Description: The Brainerd-Little Falls Muskies were a minor league baseball team that played for one season, 1934, in the Northern League. They represented the cities of Brainerd, Minnesota and Little Falls, Minnesota. They played their home games at Bane Park in Brainerd. Under manager Charlie Patton, they went 58-58 in their only season of existence, good for fourth in the league.
Description: The Elgin Watch Makers were a minor league baseball team based in Elgin, Illinois in 1915. Elgin teams played as members of the Class D level Northern Association in 1910 and Bi-State League in 1915, winning the 1910 league championship. Elgin played as the Elgin "Kittens" in 1910 in a shortened season, with the nickname being a tribute to manager Mal Kittridge. The Elgin minor league teams hosted home games at Trout Park.
Description: The city of Mansfield, Ohio, was home to minor league baseball teams, known by various nicknames, which played periodically between 1887 and 1912, and between 1935 and 1941. The team first began play in the Ohio State League in 1887 as simply Mansfield. In 1906, the city was represented in then Ohio–Pennsylvania League with the Mansfield Giants. The club changed its name to the Mansfield Pioneers in 1907 until 1909. The team was once again renamed the Mansfield Reformers in 1910 and the Mansfield Brownies in 1911. In 1912 the club moved back to the Ohio State League for their final season of this era.
Description: The Franklin Millionaires were a minor league baseball team based in Franklin, Pennsylvania. In 1907 and 1908, the Millionaires played as members of the Class D level Interstate League. Baseball Hall of Fame member Joe McCarthy played for the 1907 Franklin Millionaires. The Franklin Millionaires were preceded in minor league play by the 1895 Franklin Braves team who won the championship of the Class C level Iron and Oil League in the one season of league play.
Description: The Coudersport Giants were a minor league baseball team based in Coudersport, Pennsylvania. In 1905, the Giants played as members of the Class D level Interstate League, winning the league championship in their final season of play. Previously hosting the 1904 Coudersport minor league team of the independent Southern Tier League, Coudersport played home minor league games at Morgan Park.
Description: The Punxsutawney Policemen were a minor league baseball team based in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. In 1906 and 1907, the "Policemen" played as members of the Class D level Interstate League, before folding during the 1907 season. Punxsutawney hosted minor league home games at the Punxsutawney Diamond.
