Michigan–Ontario League Explained

Michigan–Ontario League
Sport:	Minor League Baseball
President:	Joseph S. Jackson (1919) George H. Maines (1920–1921) Thomas J. Halligan (1922–1926)
Inaugural:	1919
Teams:	13
Country:	United States of America, Canada
Continent:	or
Continents:	-->
Folded:	June 13, 1926
Most Champs:	2 London Tecumsehs Bay City Wolves
Classification:	Class B (1919–1926)
Related Comps:	Central League

Michigan–Ontario League was the name of an American professional baseball league. It operated seven full seasons and part of an eighth from 1919 to 1926.

In 1926, the Michigan–Ontario League merged with the Central League to form the Michigan State League, which played only the one season.

Cities represented

• Battle Creek, MI

Battle Creek Custers 1919–1920

• Bay City, MI

Bay City Wolves 1919–1926

• Brantford, ON

Brantford Red Sox 1919–1921; Brantford Brants 1922

• Flint, MI

Flint Halligans 1919–1920; Flint Vehicles 1921–1926

• Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids Billbobs 1923; Grand Rapids Homoners 1924

• Hamilton, ON

Hamilton Tigers 1919–1923; Hamilton Clippers 1924–1925

• Kalamazoo, MI

Kalamazoo Celery Pickers 1923; Kalamazoo Kazoos 1924

• Kitchener, ON

Kitchener Beavers 1919–1921; Kitchener Terriers 1922; Kitchener Colts 1925

• London, ON

London Tecumsehs 1919–1924; London Indians 1925

• Muskegon, MI

Muskegon Anglers 1923–1924

• Port Huron, MI

Port Huron Saints 1921; Port Huron Saints 1926

• Port Huron, MI & Sarnia, ON: Port Huron-Sarnia Saints 1922
• Saginaw, MI

Saginaw Aces 1919–1926

Standings & statistics

1919 Michigan–Ontario League

^[1]

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Saginaw Aces	77	32	.706	–
Hamilton Tigers	75	36	.676	3.0
Battle Creek Custers	67	45	.598	11.5	Dan Jenkins
Brantford Red Sox	61	46	.570	15.0	Knotty Lee
Bay City Wolves	43	69	.384	35.5	Bill Cristall / Cal Wenger
Kitchener Beavers	41	68	.376	36.0	Jack Beatty
London Tecumsehs	41	70	.369	37.0	Joe Keenan / Starr Mason / Ken Hagel / Dad Stewart
Flint Halligans	35	74	.321	42.0	Jim Pierce

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Ted Kaylor	Battle Creek	BA	.376		John Glasier	Hamilton	W	25
Bill Pike	Saginaw	Runs	95		John Glasier	Hamilton	SO	213
Ted Kaylor	Battle Creek	Hits	146		Len Okrie	London	ERA	1.00
Andy Lotshaw	Flint/Brantford	HR	13		Harry Shriver	Saginaw	PCT	.750 18–6

1920 Michigan–Ontario League

^[2]

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
London Tecumsehs	86	32	.729	-
Hamilton Tigers	71	46	.607	14.5
Brantford Red Sox	65	48	.575	18.5	Knotty Lee
Kitchener Beavers	53	63	.457	32.0
Flint Halligans	53	63	.457	32.0	James Pierce / Ted Anderson
Bay City Wolves	51	69	.425	36.0	Cal Wenger
Battle Creek Custers	46	74	.383	41	Gene Krapp / Johnnie Heving / James Pierce
Saginaw Aces	43	73	.371	42.0	Red McKee

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Henry Wetzel	Flint	BA	.387		George Carmen	London	W	26
E. H. Kennedy	London	Runs	100		Bill Morrisette	Hamilton	SO	181
Henry Wetzel	Flint	Hits	164		Joseph Reddy	Hamilton	ERA	1.24
Henry Wetzel	Flint	RBI	72		Tom Estelle	Brantford	ERA	1.24
Henry Wetzel	Flint	HR	12		George Carmen	London	Pct	.929; 26–2

1921 Michigan–Ontario League

^[3]

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
London Tecumsehs	72	46	.610	–
Brantford Red Sox	64	52	.552	7.0	George Orme
Bay City Wolves	65	53	.551	7.0	Punch Knoll
Hamilton Tigers	64	55	.538	8.5	Patsy O'Rourke
Port Huron-Sarnia Saints	58	63	.479	15.5	James Pierce / Ed Harter
Saginaw Aces	57	62	.479	15.5
Kitchener Beavers	45	68	.398	24.5	Dutch Jordan / Ernie Calbert
Flint Vehicles	48	74	.393	26.0

Playoff: London 4 games, Bay City 2.

Player statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Frank Nesser	Saginaw	BA	.385		Cy Boothby	Bay City	W	21
William Gray	Flint	Runs	104		Claral Gillenwater	Saginaw	SO	157
Frank Nesser	Saginaw	Hits	173		Petie Behan	Hamilton	ERA	1.33
Frank Emmer	Flint	HR	15		Frank Matusak	Bay City	PCT	.762 16–5
Ted Kaylor	Port Huron-Sarnia	RBI	92

1922 Michigan–Ontario League

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Hamilton Tigers	84	49	.632	–	Ernie Calbert
London Tecumsehs	83	50	.624	1.0
Saginaw Aces	74	58	.561	9.5	Bobby Byrnes / E. Robertson
Bay City Wolves	69	62	.527	14.0
Port Huron-Sarnia Saints	67	65	.508	16.5	Bill Kelly
Brantford Brants	54	77	.412	29.0	Mickey LaLonge
Flint Vehicles	53	81	.396	31.5	William Powell / George Orme
Kitchener Terriers	46	88	.343	38.5	Tex Erwin / Jack Ryan / Ray Dunn / James Pierce

Playoff: Hamilton 5 games, Saginaw 3.

