| Minnesota–Wisconsin League | |
| Sport: | Minor League Baseball |
| President: | John A. Elliott (1909–1910) Frank Force (1911) John A. Elliott(1912) |
| Inaugural: | 1909 |
| Teams: | 8 |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Continent: | or |
| Continents: | --> |
| Folded: | 1912 |
| Most Champs: | 1 Duluth White Sox (1909) Eau Claire Commissioners (1910) Superior Red Sox (1911) Winona Pirates (1912) |
| Classification: | Class D (1909–1910) Class C (1911) Class D (1912) |
| Related Comps: | Central International League |
The Minnesota–Wisconsin League, known as the "Minny" League, was a professional minor baseball league that existed from 1909 to 1912. It was a Class D league in 1909, 1910 and 1912 and a Class C league in 1911. As its name suggests, it featured teams based in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin.[1]
The inaugural 1909 Minnesota–Wisconsin League season featured the Duluth White Sox, Eau Claire Cream Puffs, La Crosse Outcasts, Winona Pirates, Wausau Lumberjacks and Superior Drillers as the six charter franchises in the league. The Duluth White Sox finished in first place, claiming the league championship.
In 1910, the Duluth White Sox, La Crosse Outcasts, Wausau Lumberjacks and Winona Pirates returned from 1909, while the Eau Claire Cream Puffs became the Eau Claire Commissioners and the Superior Drillers became the Superior Red Sox. The Red Wing Manufacturers and the Rochester Surgeons were newcomers to the league, which expanded to eight teams. The Eau Claire Commissioners finished in first place, winning the league championship.
In 1911, the league began play with the same teams as in 1910. During the season, the Red Wing and Wausau franchises both folded on June 26, 1911. The Superior Red Sox finished in first place, winning the league championship.
In 1912, the Minnesota–Wisconsin League began with four teams – the Eau Claire Commissioners, the La Crosse Outcasts, the Winona Pirates and the Rochester Bugs (formerly the Rochester Surgeons). Duluth and Superior left to form the Central International League. The Minnesota–Wisconsin League disbanded on July 1, 1912, with the Winona Pirates being the de facto league champion.
Hall of Fame members Dave Bancroft, 1909 Duluth White Sox,1909 Superior Drillers, 1910–1911 Superior Red Sox and Burleigh Grimes, 1912 Eau Claire Commissioners, played in the league.
Duluth White Sox 1909–1911
Eau Claire Cream Puffs 1909; Eau Claire Commissioners 1910–1912
LaCrosse Outcasts 1909–1912
Red Wing Manufacturers 1910–1911
Rochester Roosters 1910; Rochester Bears 1911; Rochester Bugs 1912
Superior Drillers 1909; Superior Red Sox 1910–1911
Wausau Lumberjacks 1909–1911
Winona Pirates 1909–1912
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth White Sox | 65 | 42 | .556 | -- | Thomas J. O'Brien | |
| Eau Claire Cream Puffs | 62 | 57 | .521 | 4.0 | Tom Schoonhover | |
| LaCrosse Outcasts | 60 | 56 | .517 | 4.5 | Joe Safford | |
| Winona Pirates | 60 | 56 | .517 | 4.5 | Joe Killian | |
| Wausau Lumberjacks | 54 | 66 | .450 | 12.5 | Jack McCarthy | |
| Superior Drillers | 51 | 65 | .440 | 13.5 | Lew Drill[2] |
| Bill Bailey | Eau Claire | BA | .308 | Phil Stremmel | Superior | W | 22 | |
| Mike Malloy | LaCrosse | Runs | 75 | Frank Nicholson | Eau Claire | Pct | .800; 8–2 | |
| Russ Bailey | Eau Claire | Hits | 143 | |||||
| A.J. McCrone | Duluth | HR | 6 |
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire Commissioners | 79 | 44 | .642 | -- | Tom Schoonhover | |
| Winona Pirates | 69 | 54 | .561 | 10.0 | Joe Killian | |
| Wausau Lumberjacks | 69 | 55 | .557 | 10.5 | Carl Bond | |
| Superior Red Sox | 64 | 57 | .529 | 14.0 | Arthur O'Dea / Jack Taylor | |
| LaCrosse Outcasts | 56 | 68 | .451 | 23.5 | Joe Safford | |
| Red Wing Manufacturers | 51 | 67 | .432 | 25.5 | Mike Malloy | |
| Duluth White Sox | 50 | 70 | .417 | 27.5 | Thomas J. O'Brien | |
| Rochester Roosters | 46 | 69 | .400 | 29.0 | Jack Corrigan / Frank O'Leary |
| Dave Callahan | Eau Claire | BA | .365 | Nicholas Lakoff | Winona | W | 23 | |
| Dave Callahan | Eau Claire | Runs | 92 | Cy Dahlgren | Superior | Pct | .759; 22–7 | |
| Dave Callahan | Eau Claire | Hits | 168 | |||||
| Walter Altermatt | Duluth | HR | 12 |
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior Red Sox | 72 | 36 | .667 | -- | Jack Taylor | |
| Winona Pirates | 71 | 45 | .612 | 5.0 | Joe Killian | |
| Duluth White Sox | 60 | 49 | .550 | 12.5 | Thomas J. O'Brien | |
| Eau Claire Commissioners | 53 | 57 | .482 | 20.0 | Tom Schoonhover | |
| LaCrosse Outcasts | 47 | 68 | .409 | 28.5 | Bumpus Jones / Carl Bond | |
| Rochester Bears | 40 | 71 | .360 | 33.5 | Ted Corbett | |
| 21 | 22 | .488 | NA | Carl Bond / Buddy Dolan | ||
| Red Wing Manufacturers | 13 | 29 | .310 | NA | Fred Cooke |
1912 Minnesota-Wisconsin League schedule
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winona Pirates | 29 | 14 | .674 | -- | Fred Curtis | |
| Eau Claire Commissioners | 25 | 17 | .595 | 3.5 | Russell Bailey | |
| LaCrosse Outcasts | 15 | 26 | .366 | 13.0 | Carl Bond | |
| Rochester Bugs | 14 | 26 | .350 | 13.5 | Art Lizzette |
"Rochester Surgeons Beat Outcasts Again." Duluth News Tribune (Duluth, Minn.) 26 May 1910. 11.
"Surgeons Lost Final Autopsy: Rochester Drops an Up and Down Contest -- Score is 8 to 4." Duluth News Tribune (Duluth, Minn.) 29 May 1911. 2.