Border League (baseball)

Last updated
Border League
Classification Class D (1912–1913)
Class C (1946–1951)
Sport Minor League Baseball
First season 1912
Ceased 1951
PresidentRichard Jackson (1912)
A. L. Ulbrich (1913)
John G. Ward (1946–1951)
No. of teams8
Country United States of America
Most titles2
Ogdensburg Maples (1948, 1950)

The Border League was the name of two 20th century circuits in North America minor league baseball. The first Border league operated in the 1912 and 1913 seasons as a Class D level league with five teams based in Michigan and one in Ontario. The Border League resumed play from 1946 to 1951 as a Class C level minor league, with teams based in New York, Quebec and Ontario.

Contents

1912–1913 league in Michigan and Ontario

The first, also known as the Eastern Michigan League, was a Class D minor league in 1912 and 1913 at the Canada–US border. It was composed of five teams from Michigan and one from Windsor, Ontario. This six-team league never really got off the ground, playing a minimal 35 game schedule. The league lost one Michigan team that disbanded in 1913. This action helped cause the league's downfall. There was no known effort to organize the league in 1914. [1]

1912–1913 cities and teams

1946–1951 league in New York, Ontario and Quebec

The name was revived for a post-World War II Class C circuit that operated from 1946 through 1951 before shutting down. It was represented by nine cities, five from across the Canada–US border (four from Ontario and one from Quebec) and four from the state of New York. The four New York, teams, along with the Kingston, Ontario, squad were able to make the full run. The Ottawa Senators entry won three of the league's six pennants. [1]

The league proved to be a good solid competitive group for the first five years. Attendance was good, the league drew over 1,600,000 fans the first five years before finally disbanding on July 16, 1951. [1]

1946–1951 cities and teams

Standings & statistics

1912 & 1913

1912 Border League schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Wyandotte Alkalis 195.792H. R. Brown
Pontiac Indians 149.6094.5Henry McIntoch
Mount Clemens Bathers 1115.4239.0W. Trombley
Windsor 914.3919.5J. Wilkie
Port Huron Independents 717.29212.0Bill Brown

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Frank LorangerWyandotteBA.376Frank LorangerWyandotteHits37
Orville Woodruff WyandotteRuns21

1913 Border League schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Ypsilanti 2410.706W. C. Pearce
Wyandotte Alkalis 2413.6491.5H. R. Browne
Port Huron Independents 1519.4419.0Bill Brown
Pontiac Indians 1318.4189.5Henry McIntoch
Windsor 1024.29414.0James Wilkie / Arthur Goodman
Mount Clemens Bathers 79.437NAW.Trombley

Mount Clemens disbanded July 12.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Jack ShaferYpsilantiBA.395Ferdy ManningWyandotteW10
Carl StimpsonYpsilantiRuns30George MuellerPort HuronSO149
Orville Woodruff WyandotteHits49 Ralph Bell YpsilantiPct1.000; 6–0

Home Runs: 4 players tied with 2 each.

1946 to 1951

1946 Border League

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Auburn Cayugas 7244.62148,683Barney Hearn
Watertown Athletics 6951.5755.053,605Jim Scott
Kingston Ponies 5855.51312.560,957Ben Lady
Granby Red Sox 5460.47417.031,159Bill Sisler / Hal Cleves
Ogdensburg Maples 5068.42423.028,395Bob Dill
Sherbrooke Canadiens 4671.39326.525,576George T. Smith / Dutch Proecher

Playoffs: Kingston 3 games, Auburn 1. Watertown 3 games, Granby 1.
Finals: Watertown 4 games, Kingston 2.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Bob DillOgdenburgBA.397Arnold JarrellKingstonW21
Bob DillOgdenburgRBI118Peter KarpukKingstonSO175
Bob DillOgdenburgHR20Arnold JarrellKingstonERA2.30
James HeximerKingstonHits156

1947 Border League schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Ottawa Nationals 8242.66162,607 Paul Dean
Watertown Athletics 7054.56512.053,600 Bob Shawkey
Auburn Cayugas 6660.52417.059,637Barney Hearn
Ogdensburg Maples 6165.48422.063,486 Steve Yerkes
Kingston Ponies 4977.38934.052,268Ben Lady
Geneva Red Birds 4676.37735.057,308 Charles Small