Player statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Jack Shafer	London	BA	.410		Herman Schwartje	Saginaw	W	23
Clifford Hegedorn	Bay City	Runs	105		John Saladna	Brantford	SO	164
Ernie Calbert	Hamilton	Hits	174		Richard Glazier	Port Huron-Sarnia	ERA	1.31
John Roseberry	Saginaw	Hits	174		Petie Behan	Hamilton	PCT	.840 21–4
Ernie Calbert	Hamilton	RBI	110
Ernie Calbert	Hamilton	HR	28

1923 Michigan–Ontario League

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Bay City Wolves	80	51	.611	–
Saginaw Aces	78	54	.591	2.5
Muskegon Anglers	73	57	.562	6.5
Flint Vehicles	70	63	.526	11.0	Dan O'Leary
Kalamazoo Celery Pickers	69	64	.518	12.0
London Tecumsehs	55	73	.430	23.5	Leo Mackey / Jack Beatty
Grand Rapids Billbobs	55	76	.420	25.0	Bob Wells
Hamilton Tigers	45	87	.341	35.5	Johnny Carlin

Playoff: None

Player statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Frank Luce	Flint	BA	.382		Seraphin Good	Bay City	W	20
Al Bashang	Saginaw	Runs	106		Seraphin Good	Bay City	SO	168
Art Jahn	Flint	Hits	172		Ovila Lahaie	Bay City	ERA	1.85
Tex Jeanes	Saginaw	Hits	172		Seraphin Good	Bay City	PCT	.800 20–5
Tex Jeanes	Saginaw	RBI	108
Art Jahn	Flint	HR	18

1924 Michigan–Ontario League

^[3]

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Bay City Wolves	86	50	.632	–
Flint Vehicles	78	52	.600	5.0	Dan O'Leary
Hamilton Clippers	76	60	.559	10.0
Saginaw Aces	72	64	.529	14.0
London Tecumsehs	62	70	.470	22.0	Jack Beatty
Grand Rapids Homoners	60	74	.448	25.0	Josh Devore
Muskegon Anglers	58	79	.423	28.5
Kalamazoo Kazoos	45	88	.338	39.5	Marty Becker / Newt Hunter

Playoff: Bay City 4 games, Flint 3.

Player statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Leo Payne	Grand Rapids	BA	.397		Joe Kiefer	Bay City	W	19
Frank McGee	Hamilton	Runs	111		Ovila Lahaie	Bay City	SO	148
George Tomer	Bay City	Hits	174		Elton Rynearson	Muskegon	ERA	2.51
Frank Gleich	Hamilton	RBI	95		Sylvester Heitzman	Bay City	PCT	.783 18–5
Frank Luce	Flint	HR	23

1925 Michigan–Ontario League

^[4]

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
London Indians	83	52	.615	–	Mike Baker
Hamilton Clippers	82	57	.590	3.0
Saginaw Aces	76	66	.535	10.5
Bay City Wolves	74	67	.525	12.0	Dick Breen
Flint Vehicles	68	73	.482	18.0	Jack Hruska
Kitchener Colts	35	103	.254	49.5

Playoff: Hamilton 4 games, London 3.

Player statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot

Joe Klein	London	BA	.363		Will Coogan	London	W	24
Guy Froman	Hamilton	Runs	107		Marty Griffin	Bay City	SO	137
Walter Sandquist	London	Hits	178		Will Coogan	London	ERA	2.48
Guy Froman	Hamilton	RBI	112		Pete Harris	London	PCT	.688 22–10
Guy Froman	Hamilton	HR	18

1926 Michigan–Ontario League

^[5]

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Port Huron Saints	20	10	.667	-	Johnny Carlin
Saginaw Aces	19	11	.633	1
Bay City Wolves	10	18	.357	9	Bob Prysock
Flint Vehicles	9	19	.321	10	Ray Dunn

Last game played June 13. The league merged with the Central League to form the Michigan State League, which began play June 15. ^[6]

Notes and References

1. News: 1919 Michigan-Ontario League schedule. Battle Creek Enquirer . April 15, 1919. 11. newspapers.com.
2. News: 1920 Michigan-Ontario schedule. Battle Creek Enquirer . May 16, 1920. 12. newspapers.com.
3. News: 1921 Michigan-Ontario League schedule. The Times Herald . March 31, 1921. 1. newspapers.com.
4. News: 1925 Michigan-Ontario League schedule. Detroit Free Press . April 18, 1925. 22. newspapers.com.
5. News: 1926 Michigan-Ontario League schedule. The Times Herald . April 3, 1926. 9. newspapers.com.
6. Book: The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball . Lloyd . Johnson . Miles . Wolff . Third . . 2007 . 978-1932391176.