Arkansas State League

Last updated
Arkansas State League
Classification Independent (1894, 1897)
Class D (1908–1909, 1934–1935)
Sport Minor League Baseball
First season1894
Ceased1935
Replaced by Arkansas-Missouri League
PresidentHarry S. Edwards (1897)
T. J. Craighead (1908)
W. W. Hurst (1909)
R. M. Rider (1909)
Frank E. Matthews (1934)
Charles Morgan (1934–1935)
No. of teams22
Country United States of America
Most titles2
Little Rock 1894, 1897
Rogers (1934–1935)
Related
competitions		 Northeast Arkansas League
Arkansas-Texas League

The Arkansas State League was an American minor league baseball league that played in various seasons between 1894 and 1935, forming three different times. The first version was in operation in 1894, followed by an 1897 league. The Class D level league operated from 1908 to 1909 in Arkansas and Louisiana and also in 1934 to 1935 in Arkansas and Missouri. In 1936, the league evolved to become the Arkansas-Missouri League. Little Rock and Rogers each won two league championships.

Contents

Cities represented

[1]

Standings & statistics

1894 & 1897

1894 Arkansas State League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManager
Little Rock Rose Buds 115.688-NA
Morrilton Cotton Pickers 105.6670.5Massey
Camden Rainmakers 710.4124.5NA
Hot Springs Bathers 311.2147.0NA
Fort Smith Indians NANANANARogers
TexarkanaNANANANANA

Season ended June 23 [2]
1897 Arkansas State League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Little Rock Senators 217.750-Harry Edwards
Hot Springs Bathers 1715.5316.0Dudley Payne
Fort Smith Indians 1523.39510.0Hardin
Texarkana Nobles 923.28114.0Thomas Browner

After the league disbanded August 18, Little Rock and Hot Springs played a 21-game series for the championship of Arkansas.

[1] [3]

1908 & 1909

1908 Arkansas State League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Hot Springs Giants 7838.672-Arthur Riggs / W. Forbes
Newport Pearl Diggers 6544.5969.5Robert Shelton
Helena Ponies 6748.58310.5Rudolph Kling
Pine Bluff Pine Knotts 5161.45524.0Walter Deaver / Al Sullivan
Argenta Shamrocks 4968.41928.5James Kerwin / Roy Geyer /
Charles Reece / Arthur Riggs
Poplar Bluff Tigers /
Brinkley Infants 		2879.26245.5Al Sullivan / Lee Dawkins

Poplar Bluff was replaced by Brinkley June 8. No Playoffs were scheduled. [4]

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Elmer CoyleHot SpringsBA.376 Lucky Wright Hot SpringsW27
Elmer CoyleHot SpringsRuns134 Hippo Vaughn Hot SpringsPct.900; 9-1
Elmer CoyleHot SpringsHits178Herbert BenhamHelenaSB65

1909 Arkansas State League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Jonesboro Zebras 4227.609-Senter Rainey / Harry Welch
Helena Hellions 3925.6090.5C. A. Vandergriff
Texarkana 3435.4938.0Robert Shelton
Hot Springs Vaporites 3337.4719.5Arthur Riggs / Elmer Coyle
Monroe Municipals /
Newport-Batesville Pearl Diggers 		2538.39714.0W. Dobard
Ft. Smith Soldiers 2742.39115.0 Hugo Bezdek / Dad Ritter
Argenta Shamrocks 2619.578NADad Ritter
Alexandria Hoo Hoos 2023.465NAJohn Auslet

Argenta & Alexandria disbanded June 7; Monroe moved to Newport-Batesville July 1.
League disbanded July 7. [1] [5]

1934 & 1935

1934 Arkansas State League
The Arkansas State League reformed with four teams. Franchises based in Bentonville, Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Rogers, Arkansas, and Siloam Springs, Arkansas joined. The winners of the first and second halves of the season played for the league championship at the end of the year.

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Bentonville Officeholders 4035.533-Red Wilson /
Tom McGill / Ed Hawk
Siloam Springs Buffaloes 3734.5211.0Clyde Glass
Rogers Rustlers 3635.5072.0Ed Hawk / Pete Casey
Fayetteville Educators 3342.4407.0Fred Hawn / Frank Matthews

Playoff: Rogers defeated Siloam Springs 5–2 in a one-game playoff for the first half title. Bentonville was declared second half winner when Fayetteville and Siloam Springs folded August 19.
Finals: Rogers defeated Bentonville 4 games to 3 for the championship. [1] [6]

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
John GravesSiloam SpringsBA.387Maurice WollardBentonvilleW12
Bill BeamsBentonvilleRuns61Everette HillSiloam SpringsPct.889; 8-1
Parker RushingFayettevilleHits96Bill BeamsBentonvilleHR12
Clyde GlassSiloam SpringsRBI67

1935 Arkansas State League
The league expanded, adding the franchises in Cassville, Missouri and Huntsville, Arkansas to expand from four teams to six teams.

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Siloam Springs Travelers 6643.606- Ray Powell
Rogers Cardinals 5950.5417.0Fred Cato / Frank Stapleton
Cassville Tigers 5448.5298.5Ed Hawk
Bentonville Officeholders 5156.47714.0 Bud Davis
Fayetteville Bears 4556.44617.0Pete Casey / Fred Cato
Huntsville Red Birds 4163.39422.5Jim Nicely /
Charles Wilson / Bill Werner

Playoff: Rogers (1st half winner) defeated Siloam Springs (2nd half winner) 4 games to 3 for the championship. [1] [7]

All teams continued play in the renamed 1936 Arkansas–Missouri League. The Arkansas State League folded. [8]

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Duane KratzerCassvilleBA.397 Jumbo Brown BentonvilleW20
Howard RobertsCassvilleRuns89George GibsonBentonvilleW20
Wilbur DavisBentonvilleHits146Johnny JohnCassvilleSO147
Wilbur DavisBentonvilleRBI93 Jumbo Brown BentonvilleERA2.97
Howard RobertsCassvilleHR21

[1]

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References

Hall, John G. "Majoring in The Minors." Oklahoma Bylines-Transcript Press, Norman, Oklahoma 1996 and republished 2000 by Inter-State Printing, Sedalia, Mo. ISBN   1-882336-09-7.

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