| Lima Pandas | |
|---|---|
| |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Class D (1944-1946) |
| League | Ohio State League (1944-1946) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team | Chicago Cubs (1944) St.Louis Cardinals (1945-1946) |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles (0) | None |
| Wild card berths (0) | None |
| Team data | |
| Name | Marion Diggers (1944) Marion Cardinas (1945–1946) |
| Ballpark | Lincoln Park (1944-1946) |
The Marion Cardinals were a minor league baseball team based in Marion, Ohio. From 1944 to 1947, Marion teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Ohio State League, failing to qualify for the playoffs in each season. The Cardinals played as a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1945 and 1946, after the franchise played as a Chicago Cubs affiliate in 1944. The Marion Ohio State League teams hosted home minor league games at Lincoln Park.
After Marion first hosted a minor league team in 1900, [1] the Marion Diggers were preceded in minor league play by the 1937 Marion Presidents, who played briefly as members of the Class D level Ohio State League. [2]
Marion resumed minor league baseball play in 1944, when the 'Marion Diggers" revived a former nickname and began play as members of the six–team Class D level Ohio State League, which resumed play during World War II. The Diggers were a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. [3] [4] The Lima Red Birds, Middletown Red Sox, Newark Moundsmen, Richmond Roses, Springfield Giants and Zanesville Dodgers joined Marion in beginning league play on May 2, 1944. [5]
The Diggers ended the 1944 Ohio State League season in last place. With a record of 50–80, Marion placed sixth in the regular season standings, finishing 26.0 games behind the first place Springfield Giants, as Grover Hartley served as manager. [3] Marion did not qualify for the four-team playoffs, won by the Newark Mondsmen. [6] [4]
In 1945, Marion became a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, playing as the Marion "Cardinals" in continuing Ohio State League play. [7] With a record of 62–77, the Cardinals placed fifth in the six–team league, playing the season under returning manager Grover Hartley and Wally Schang. Marion finished 27.0 games behind the first place Middletown Rockets in the regular season final standings. Marion did not qualify for the playoffs, won by the Zanesville Dodgers. [8] [9] [4]
In 1946, the Marion Cardinals continued as a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, as the Ohio State League expanded from six teams to eight teams. The Cardinals finished the regular season with a record of 63–76, placing sixth in the Ohio State League final regular season standings. [10] Marion finished 17.0 games behind the first place Springfield Giants in the final regular season standings. With their fifth-place finish, the Cardinals did not qualify for the four-team playoff won by the Zanesville Dodgers. [4] [11] [12]
In the final season of Ohio State League play, the 1947 Marion Cubs continued play, as the franchise returned to being a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. [13] [4] The Cubs continued play as the Ohio State evolved into the Ohio-Indiana League in 1948. [14] [4]
The Marion Ohio State League teams hosted home minor league games at Lincoln Park. The 1915 Marion Senators were the first Marion minor league team to play in Lincoln Park and the ballpark hosted all of the remaining Marion minor league teams through 1951. [15] The ballpark had a capacity of 3,000 with field dimensions of (Left, Center, Right): 325-456-325. The ballpark was located at West Fairground Street & Oak Street. [15] Today, Lincoln Park is still in use as a public park with an aquatic center, 12 baseball fields and other amenities on 79 acres. It is located at 879 North Prospect Street. [16] [17]
| Year(s) | # Yrs. | Team | Level | League | Affiliate | Ballpark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | 1 | Marion Diggers | Class D | Ohio State League | Chicago Cubs | Lincoln Park |
| 1945-1946 | 2 | Marion Cardinals | St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs/notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | 50–80 | 6th | Grover Hartley | Did not qualify |
| 1945 | 62–77 | 5th | Grover Hartley / Wally Schang | Did not qualify |
| 1946 | 63–76 | 6th | Wally Schang / Bob Kline | Did not qualify |
The Zanesville Greys were a minor league baseball team based in Zanesville, Ohio. The Greys played as members of the Class C level Middle Atlantic League from 1933 to 1937, winning league championships in 1933, 1934 and 1936. The Greys were a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians from 1933 to 1936 and the Boston Bees in 1937, before Zanesville folded for three seasons. In 1941 and 1942, the Zanesville Cubs resumed Middle Atlantic League play, becoming a minor league affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.
