The ballpark
The name of the Helena Senators' minor league ballpark is not directly referenced. [29] Fort Harrison Park was noted to have hosted other organized baseball during the era. [30] [31]
| Helena Senators | |
|---|---|
| |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Class B (1892) Independent (1900) Class B (1902) Class A (1903) Independent (1905) Class D (1909, 1911–1914) |
| League | Montana State League (1892, 1900) Pacific Northwest League (1902) Pacific National League (1903) Montana State League (1905) Inter-Mountain League (1909) Union Association (1911–1914) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team | None |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (2) |
|
| Team data | |
| Name | Helena (1892) Helena Senators (1900, 1902–1903, 1909, 1911–1914) |
| Ballpark | Unknown |
The Helena Senators were a minor league baseball team based in Helena, Montana. Between 1892 and 1914, Helena minor league teams played as members of the Montana State League (1892, 1900), 1902 Pacific Northwest League, 1903 Pacific National League, 1904 Montana State League, 1909 Inter-Mountain League and Union Association (1911–1914). Helena won league championships in 1892 and 1909.
Baseball Hall of Fame member Joe Tinker played for the 1900 Helena Senators.
Minor league baseball began in Helena, Montana in 1892, when the Helena team played as members of the Montana State League. [1] Playing as charter members in the Independent league, Helena finished as the 1892 Montana State League Champions. The team had a 29–21 record under manager Con Strothers to capture the league championship, finishing 2.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Butte Miners in the six–team league. [2] [3] The Montana State League folded after the 1892 season.< [4]
The Montana State League reformed in 1900, with the Helena "Senators" as a member. [5] The 1900 Helena Senators had a record of 39–33, placing 2nd in the Montana State League, finishing 1.0 game behind the champion Great Falls Indians. The Helena managers were Carl Wood, Patrick "Paddy" Ryan and Jack Flannery. [6] Baseball Hall of Fame member Joe Tinker played for the 1900 Helena Senators at age 19. Tinker is part of the famed Tinker to Evers to Chance trio with the Chicago Cubs. Playing in his first professional season, Tinker came to Helena after being purchased from fellow Montana State League member Great Falls Indians for $200.00. Tinker hit .322 for the season, making $90.00 a month. [7] [8] The Montana State League permanently folded after the 1900 season. [9] [4]
The Helena Senators became members of the Class B level Pacific Northwest League in 1902. [10] The Pacific Northwest League's president was William Henry Lucas, who had previously been president of the Montana State League. The 1902 Helena Senators ended the season with a record of 65–54, placing 3rd in the six–team Pacific Northwest League, playing under manager Jack Flannery. [11] Finishing 7.5 games behind the 1st place Butte Miners, Helena drew a season home attendance of 25,000, an average of 420 per game. [7] [4]
In 1903, the Helena Senators folded before the end of the season. [12] Helena had continued play as the Pacific Northwest League became a Class A league, was renamed the Pacific National League and expanded to eight teams. [4] Helena placed 8th in 1903 behind the Butte Miners (85–62), Los Angeles Angels (65–42) Portland Green Gages/Salt Lake City Elders (56–91), San Francisco Pirates (56–52), Seattle Chinooks (78–71), Spokane Indians (82–68) and Tacoma Tigers (46–60). Helena had a 40–62 record when the team was disbanded on August 16, 1903, along with Tacoma. [13] [14] [4]
Helena played again in the 1905 Montana State League, which operated as an Independent league that season. No official records of the 1905 Montana League season are known. [15]
After a 3–year hiatus, the 1909 Helena Senators again began play, as the Senators became member of the Class D level Inter-Mountain League, under league president William Henry Lucas. [4] The Helena Senators won the 1909 Inter-Mountain League Championship in a shortened season. On July 25, 1903, Helena was in 1st place with a 43–19 record when the four–team Inter–Mountain League disbanded. [16] The Helena manager in 1909 was Jack Huston as the team was 4.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Salt Lake City Mormons/Livingston when the league folded. The Butte Miners placed 3rd and the Boise Irrigators/Bozeman Irrigators finished 4th. [4]
The six–team Union Association was formed in 1911 under the leadership of William Henry Lucas. [17] The Helena Senators were charter members of the Class D level league. [4] [18] The 1911 Helena Senators finished in 5th place with a 60–78 record, ending the season 31.0 games behind the 1st place Great Falls team. The Senators were managed by Charles Irby. [4] [19]
On June 1, 1911, Helena pitcher D.F. Byrd threw a no-hitter in a 2–1 victory over the Boise Irrigators. [20] [21]
