Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League Explained

Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League
Sport:	Minor League Baseball
President:	Dr. William I. Thompson (1903–1904) Charles W. Brown (1905) Clifton C. Gosnell (1906, 1910–1911) Dr. Frank H. Bassett (1912–1914, 1916, 1922–1924, 1935–1937) J.E. Hannephin (1938) Ben F. Howard (1939) Shelby Peace (1946–1955)
Inaugural:	1903
Teams:	22
Country:	United States of America
Continent:	or
Continents:	-->
Folded:	1955
Most Champs:	5 Paducah (1904, 1905, 1913, 1953, 1955) Mayfield (1922, 1923, 1937, 1941, 1950)
Classification:	Class D (1903–1906, 1910–1916, 1922–1924, 1935–1942, 1946–1955)
Related Comps:	Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League

The Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (or KITTY League) was a Class D level minor league baseball circuit that went through six different periods of play between 1903 and 1955. The League hosted teams in 29 cities from the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee.

History

The first KITTY League played from 1903 through 1906. The next one ran from 1910 through 1914. The third try played the 1916 season. The circuit was revived in 1922 and lasted three years. The fifth KITTY League lasted the longest, playing from 1935 through 1955 with a break from 1943 to 1945 due to World War II. The league was also known briefly as the Kentucky–Indiana–Tennessee League, for during this time the league contained teams such as the Evansville Yankees from Evansville, Indiana. Unlike most leagues that were dormant for years in between playing, the KITTY was much the same from 1903 to 1955, through its inactive years. Clifton C. Gosnell was league president in 1906, after which the league stopped playing, and was president in 1910–1911 when play resumed. Then Dr. Frank H. Bassett was league president 1912–1914, 1916, 1922–1924, and 1935–1937, through the active times and the inactive. Hopkinsville, Kentucky was represented for 28 of the 31 active seasons of the KITTY League, while Paducah, Kentucky made it for 23.

League name revived

In 2004, the league moniker was reincarnated, as a summer collegiate baseball league called the "KIT League" was formed. Members of the KIT League featured some of the former KITTY League cities, who formed teams and revived their previous monikers, such as the Fulton Railroaders, Owensboro Oilers and Union City Greyhounds. The KIT League is now defunct, with the teams having evolved to form the currently active ten–team Ohio Valley League in 2010.^[1]

Media

The league history was the subject of a book. The Kitty League was written by Joshua Maxwell and Kevin McCann and published in 2012.^{[2] [3]}

All former teams (1903–1906, 1910–1914, 1916, 1922–1924, 1935–1942, 1946–1955)

