Eastern Association (baseball)

Last updated
Eastern Association
Formerly Connecticut League
Classification Class A (1891)
Class D (1909)
Class B (1913-1914)
Sport Minor League Baseball
First season1891
Ceased1914
PresidentCharles D. White (1891)
Fred Paige (1909)
Jim O'Rourke (1913-1914)
No. of teams25
Country United States of America
Last
champion
Unknown
Most titles1
Buffalo Bisons (1891)
Newburgh Colts (1909)
Hartford Senators (1913)
New London Planters (1914)
Related
competitions
Eastern League

The Eastern Association was a minor league baseball league. The first version of the league appeared in 1882, followed by similar one season leagues in 1891 and 1909 with teams in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. The league was a Class B level league in the 1913 and 1914 seasons, with teams based in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Contents

History

The 1891 Eastern Association played as a Class A level league and the president was Charles D. White. the 1891 league members were the Albany Senators, Buffalo Bisons, Lebanon Cedars, New Haven Nutmegs, Providence Clamdiggers, Rochester Hop Bitters, Syracuse Stars and Troy Trojans. [1] [2] [3]

In 1909, the Eastern Association played for eleven days before folding under league president Jim Paige. The 1909 league comprised Amsterdam, Gloversville, Johnstown, Kingston Colonials, Middletown Orange Blossoms, Newburgh Colts, Poughkeepsie Students and Schenectady. [4]

The 1913 Eastern Association was an eight-team league that featured the Bridgeport Crossmen, Hartford Senators, Holyoke Papermakers, Meriden Hopes, New Haven White Wings, New London Planters, Pittsfield Electrics, Springfield Ponies and Waterbury Contenders. The league president was Baseball Hall of Fame member Jim O'Rourke. The Holyoke Papermakers moved to Meriden on July 11, 1913. [5] [1] [4] [6]

In their final season of play, the 1914 Eastern Association was an eight-team league, as Jim O'Rourke continued as president. The 1914 Eastern Association comprised the Bridgeport Crossmen, Hartford Senators, New Britain Sinks, New Haven White Wings, New London Planters, Pittsfield Electrics, Springfield Ponies and Waterbury Contenders. [1] [7] [4] [8]

Cities represented

Standings & statistics

1891 Eastern Association

schedule

TeamWLGBPct.Manager
Buffalo Bisons 8935.718Patrick Powers
Albany Senators 7249.59515½ Joe Gerhardt
Troy Trojans 5177.39836½David Mahoney
Lebanon Cedars 4873.39737James Randall
Syracuse Stars 5642.571NA George Frazer
New Haven Nutmegs 4839.552NAWalt Burnham
Rochester Hop Bitters 3660.375NA Tom Power / Lew Kerstein
Providence Clamdiggers 2954.349NA Bill McGunnigle

Providence disbanded August 13; New Haven disbanded August 14; Syracuse & Rochester disbanded August 25. [4]

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Buck West SyracuseBA.339 Les German BuffaloW35
Ted Scheffler BuffaloRuns156 Tony Von Fricken AlbanySO197
Harry Lyons BuffaloHits166L.A. GillilandNew HavenERA0.89
Dan Lally New HavenHR5 Les German BuffaloPCT.761; 35–11
Pete Sweeney RochesterHR5
Art Bader AlbanySB106

[4]

1909 Eastern Association

TeamWLGBPct.Manager
Newburgh Colts 82.800William Landgraf
Amsterdam53.6252NA
Johnstown43.571NA
Kingston Colonials 43.571Hugh MacKinnon
Gloversville45.444Jacob Leist
Middletown Orange Blossoms 26.2505William K. Murray
Poughkeepsie Students NANANANAFred Paige
Schenectady Electricians NANANANAJoseph Andries

Poughkeepsie and Schenectady disbanded June 1
The league folded after eleven days on June 6. [4]

1913 Eastern Association

schedule

TeamWLGBPct.Manager
Hartford Senators 8348.634Simon McDonald
New Haven White Wings 7952.6034Jerry O'Connell
Waterbury Contenders 7061.53413Sam Kennedy
Bridgeport Crossmen 6963.52314½ Gene McCann /
John Freeman / Monte Cross
New London Planters 6566.49618John Burns / Gene McCann
Springfield Ponies 6070.46222½ Frank Corridon / Jack O'Hara
Pittsfield Electrics 6273.45923John Zeller
Holyoke Papermakers /
Meriden Hopes
4095.29645 Jim Garry

Holyoke (24–52) moved to Meriden July 11. [4]

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Benny Kauff HartfordBA.345 Bill Hopper New HavenW31
Bill Morley HartfordRuns103 Wib Smith PittsfieldSO175
Benny Kauff HartfordHits176 Bill Hopper New HavenERA2.03
Tom Stankard Holy/Mer/SprinHR8 Bill Hopper New HavenPCT.795 31–8

[4]

1914 Eastern Association

schedule

TeamWLGBPct.Manager
New London Planters 8135.698 Gene McCann
Waterbury Frolickers 6951.57514 Lee Fohl
Bridgeport Bolts 6756.54517½ Jake Boultes
Hartford Senators 6256.52520Simon McDonald / Daniel O'Neill
Springfield Ponies 6361.50822 Billy Hamilton / Simon McDonald
Pittsfield Electrics 6063.48824½John Zeller
New Haven White Wings 5464.45828Jerry O'Connell
New Britain Sinks 2797.21858George Browne / Jim Garry

[4]

Player statistics
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Elmer Smith WaterburyBA.332 Willie Jensen New HavenW21
Marty Becker New LondonRuns90 Bun Troy PittsfieldSO212
Ed Barney HartfordHits140 Doc Powers New HavenERA2.03
Pete Shields WaterburyHR7 Doc Powers New HavenPCT.769 20–6

[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Eastern Association (B) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. "1891 Eastern Association". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. "1891 Eastern Association (EA) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Lloyd Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN   978-1932391176.
  5. "1913 Eastern Association". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. "1913 Eastern Association (EA) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. "1914 Eastern Association". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. "1914 Eastern Association (EA) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.

Sources