The Kansas State League was a minor league baseball league in the United States that operated in the state of Kansas in the late 19th century and into the early 20th century.
History
The Kansas State League was first established in 1887 as a Minor League Baseball "no classification" league and existed for that year only.
The league continued again and played in 1895 to 1896 as a "no classification" league.
Progressing into the 20th century, the circuit played in 1905–1906 as a class D league and this stint lasted two years.
The last segment of the league operated as a class D league from 1909–1911, and 1913–1914. The original Kansas State League ceased operation in 1911, merged with the Central Kansas League, and the 1912 season was played under the CKL name. In 1913, the CKL switched back to the Kansas State League name. After the 1914 season the league permanently disbanded.[1]
Cities represented
- Arkansas City, KS: Arkansas City 1887; Arkansas City Grays 1910
- Arkansas City, KS & Winfield, KS: Arkansas City-Winfield Twins 1909;
- Atchison, KS: Atchison Huskers 1897-1898
- Bartlesville, OK: Bartlesville Indians 1906
- Chanute, KS: Chanute 1896; Chanute Browns 1906
- Cherryvale, KS: Cherryvale Boosters 1906
- Clay Center, KS: Clay Center Colts 1913
- Coffeyville, KS: Coffeyville 1896; Coffeyville Bricks 1906
- El Dorado, KS: El Dorado Crushers 1911
- Ellsworth, KS: Ellsworth 1905; Emporia Bidwells 1914
- Emporia, KS: Emporia Reds 1887; Emporia Maroons 1895, 1897
- Fort Scott, KS: Fort Scott Giants 1906
- Great Bend, KS: Great Bend Millers 1905, 1909-1911, 1913-1914
- Hoisington, KS: Hoisington 1905
- Hutchinson, KS: Hutchinson Salt Miners 1905; Hutchinson Salt Packers 1909-1911; Hutchinson Packers 1914
- Independence, KS: Independence 1896; Independence Coyotes 1906
- Iola, KS: Iola Grays 1906
- Joplin, MO: Joplin 1887
- Junction City, KS: Junction City Parrots 1897; Junction City Soldiers 1913
- Kingman, KS: Kingman 1905
- Larned, KS: Larned Cowboys 1909; Larned Wheat Kings 1910-1911
- Leavenworth, KS: Leavenworth Soldiers 1895
- Lincoln Center, KS: Lincoln Center 1905
- Lyons, KS: Lyons Lions 1909-1911, 1913
- Manhattan, KS: Manhattan Elks 1913
- McPherson, KS: McPherson Merry Macks 1909-1911
- Minneapolis, KS: Minneapolis Minnies 1905
- Newton, KS: Newton Railroaders 1909-1911
- Ottawa, KS: Ottawa 1898
- Parsons, KS: Parsons Parsons 1896; Parsons Preachers 1906
- Pittsburg, KS: Pittsburg Champs 1906
- Salina, KS: Salina/Junction City/Salina Blues 1898; Salina Insurgents 1913; Salina Coyotes 1914
- Strong City, KS & Cottonwood Falls, KS: Strong City-Cottonwood Falls Twin Cities 1909
- Topeka, KS: Topeka Giants 1895, 1898; Topeka Colts 1897
- Troy, KS: Troy Browns 1895
- Vinita, OK: Vinita 1906
- Webb City, MO: Webb City 1887
- Wellington, KS: Wellington Browns 1887; Wellington Dukes 1909-1911
- Whiting, KS/Horton, KS: Whiting-Horton 1895
- Wichita, KS: Wichita Braves 1887; Wichita Blues 1898
- Winfield, KS: Winfield 1887
League overview
| Year | Champion | Teams | Classification | League President | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1887 | Wellington Browns | 6 | Independent | Walden | |
| 1895 | Troy Browns | 4 | Independent | Harry T. Mote | |