The Zanesville Dodgers were a minor league baseball team based in Zanesville, Ohio. The Dodgers were a minor league affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers and played as members of the Class D level Ohio State League from 1944 to 1947, before the league changed names in 1948 to become the Class D level Ohio–Indiana League. The Dodgers won four consecutive league championships from 1945 to 1948. Zanesville hosted minor league home games at Gant Park Municipal Stadium.
The Ohio State League was a minor league baseball league that operated in numerous seasons between 1887 and 1947, predominantly as a Class D level league. League franchises were based in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
Lincoln Park is located in Marion, Ohio. It served as the home of the Marion Red Sox, a Boston Red Sox minor league affiliate, from 1949 to 1951. It is still is use today by amateur baseball teams.
The Pittsburg Browns were a minor league baseball team based in Pittsburg, Kansas. From 1946 to 1951, the Browns played as members of the Class D level Kansas-Oklahoma-Missouri League as a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Browns, winning the 1946 league championship. The Browns hosted home minor league games at Jaycee Park.
The Statesville Owls were a minor league baseball team located in Statesville, North Carolina. Statesville minor league teams played a member of the North Carolina Association (1900), Tar Heel League (1939–1940), North Carolina State League,, Tar Heel League (1953), Western Carolina League (1960–1962) and Western Carolinas League, winning three league championships.
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The Ironton Nailers were a minor league baseball team based in Ironton, Ohio. In 1884 and from 1911 to 1915, Ironton teams played as members of the 1884 Ohio State League, the Mountain States League from 1911 to 1912 and Ohio State League from 1912 to 1915. Ironton won the 1912 league championship. Ironton teams hosted home minor league games at Beechwood Park.
Minor league baseball teams were based in Chillicothe, Ohio between 1884 and 1916. Chillicothe teams played as members of the Ohio State League in 1884, Tri-State League in 1894 and Ohio State League from 1910 to 1916.
Minor league baseball teams were based in Lafayette, Indiana in various seasons between 1909 and 1994. Lafayette teams played as members of the Northern State of Indiana League from 1909 to 1911, the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League in 1955, the Midwest League in 1956 and 1957 and 1994 Great Central League, winning two league championships. Lafayette was a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians in 1955 and Boston Red Sox in 1956 and 1957.
The Portsmouth A's were a minor league baseball team based in Portsmouth, Ohio. From 1948 to 1950, the A's played as exclusively as members of the Class D level Ohio-Indiana League and were a minor league affiliate of the Philadelphia Athletics. The Portsmouth A's hosted minor league home games at Riverside Park, known today as Branch Rickey Park. The A's won the 1949 league pennant.
The Portsmouth Cobblers were a minor league baseball team based in Portsmouth, Ohio. From 1908 to 1915, the Cobblers played exclusively as members of the Class D level Ohio State League, winning league championships in 1910, 1912, 1914 and 1915. The Cobblers hosted home games at Millbrook Park and were immediately succeeded by the 1916 Portsmouth Truckers who won the Ohio State League championship. The "Cobblers" nickname was in reference to the large shoe industry in Portsmouth in the era.
The Marion Senators were a Minor league baseball team based in Marion, Ohio and Marion County, Ohio. In 1915, the Senators played briefly as members of the short–lived Buckeye League, hosting minor league home games at Lincoln Park. The Senators folded in June 1915 and the Buckeye League folded in July 1915.
The Richmond Tigers were a minor league baseball team based in Richmond, Indiana. From 1949 to 1951, the "Tigers" played as members of the Class D level Ohio–Indiana League as an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. Richmond began play in the Ohio–Indiana League as the Richmond "Roses," who played in the Class D level Ohio State League in 1946 and 1947, before the league changed names in 1948. The Roses were an affiliate of the Boston Braves. The Richmond teams hosted minor league home games at Municipal Ball Park.
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The Marion Diggers were a minor league baseball team based in Marion, Ohio and Marion County, Ohio. From 1908 to 1912, the Diggers played as members of the Class D level Ohio State League, hosting home minor league games at Webb Park. Despite not winning a league championship, the Diggers finished in the top three in the final standings in each full season of play. Future president Warren Harding was a part owner of the Marion Diggers.
The Lima Pandas were a minor league baseball team based in Lima, Ohio. From 1939 to 1941 and 1944 to 1947, with the interruption due to World War II, Lima teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Ohio State League, with the Pandas winning the 1939 and 1940 league championships. The franchise played as a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1944, Cincinnati Reds in 1945 and Chicago White Sox in 1946 to 1947, with the team adopting new monikers during the affiliate seasons. The Lima Ohio State League teams hosted home minor league games at Allen County Park.