In 1912, the Helena Senators continued play as members of the Union Association. [22] [23] The 1912 Senators placed 6th and last in the six–team Union Association with a record of 50–83, finishing 32.5 games behind the 1st place Missoula team. The Helena manager was again Charles Irby. [4]
The Helena Senators finished 5th in the 1913 Union Association standings. [24] [25] Helena ended the season with a 52–67 record, playing under manager Danny Shay, finishing 25.5 games behind the champion Great Falls Electrics. [4]
The 1914 Union Association folded in mid–season. Helena placed 4th overall in the league standings with a 27–53 record, playing under managers Jess Garrett and Bill Quigley. [26] The Union Association permanently disbanded on August 5, 1914. [27] The top two teams in the Union Association standings, the Ogden Canners and Salt Lake City Skyscrapers, played out their 1914 seasons with 16 games against each other. [4]
Helena was without minor league baseball until the Helena Phillies began play in the 1978 Pioneer League. Today, the Helena Senators moniker has been adopted by Helena youth baseball. [28]
The name of the Helena Senators' minor league ballpark is not directly referenced. [29] Fort Harrison Park was noted to have hosted other organized baseball during the era. [30] [31]
| Year(s) | # Yrs. | Team | Level | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892 | 1 | Helena | Class B | Montana State League |
| 1900 | 1 | Helena Senators | Independent | |
| 1902 | 1 | Class B | Pacific Northwest League | |
| 1903 | 1 | Class A | ||
| 1905 | 1 | Independent | Montana State League | |
| 1909 | 1 | Class D | Inter-Mountain League | |
| 1911–1914 | 4 | Union Association | ||
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs/notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892 | 29–21 | 1st | Con Strothers | League Champions |
| 1900 | 38–33 | 2nd | Carl Wood Paddy Ryan /Jack Flannery | No playoffs held |
| 1902 | 65–54 | 3rd | Jack Flannery | No playoffs held |
| 1903 | 40–62 | 8th | John Flannery / Fred Carish | Disbanded August 16 |
| 1905 | 00–00 | N/A | Jack Flannery | 1905 league records unknown |
| 1909 | 43–19 | 1st | John Huston | League disbanded July 25 League Champions |
| 1911 | 60–78 | 5th | Charles Irby | No playoffs held |
| 1912 | 50–83 | 6th | Charles Irby | No playoffs held |
| 1913 | 52–67 | 5th | Danny Shay | No playoffs held |
| 1914 | 27–53 | 4th | Jess Garrett / William Quimby | No playoffs held |
The Salt Lake City Bees was a primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams, based in Salt Lake City, Utah between 1911 and 1970 under various names. After minor league baseball first began in Salt Lake City in 1900, the Bees were long-time members of both the Pacific Coast League and Pioneer League. The Salt Lake Bees played their home games at Derks Field.
The Rock Island Islanders was the primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Rock Island, Illinois, one of the Quad Cities, between 1892 and 1937. Rock Island teams played as members of the Illinois–Iowa League (1892), Western Association (1894), Eastern Iowa League (1895), Western Association (1898–1899), Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1901–1911), Central Association (1914), Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League, Mississippi Valley League (1922–1933) and Western League (1934–1937).
The Missoula Timberjacks represented Missoula, Montana, in the Class C level Pioneer League from 1956 to 1960. Previously, Missoula played as members of the Montana State League and Union Association (1911–1913). Their best season was 1958 when they went 70–59 under manager Jack McKeon and had Jim Kaat on the roster.
The Ogden Gunners was the final moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Ogden, Utah between 1900 and 1928. The Ogden Gunners played the 1926 to 1928 seasons in the Class C level Utah–Idaho League. The Gunners were preceded by Ogden teams in the 1901 Inter-Mountain League, 1902 Utah State League, 1905 Pacific National League, Union Association (1912–1914) and the 1921 Northern Utah League, winning three championships and a league pennant.
The Omaha Packers were a minor league baseball team based in Omaha, Nebraska. Between 1879 and 1935, Omaha minor league teams had a long tenure as members of the Western League and Western Association, winning five league championships. Omaha teams played under numerous other nicknames prior to the becoming the "Packers" in 1930.
The Fremont Pathfinders were a minor league baseball team, based in Fremont, Nebraska. Preceded by a Fremont team in 1892, Fremont teams played exclusively as members of the Nebraska State League. The Pathfinders won league championships in their first season of 1910 and a second in 1912, before folding following the 1913 season, when the franchise relocated and became the Norfolk Drummers. Fremont played minor league home games at the Association Lot.
