Buckeye League Explained

Buckeye League
Sport:Minor League Baseball
President:Al Lawson (1915)
Inaugural:May 19, 1915
Teams:6
Country:United States of America
Continent:or
Continents:-->
Folded:July 5, 1915
Most Champs:1
Lima Boosters (1915)
Classification:Class D (1915)

The Buckeye League was a Class D level minor league baseball league that played briefly in the 1915 season. The six–team Buckeye League consisted of franchises based exclusively in Ohio. The Buckeye League played just a portion 1915 season before permanently folding. The Lima Boosters were the league champions in the shortened season.

History

The Buckeye League began play in the 1915 season, formed as a Class D level league, with Al Lawson serving as league president.[1]

The 1915 Buckeye League was a six–team league that began play on May 19, 1915.[2] The league was formed with teams representing Akron Ohio (Akron Rubbermen), Canton, Ohio, (Canton Giants), Findlay, Ohio (Findlay Finns), Lima, Ohio (Lima Boosters), Marion, Ohio (Marion Senators) and Newark, Ohio (Newark New Socks).[3] During the season, both the Marion and Canton franchises disbanded on June 11, 1915. The Buckeye League, with four remaining teams, permanently disbanded on July 5, 1915.[1] [4] [5]

The Lima Boosters, with an average roster age of 34.8 were in first place when the Buckeye League folded on July 5, 1915.[6] Lima finished with a record of 25–18, playing under manager Sandy Murray.[7] Lima was followed by the Findlay Finns (22–19), Akron Rubbermen (22–21) and Newark New Socks (14–24) in the final standings. The Marion Senators had a record of 10–5 and the Canton Giants were 5–11 when they both folded on June 11, 1915.[3] [1] [8] [9]

The Buckeye League never played again as a minor league after folding in 1915.[1]

Buckeye League teams

Team nameCity representedBallparkYear
Akron RubbermenAkron, OhioLeague Park I[10]
Canton GiantsCanton, OhioMeyer's Lake Park[11]
Findlay FinnsFindlay, OhioAthletic Park[12]
Lima BoostersLima, OhioSan Felice Park
Murphy Street Park[13] [14]
Marion SenatorsMarion, OhioLincoln Park[15]
Newark New SocksNewark, OhioWehrle Park[16]

Standings & statistics

1915 Buckeye League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Lima Boosters2518.581Sandy Murray
Findlay Finns2219.5372.0Ollie Chapman
Akron Rubbermen2221.5123.0Al Newnham
Newark New Socks1424.3688.5Erv Wratten
Marion Senators105.667NABuzz Wetzel
Canton Giants511.313NABill Prout / Charles Skelley
Marion and Canton disbanded June 11
Playoffs: None Scheduled.
The league disbanded July 5.
Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Bill MundyCanton/AkronBA.355Red HartFindlayW15
Newt JaekelAkronRuns35Bill ReynoldsLimaSO110
Sandy MurrayLima Hits52Red HartFindlayPct.882; 15-2
Don CostelloFindlayHR4Ben EganFindlayHR4
[1]

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball . Lloyd . Johnson . Miles . Wolff . Third . . 2007 . 978-1932391176.
  2. Web site: 1915 Buckeye League (BL) on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.
  3. Web site: 1915 Buckeye League. Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. Web site: Local Sports History. June 6, 2020.
  5. Web site: Canton Daily News Newspaper Archives, May 15, 1915, p. 14. May 15, 1915. NewspaperArchive.com.
  6. Web site: 1915 Lima Boosters Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. Web site: 1915 Lima Boosters Statistics on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.
  8. Web site: 1915 Buckeye League (BL) Standings on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.
  9. Web site: 1915 Canton Giants Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. Web site: League Park I in Akron, OH history and teams on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.
  11. Web site: Meyer's Lake Park in Canton, OH history and teams on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.
  12. Web site: Athletic Park in Findlay, OH history and teams on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.
  13. Web site: San Felice Park in Lima, OH history and teams on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.
  14. Web site: Murphy Street Park in Lima, OH history and teams on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.
  15. Web site: Lincoln Park in Marion, OH history and teams on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.
  16. Web site: Wehrle Park in Newark, OH history and teams on StatsCrew.com. www.statscrew.com.