| 1896 | Independence | 4 | Independent | W.H. Thompson | |
| 1905 | Ellsworth | 6 | D | George T. Tremble | |
| 1906 | Independence Coyotes | 8 | D | Edward Bero, Jr. | League restarted July 6 |
| 1909 | Lyons Lions | 8 | D | P. H. Hostutler | |
| 1910 | Hutchinson Salt Packers | 8 | D | P. H. Hostutler | |
| 1911 | Great Bend Millers | 8 | D | C. A. Case / Roy C. Gafford | League disbanded on July 11 |
| 1913 | Great Bend Millers | 6 | D | Roy C. Gafford | |
| 1914 | Emporia Bidwells | 4 | D | Roy C. Gafford |
Standings & statistics
1887 Kansas State League
| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wellington Browns | 20 | 15 | .571 | – | Jack Pettiford |
| Arkansas City | 19 | 20 | .487 | 3.0 | W.F. Wingate/ Billy Hunter / Luke Short |
| Emporia Reds | 17 | 25 | .405 | 6.5 | Downing |
| Wichita Braves | 19 | 12 | .613 | NA | George Mold |
| Joplin | 1 | 4 | .200 | NA | Davis Bailor |
| Webb City | 0 | 2 | .000 | NA | James Ellis |
Wichita dropped out and moved to Western League July 21; Joplin entered July 26 and disbanded August 4; Webb City entered league July 28 and disbanded August 4; Winfield entered league July 6th, disbanded July 15th.
The league folded August 8
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ducky Hemp | Wichita | BA | .389 | George Haddock | Emporia | W | 8 | |
| Gibbs | Emporia | Runs | 31 | Jack Pettiford | Wellington | W | 8 | |
| Bright | Emporia | Hits | 53 | Walter Baldwin | Wichita | PCT | .800 4–1 | |
| Gibbs | Emporia | HR | 6 |
1895 Kansas State League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troy Browns | 19 | 14 | .576 | – | W.F. Johnson / Bill Devereux |
| Emporia Maroons | 16 | 15 | .516 | 2.0 | J.R. Soden |
| Topeka Giants | 16 | 16 | .500 | 2.5 | Harry Mote |
| Leavenworth Soldiers / Whiting-Horton |
12 | 18 | .400 | 5.5 | F.W. Gassman / Logan |
Leavenworth (7-10) suspended July 22 and Whiting-Horton took the franchise
1896 Kansas State League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence | 16 | 8 | .667 | – | J.W. Farleigh |
| Coffeyville | 12 | 11 | .522 | 3.5 | Foster |
| Parsons Parsons | 9 | 11 | .450 | 5.0 | NA |
| Chanute | 10 | 17 | .370 | 7.5 | George Reese |
Parsons disbanded August 10, causing the league to fold August 20
1905 Kansas State League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellsworth | 34 | 15 | .694 | – | N/A |
| Great Bend Millers | 19 | 9 | .679 | 4.5 | Carl Moore |
| Minneapolis Minnies | 24 | 22 | .522 | 8.5 | Roy Gafford |
| Hutchinson Salt Miners | 22 | 24 | .478 | 10.5 | Cook / Fred Abbott |
| Lincoln Center | 11 | 19 | .375 | 13.5 | Simpson |
| Kingman/Hoisington | 13 | 34 | .276 | 20.0 | N/A |
Lincoln Center and Great Bend joined the league on July 6; Kingman disbanded on July 22 and Hoisington took Kingman's place July 24.
| Statistic | Player | Team | Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wins | Jones | Ellsworth | 10 |
| Cy Mason | Hutchinson Salt Miners | ||
| Arthur Relihan | Ellsworth | ||
| Winning percentage | Jones | Ellsworth | .909 (10–1) |
| Complete games | Cy Mason | Hutchinson Salt Miners | 15 |
| Shutouts | Jones | Ellsworth | 5 |
Two No–Hitters were thrown in 1905. One by Lefty Holmes of Great Bend, and the other by Salter of Minneapolis.