Bowling Green, Kentucky

• Bowling Green Barons 1939–1942

Cairo, Illinois

• Cairo Egyptians 1903, 1912–1914, 1922–1924, 1946–1948

• Cairo Champions 1904

• Cairo Giants 1905–1906

• Cairo Dodgers 1949–1950

Central City, Kentucky

• Central City Reds 1954

Clarksville, Tennessee

• Clarksville Villagers 1903

• Clarksville Grays 1904

• Clarksville Volunteers 1910, 1913, 1916

• Clarksville Billies 1911

• Clarksville Rebels 1912

• Clarksville Boosters 1914

• Clarksville Owls 1946

• Clarksville Colts 1947

• Clarksville Cats 1948–1949

Danville, Illinois

• Danville Old Soldiers 1906

Dawson Springs, Kentucky

• Dawson Springs Resorters 1916

Dyersburg, Tennessee

• Dyersburg Forked Deers 1923–1924

Evansville, Indiana

• Evansville Yankees 1912

Fulton, Kentucky

• Fulton Colonels 1911

• Fulton Railroaders 1922–1924, 1949–1951

• Fulton Eagles 1936–1938

• Fulton Tigers 1939–1942

• Fulton Chicks 1946–1948

• Fulton Lookouts 1952–1955

Harrisburg, Illinois

• Harrisburg Merchants 1910

• Harrisburg Miners 1911

• Harrisburg Coal Miners 1913

Henderson, Kentucky

• Henderson Hens 1903, 1905, 1911–1914, 1916

• Henderson Blue Birds 1904

Hopkinsville, Kentucky

• Hopkinsville Hoppers 1903, 1910–1914, 1916, 1922–1923, 1935–1942, 1946–1954

• Hopkinsville Browns 1904

Jackson, Tennessee

• Jackson Railroaders 1903

• Jackson Climbers 1911

• Jackson Blue Jays 1924

• Jackson Generals 1935–1942, 1950–1954

Jacksonville, Illinois

• Jacksonville Jacks 1906

Lexington, Tennessee

• Lexington Giants 1935–1938

Madisonville, Kentucky

• Madisonville Miners 1916, 1922, 1946–1955

Mattoon, Illinois & Charleston, Illinois

• Mattoon-Charleston Canaries 1906

Mayfield, Kentucky

• Mayfield Pantsmakers 1922–1924

• Mayfield Clothiers 1936–1938, 1946–1955

• Mayfield Browns 1939–1941

McLeansboro, Illinois

• McLeansboro Miners 1910–1911

Milan, Tennessee & Trenton, Tennessee

• Milan-Trenton Twins 1923

Owensboro, Kentucky

• Owensboro Distillers 1903, 1914, 1916

• Owensboro Pirates 1936

• Owensboro Oilers 1937–1942, 1946–1955

Paducah, Kentucky

• Paducah Chiefs 1903, 1912–1913, 1951–1955

• Paducah Indians 1904–1906, 1910, 1914, 1922–1923, 1936–1941

• Paducah Polecats 1911

• Paducah Red Birds 1935

Paris, Tennessee

• Paris Travelers 1922

• Paris Parisians 1923–1924

Portageville, Missouri

• Portageville Pirates 1935–1936

Princeton, Kentucky

• Princeton Infants 1905

Springfield, Tennessee

• Springfield Blanket Makers 1923

Trenton, Tennessee

• Trenton Reds 1922

Union City, Tennessee

• Union City Greyhounds 1935–1942, 1946–1952

• Union City Dodgers 1953–1955

Vincennes, Indiana

• Vincennes Alices 1903–1906, 1910, 1913

• Vincennes Hoosiers (1911)

Championship titles

• 1903 – Cairo Egyptians
• 1904 – Paducah Indians
• 1905 – Paducah Indians
• 1906 – Vincennes Alices
• 1910 – McLeansboro Miners / Vincennes Alices
• 1911 – Fulton Colonels / Hopkinsville Hoppers
• 1912 – Clarksville Rebels
• 1913 – Paducah Chiefs
• 1914 – Cairo Egyptians
• 1916 – Clarksville Volunteers
• 1922 – Mayfield Pantsmakers
• 1923 – Mayfield Pantsmakers
• 1924 – Dyersburg Forked Deers
• 1935 – None declared
• 1936 – Union City Greyhounds
• 1937 – Mayfield Clothiers
• 1938 – Jackson Generals
• 1939 – Bowling Green Barons
• 1940 – Jacksonville Generals
• 1941 – Mayfield Browns
• 1942 – Fulton Tigers
• 1946 – Owensboro Oilers
• 1947 – Hopkinsville Hoppers
• 1948 – Union City Greyhounds
• 1949 – Madisonville Miners
• 1950 – Mayfield Clothiers
• 1951 – Fulton Railroaders
• 1952 – Madisonville Miners
• 1953 – Paducah Chiefs
• 1954 – Union City Dodgers
• 1955 – Paducah Chiefs

External links

• KITTY League – History of the original professional league
• KIT League – Collegiate summer league

Notes and References

1. About Us. Ohio Valley League.
2. Book: The Kitty League. Joshua R.. Maxwell. Kevin D.. McCann. June 7, 2012. Arcadia Publishing. 9780738593722. Google Books.
3. Web site: Josh Maxwell writes book about Kitty League baseball. The Logan Journal.