Playoffs: Ottawa 4 games, Auburn 0. Ogdensburg 4 games, Watertown 3.
Finals: Ottawa 4 games, Ogdensburg 2.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Barney HearnAuburnBA.361 Frank Fanovich WatertownW16
Anthony GudaitisOgdensburgRuns122Arnold JarrellKingstonW16
Fred GerkenWatertownHits172Charles SchuppOttawaW16
Donald PhelpsGenevaRBI103Nick ButcherOttawaW16
Donald PhelpsGenevaHR25 Frank Fanovich WatertownSO182
Anthony GudaitisGenevaHR25 Frank Fanovich WatertownERA2.41

1948 Border League schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Ottawa Senators 7948.62276,299Bill Metzig
Geneva Robins 7254.5716.566,149 Charles Small
Ogdensburg Maples 6960.53511.060,116Russ Wein
Watertown Athletics 6365.49216.565,590Fred Gerken
Kingston Ponies 4976.39229.040,656Ben Lady
Auburn Cayugas 4978.38630.043,102Barney Hearn

Playoffs: Ogdensburg 4 games, Ottawa 1. Watertown 4 games, Geneva 3.
Finals: Ogdensburg 4 games, Watertown 0.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Garland Lawing OgdensburgBA.379Leonard SeamonOttawaW21
Garland Lawing OgdensburgRuns112Arthur CookKingstonW21
Garland Lawing OgdensburgHits164Bill GatesWatertownSO232
Garland Lawing OgdensburgRBI122Leonard SeamonOttawaERA2.00
Bill ReardonKingstonHR24

1949 Border League schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Geneva Robins 8149.62367,259 Charles Small
Ottawa Senators 7455.5746.578,577Bill Metzig
Ogdensburg Maples 7060.5381158,749Russ Wein
Auburn Cayugas 6762.51913.555.634Barney Hearn
Watertown Athletics 5871.45022.561,026 Frank Heller
Kingston Ponies 3891.29542.538,671 Zeke Bonura / Harold Leach

Playoffs: Geneva 4 games, Ogdensburg 3. Auburn 4 games, Ottawa 3.
Finals: Geneva 4 games, Auburn 2.

Player Statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Doug HarveyOttawaBA.351Donald BryantOgdensburgW20
Doug HarveyOttawaRuns121Bill ForstGenevaSO170
William ScallyOgdensburgHits177Robert SundstromGenevaERA2.29
Doug HarveyOttawaRBI109Pete KousagenGenevaHR22

1950 Border League schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Ottawa Nationals 7553.58697,091Bill Metzig
Ogdensburg Maples 7454.5781.055,291Russ Wein
Kingston Ponies 6860.5317.052,453Barney Hearn
Watertown Athletics 6068.46915.065,329 Frank Heller
Geneva Robins 5671.44118.542,353 Charles Small / Clyde Theriault
Auburn Cayugas 5077.39424.541,755Bill Sisler /
Tom Accardo / Bill Gates

Playoffs: Ottawa 4 games, Kingston 1. Ogdensburg 4 games, Watertown 1.
Finals: Ogdensburg 4 games, Ottawa 2.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
John SoshOgdensburgBA.348Harry PilarskiKingstonW19
Peter KarpukOttawaRuns111Norm GosselinGenevaW19
Irvin SchuppOgdensburgHits173Joseph GrecoOgdensburgSO204
Peter KousaganGenevaRBI125Edward FlanaganOttawaERA1.96
Peter KousaganGenevaHR31

1951 Border League

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Kingston Ponies 3825.60313,862Barney Hearn
Ogdensburg Maples 2935.4539.513,978John Sosh / Irvin Schupp
Cornwall Canadians 2918.617NA4,892Bill Metzig
Auburn Cayugas 2626.500NA13,826Bill Gates
Watertown Athletics 2230.423NA18,055 Bob Shawkey
Geneva Robins 2030.400NA12,405Humberto Baez

Cornwall and Geneva disbanded June 26; Auburn and Watertown disbanded July 1.
The league disbanded July 16. Last game played on July 10.

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Bob MastersonAuburnBA.394Gideon ApplegateKingstonW10
Pedro ArroyoKingstonRuns53Bill GatesAuburnSO94
Pedro ArroyoKingstonHits79Gideon ApplegateKingstonERA2.85
Olav Kollevoll OgdensburgRBI57John SoshOgdensburgHR12
Olav Kollevoll OgdensburgHR12

[1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lloyd Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN   978-1932391176.