1906 Kansas State League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence Coyotes | 69 | 48 | .590 | – | Charles McLin / Crutcher / John Hendley |
| Iola Grays/Cherryvale Boosters | 62 | 50 | .554 | 4.5 | William Burns |
| Parsons Preachers | 60 | 50 | .545 | 5.5 | C. Pinkerton / P.P. Duffy / B.L. Taft |
| Coffeyville Bricks | 58 | 50 | .537 | 6.5 | Ed Mahley / Harry Barndollar/ Haisman / Finney |
| Bartlesville Indians | 51 | 64 | .443 | 17.0 | Gus Albert |
| Chanute Browns | 31 | 82 | .274 | 36.0 | A. Allen |
| Fort Scott Giants | 35 | 18 | .660 | NA | M. McDonald |
| Pittsburg Champs/ Vinita |
30 | 25 | .545 | NA | H. Bartley / William Burns |
Pittsburg moved to Vinita June 6; Iola moved to Cherryvale on June 15; Fort Scott and Vinita disbanded on July 5. The league discarded all games played before July 10 and the season was restarted.
| Statistic | Player | Team | Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batting average | Ben Haas | Independence Coyotes | .341 |
| Hits | Ed Foster | Coffeyville Bricks | 97 |
| Runs | Wilder Gray | Coffeyville Bricks | 44 |
| Wins | Chick Brandom | Independence Coyotes | 16 |
| Strikeouts | Chick Brandom | Independence Coyotes | 121 |
| Winning percentage | Harry Womack | Coffeyville Bricks | 1.000 (10–0) |
1909 Kansas State League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyons Lions | 61 | 37 | .622 | – | Cecil Bankhead |
| Hutchinson Salt Packers | 60 | 37 | .619 | 0.5 | Bill Zink |
| McPherson Merry Macks | 59 | 37 | .615 | 1.0 | O. P. Depew / Earl Green |
| Great Bend Millers | 49 | 48 | .505 | 11.5 | Rudy Kling / Stillings |
| Wellington Dukes | 44 | 54 | .449 | 17.0 | Cy Mason / John Meade |
| Newton Railroaders | 42 | 54 | .438 | 18.0 | Con Harlow / A. Stillwell |
| Arkansas City-Winfield Twins | 41 | 56 | .423 | 19.5 | M. E. Parks / Frank Layne / Bennie Owens |
| Strong City-Cottonwood Falls Twin Cities / Larned Cowboys |
32 | 65 | .330 | 28.5 | Butch Freese / Buck Weaver |
The city of Winfield, Kansas bought partial interest in Arkansas City franchise on July 22; Strong City–Cottonwood Falls moved to Larned July 12.
| Statistic | Player | Team | Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batting average | Jim Miller | Newton Railroaders | .342 |
| Home Runs | Pete LaFlambois | Arkansas City-Winfield Twins | 6 |
| Hits | Jim Miller | Newton Railroaders | 119 |
| Runs | Jasper Hainsey | McPherson Merry Macks | 66 |
| Wins | Robert Hassler | Lyons Lions | 25 |
| Strikeouts | Robert Hassler | Lyons Lions | 193 |
| Winning percentage | Pearl Stanley | Hutchinson Salt Packers | .793 (23–6) |
1910 Kansas State League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson Salt Packers | 70 | 39 | .642 | – | Bill Zink |
| McPherson Merry Macks | 58 | 49 | .542 | 11.0 | D. Conklin / F. J. Synek |
| Lyons Lions | 57 | 53 | .518 | 13.5 | Cecil Bankhead / Joe Riggert / Buck Ebright / John Jones |
| Newton Railroaders | 56 | 54 | .509 | 14.5 | Mel Backus |
| Great Bend Millers | 54 | 55 | .495 | 16.0 | Charles Lyons |
| Wellington Dukes | 48 | 56 | .461 | 19.5 | C. Pinkerton / Ody Abbott / Harry Vitter / Lewis Armstrong |
| Larned Wheat Kings | 46 | 56 | .451 | 20.5 | Buck Weaver / Harry McLean |
| Arkansas City Grays | 40 | 67 | .374 | 29.0 | L. Evans / Dennis McGuire / Doc Baker |