The Sedalia Goldbugs were a minor league baseball team based in Sedalia, Missouri. Between 1904 and 1911, Sedalia teams played as a member of the Missouri Valley League (1902–1904), Western Association (1905) and Missouri State League (1911), winning league championships in 1903 and 1911. Sedalia played as the Sedalia Cubs in 1911. Sedalia hosted minor league home games at Liberty Park Stadium.
The Jefferson City Convicts were a minor league baseball teams based in Jefferson City, Missouri in 1902. In 1911, the Convicts were succeeded by the Jefferson City Senators. Jefferson City teams played as members of the 1902 Class D level Missouri Valley League and 1911 Missouri State League.
The Montana State League was a minor league baseball league that played various seasons between 1892 and 1925 as an Independent league. As the name implies, the Montana State League consisted of teams based in exclusively in Montana, with the exception of the 1909 season when Idaho and Utah were represented. The Montana State League played just the three documented minor league seasons and had several other seasons of professional play without official records.
The Anaconda Serpents were a minor league baseball team based in Anaconda, Montana. In 1900, the Anaconda Serpents played the season as members of the Independent level Montana State League. The Anaconda Serpents were the only minor league team hosted in Anaconda and played minor league home games at Mountain View Park.
The Butte Miners were a minor league baseball franchise based in Butte, Montana. Butte minor league teams played as members of the Montana State League, Pacific Northwest League (1902), Pacific National League (1903–1904), Montana State League (1905), Northwestern League (1906–1908), Inter-Mountain League (1909), Montana State League (1909), Union Association (1911–1914), Northwestern League (1916–1917) and Montana State League (1925). Butte hosted home minor league games at the Mt. Columbia Grounds.
The Schenectady Electricians were a minor league baseball team based in Schenectady, New York and Schenectady County, New York. Schenectady teams played as members of the New York State League and Eastern Association (1909), winning the 1903 New York State League championship. Schenectady hosted minor league home games at the County Fairgrounds through 1900 before moving home gamed to Island Park.
The Corsicana Oilers was the primary nickname of the minor league baseball teams based in Corsicana, Texas. In the seasons between 1902 and 1928, Corsicana teams played as members of the Texas League (1902–1905), North Texas League (1907), Central Texas League, Texas-Oklahoma League (1922), Texas Association (1923–1926) and Lone Star League (1927–1928), winning five league championships. Corsicana hosted minor league home games at Oil City Park and Athletic Park.
The Bozeman Irrigators were a minor league baseball team based in Bozeman, Montana. In 1909, the Irrigators played a partial season as members of the Class D level Inter-Mountain League. The Irrigators were preceded by an 1892 Bozeman team, which played as members of the Class B level Montana State League.
The Murray Infants were a minor league baseball team based in Murray, Utah. In 1914, the Murray Infants played briefly as members of the Union Association before folding during the season. The Infants hosted home minor league games at Murray Park.
Minor league baseball teams were based in Fall River, Massachusetts between 1877 and 1949. Fall River teams played as members of the New England Association (1877), League Alliance (1877), New England League, Colonial League (1914–1915) and New England League (1946–1949), winning five league championships. Fall River hosted home minor league games at the Athletic Grounds beginning in 1893 through 1915 and at Fall River Stadium from 1946 to 1949.
Minor league baseball teams were based in Lawrence, Massachusetts between 1877 and 1946. Lawrence minor league baseball teams played as members of the 1877 New England Association, 1884 Massachusetts State Association, 1885 Eastern New England League, New England League, 1895 New England Association, New England League, Eastern League (1916–1917) and New England League.
Minor league baseball teams were based in Meriden, Connecticut in various seasons between 1884 and 1913. Meriden teams played as members of the Connecticut State League (1884–1885), Southern New England League (1885), Eastern League (1886), Connecticut State League, Connecticut League (1903), Connecticut State League, Connecticut Association (1910) and Eastern Association (1913).
The Jackson Convicts were a minor league baseball team based in Jackson, Michigan. From 1906 to 1915, Jackson teams played as members of the Southern Michigan League for the duration of the league but did not claim a league championship in their tenure. In 1914 and 1915, Jackson played one season each known as the "Chiefs" and "Vets." Jackson teams hosted home minor league teams at Keeley Park. The team "Convicts" nickname corresponded to Jackson serving as home to the Michigan State Prison in the era.
The New Haven Blues were an early minor league baseball team based in New Haven, Connecticut. The New Haven "Blues" teams played as members of the Connecticut State League from 1899 to 1908, winning league championships in 1899 and 1902.