California State League Explained

California State League
Sport:	Minor League Baseball
President:	Frank Herman (1910) Allan T. Baum (1913–1914) Louis Schroeder (1915) Orville McPherson (1929)
Inaugural:	1910
Teams:	17
Country:	United States of America
Continent:	or
Continents:	-->
Folded:	1929
Most Champs:	2 Stockton Millers (1910) / Stockton Producers (1913)
Classification:	Class D (1910, 1913–1915, 1929)
Related Comps:	California League

There were at least three class D California State Leagues in operation at some point in minor league baseball history. Two lasted just a single season (1910 and 1929) and the other lasted three seasons 1913 through 1915.

The 1910 version was actually class B until June 6, when it became class D. Sacramento and San Francisco dropped out May 31, and Oakland moved to Merced on June 7, which might explain the drop in classification. Then Fresno disbanded June 24, causing the league to cease operations the same day.

The league made it through the 1913 season then disbanded June 1, 1914. When it was re-tried in 1915, the league disbanded May 30, due to heavy rains, with the teams having played only 5 to 7 games.

The 1929 version, which was based in Southern California unlike the previous two versions, lasted until June 17, with teams having played about 50 games.

Cities represented

• Alameda, CA

Alameda 1915

• Bakersfield, CA

Bakersfield Bees 1929

• Berkeley, CA

Berkeley 1915

• Coronado, CA

Coronado Arabs 1929

• Fresno, CA

Fresno Tigers 1910; Fresno Packers 1913; Fresno Tigers 1914

• Merced, CA

Merced Fig Growers 1910

• Modesto, CA

Modesto Reds 1914–1915

• Oakland, CA

Oakland Invaders 1910; Oakland Commuters 1915

• Pomona, CA

Pomona Arabs 1929

• Sacramento, CA

Sacramento Baby Senators 1910

• San Francisco, CA

San Francisco Baby Seals 1910; San Francisco 1915

• San Diego, CA

San Diego Aces 1929

• San Jose, CA

San Jose Prune Pickers 1910; San Jose Bears 1913–1915

• Santa Ana, CA

Santa Ana Orange Countians 1929

• Stockton, CA

Stockton Millers 1910; Stockton Producers 1913; Stockton Millers 1914–1915

• Vallejo, CA

Vallejo Marines 1913

• Watsonville, CA

Watsonville Pippins 1913

Standings & statistics

1910

1910 California State League

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Stockton Millers	33	19	.635	–	Jimmy McCall
	32	21	.604	1.5	Ed McDonough
	25	25	.500	7.0	Cy Mooreing
San Jose Prune Pickers	22	30	.423	11.0	Willis Browne
	16	23	.410	NA	Charles Doyle
	14	24	.368	NA	Tommy Sheehan

San Francisco and Sacramento disbanded May 31.
Oakland (24–19) moved to Merced June 7.
Fresno disbanded June 24 and the league folded.
The league was a class B until June 6, when it became a class D league.

Player Statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Ed McDonough	Fresno	BA	.349		Oscar Jones	Fresno	W	16
Gene Kratzberg	Stockton	Pct	.733; 11–4

1913 to 1915

1913 California State League

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Stockton Producers	79	44	.642	–	Blaine Thomas
Fresno Packers	73	50	.593	6.0	George Wheeler
	52	71	.423	27.0	Brick Devereaux
San Jose Bears	42	81	.341	37.0

Vallejo (24–33) moved to Watsonville July 6.

Player Statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Happy Smith	San Jose	BA	.323		Nelson Jones	Stockton	W	24
Tom Pierce	Fresno	Runs	87		Ashley Pope	Stockton	SO	235
Joe Wilhoit	Stockton	Hits	158		Nelson Jones	Stockton	Pct	.750; 24–8
Rinaldo Williams	Vallejo/Watson	HR	7

1914 California State League

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Fresno Tigers	20	15	.571	–	George Wheeler
San Jose Bears	20	16	.556	0.5	Mike Steffani
Stockton Millers	17	19	.472	3.5	George Harper
Modesto Reds	14	21	.400	6.0	Jim Byrnes

The league disbanded June 1.

Player Statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Tony Boeckel	Stockton	BA	.364		Horace Miller	Fresno	W	9
Tony Boeckel	Stockton	Runs	25		Walt Waldschmidt	Fresno	SO	75
Tony Boeckel	Stockton	Hits	51		Harry Stewart	San Jose	Pct	1.000; 8–0
Tom Pierce	Fresno	HR	2

1915 California State League

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Modesto Reds	6	1	.857	–	Jack Lesher
San Jose Bears	4	1	.800	1.0	Mike Steffani
	2	3	.400	3.0	Walt McMemony
Alameda	2	3	.400	3.0	Billy Hammond
Stockton Millers	2	4	.333	3.5	Buck Francks
Berkeley / San Francisco	1	5	.167	4.5	C.W. Brainard / Joe Solari

Berkeley (0–2) moved to San Francisco April 28.
The league disbanded May 30 due to heavy rains.
No player statistics available.

1929

1929 California State League

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
San Diego Aces	34	25	.576	–
Bakersfield Bees	32	28	.533	2.5
	32	29	.525	3.0
	22	38	.367	12.5

Santa Ana (4–20) moved to Pomona May 8, which played six games at San Bernardino.
Pomona (2–4) moved to Coronado County May 15, playing their games at the San Diego ball park.
The league disbanded June 17.

Player Statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Lou Martin	Bakersfield	BA	.389		George Caster	San Bernardino	W	12
Ned Porter	Bakersfield	Runs	63		George Caster	San Bernardino	SO	80
L.B. Tomlinson	Bakersfield	Hits	83		George Caster	San Bernardino	Pct	.706; 12–5
Ned Porter	Bakersfield	HR	15

Sources

The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Second Edition.