| Statistic | Player | Team | Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batting average | Joe Riggert | Lyons Lions | .362 |
| Home Runs | Joe Riggert | Lyons Lions | 13 |
| Hits | Bill Zink | Hutchinson Salt Packers | 141 |
| Runs | Charles Weisner | Lyons Lions | 132 |
| Wins | E. J. Smith | Hutchinson Salt Packers | 18 |
| Walt Sizemore | Lyons Lions | ||
| Strikeouts | Rolla Maple | Great Bend Millers | 205 |
| Winning percentage | E. J. Smith | Hutchinson Salt Packers | .750 (18–6) |
1911 Kansas State League
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Bend Millers | 39 | 20 | .661 | – | Affie Wilson / William Luhrsen |
| Newton Railroaders | 39 | 21 | .650 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Lyons Lions | 37 | 27 | .578 | 4.5 | Spencer Abbott |
| McPherson Merry Macks | 31 | 28 | .525 | 8.0 | Joseph Harris |
| Hutchinson Salt Packers | 29 | 29 | .500 | 9.5 | Bill Zink |
| Larned Wheat Kings | 23 | 32 | .418 | 14.0 | Harry Berte |
| El Dorado Crushers | 15 | 33 | .313 | 18.5 | Bill Annis / Walter Sizemore |
| Wellington Dukes | 15 | 38 | .283 | 21.0 | Peter Ketter / C. E. Powell / Ned Price |
Wellington played 10 home games in Wichita, Kansas from June 11 to June 23.
The league disbanded on July 11 due to crop failures and drought. No individual statistics available.
1913 Kansas State League
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Bend Millers | 53 | 36 | .596 | – | Affie Wilson / William Luhrsen |
| Clay Center Cubs | 51 | 37 | .580 | 1.5 | Max Addington |
| Lyons Lions | 50 | 39 | .562 | 3.0 | William Nelson |
| Salina Insurgents | 26 | 63 | .292 | 27.0 | Lon Ury / Mike Welday |
| Manhattan Elks | 27 | 24 | .529 | N/A | Fred Moore |
| Junction City Soldiers | 21 | 29 | .420 | N/A | Norm Price / Cecil Bankhead |
After Junction City disbanded July 9, the league dropped Manhattan on July 10.
| Statistic | Player | Team | Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batting average | John Singleton | Clay Center Cubs | .335 |
| Hits | John Singleton | Clay Center Cubs | 133 |
| Runs | John Singleton | Clay Center Cubs | 78 |
| Wins | J. L. O'Byrne | Lyons Lions | 17 |
| Winning percentage | C. H. Riley | Great Bend Millers | 1.000 (9–0) |
1914 Kansas State League
| Team | W | L | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emporia Bidwells | 54 | 32 | – | Ira Bidwell |
| Salina Coyotes | 47 | 41 | 8.0 | Dick Robin |
| Hutchinson Packers | 40 | 49 | 15.5 | Jesse Clifton |
| Great Bend Millers | 35 | 54 | 20.5 | Affie Wilson |
| Stat | Player | Team | Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batting average | Pete LaFlambois | Emporia Bidwells | .342 |
| Hits | Rick Freeman | Hutchinson Packers | 98 |
| Wins | Otis Lambeth Ralph Shimeal |
Emporia Bidwells Emporia Bidwells |
14 |
| Runs | Paul Turgeon | Emporia Bidwells | 61 |
| Strikeouts | Powell Burnett | Salina Coyotes | 166 |
| Winning percentage | Otis Lambeth | Emporia Bidwells | .737 (14–5) |
Sources
- Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (1997, second edition), edited by W. Lloyd Johnson]and Miles Wolff
- ^ The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, editors (Third ed.). Baseball America. 2007. ISBN 978-1932391176.
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