Ohio–Pennsylvania League Explained

Ohio–Pennsylvania League
Sport:Minor League Baseball
President:Charles H. Morton (1905–1908)
Samuel Wright (1909–1910)
George L. Moreland (1910–1911)
G.Y. Travis (1912)
Teams:54
Country:United States
Continent:or
Continents:-->
Most Successful Club:4 Akron Champs (1908–1911)
Classification:Class C (1905–1911)
Class D (1912)
Founder:Charles H. Morton

The Ohio–Pennsylvania League (1905 - 1912) was a Class C and Class D level minor league baseball league that featured franchises based in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The league was founded by Charlie Morton and operated for eight seasons, with the Akron Champs winning four league championships.

History

The Ohio–Pennsylvania League had its beginnings in March 1905, when league president Charlie Morton invited six prospective members to a meeting in Akron, Ohio.[1] In May 1905, eleven teams joined the Protective Association of Independent Clubs, which formed the basis of the Class C Division Ohio–Pennsylvania League.[1] Ultimately, the league trimmed down to eight teams from the following cities: Akron, Newark, Niles, Youngstown, and Zanesville in Ohio, and Homestead, Lancaster, and Sharon in Pennsylvania.[2]

That September, the Youngstown Ohio Works won the league championship, although sources disagree on the team's final record. As one researcher writes: "The Reach Guide (1906) credits Youngstown with an 84 - 32 won-lost record where the Spalding Guide of the same year lists a 90 - 35 record. The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (1993) tells a third story, giving Youngstown an 88 - 35 mark."[1]

In 1912, the league rescinded its membership in the National Association when it placed a franchise in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

By the end of its seven-year lifespan, in 1912, the Ohio–Pennsylvania League had enlisted the membership of no less than 40 ball clubs based in over 20 cities.[1] While the league was disorganized (like many of its counterparts), it provided regional sports teams with an alternative to the established minor-league system.[1] Baseball luminaries who were once connected to the league include Billy Evans,[3] Lee Fohl,[4] Bill Phyle,[4] and Everett Scott.[5] Future Hall-of-Fame infielder George Sisler signed his first professional contract with an Akron club associated with the O-P League, although he never actually played for the team.[6]

Cities represented

Akron Buckeyes 1905; Akron Rubbernecks 1906; Akron Champs 1907–1911

Barberton Magic Cities 1905

Braddock Infants 1905

Bridgeport Giants 1912

Bucyrus Bucks 1905

Butler Bucks 1905; Butler 1908

Canton Protectives 1905 Canton Watchmakers 1908–1909; Canton Deubers 1910–1911

Connellsville Cokers 1912

East Liverpool Potters 1908–1912

Erie Sailors 1908–1911

Fairmont Fairies 1912

Girard Sailors 1908

Homestead Steel Workers 1905

Kent Kings 1905

Lancaster Lanks 1905–1907

Lima Lees 1905

Mansfield Giants 1906; Mansfield Pioneers 1907; Mansfield Reformers 1910; Mansfield Brownies 1911

Marion Moguls 1906; Marion Drummers 1907

Massillon Farmers 1905

McKeesport Colts 1905; McKeesport Tubers 1908–1910; McKeesport Tubers 1912

Mount Vernon Clippers 1905

New Castle Outlaws 1906; New Castle Nocks 1907–1912

New Martinsville 1912

Newark Idlewilds 1905; Newark Cotton Tops 1906; Newark Newks 1907

Niles Crowites 1905

Pittsburgh 1912

Salem Quakers 1912

Sharon Steels 1905–1906; Sharon Giants 1907–1908, 1912; Sharon Travelers 1911

Steubenville Factory Men 1905; Steubenville Stubs 1909, 1911

Washington Patriots 1905

Wooster Trailers 1905

Youngstown Ohio Works 1905–1906; Youngstown Champs 1907–1908; Youngstown Indians 1909; Youngstown Steelmen 1910–1911

Zanesville Moguls 1905–1906

League champions

Standings and statistics

1905 to 1908

1905 Ohio–Pennsylvania League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Youngstown Ohio Works8835.715–
Akron Buckeyes6642.61114.5
Zanesville Moguls5136.586NAFred Drumm
Niles Crowites5237.584NACharles Crowe
Braddock Infants2322.511NADon McKim
Lancaster Lanks3637.493NAFred Killen
Homestead Steel Workers2932.475NAHoward Fisher
Newark Idlewilds3746.446NA
Sharon Steels2939.426NA
McKeesport Colts2027.426NA
Mount Vernon Clippers1624.400NABill Goodrich
Massillon Farmers2641.388NAWalter Lipps
Canton Protectives1940.322NAWilliam Delaney
Washington Patriots33.500NADan Kline
Lima Lees26.333NAEddie Bailey
Bucyrus Bucks512.294NANA
Butler Bucks17.125NAWard Buckminister
Steubenville Factory Men17.125NAJack Kelley
Wooster Trailers02.000NAJess Bowers
Barberton Magic Cities03.000NABill Feignley
Kent Kings06.000NAHenry Metz
League was admitted to the National Association July 21
Canton withdrew July 10; Kent withdrew July 31; Butler withdrew Aug 2; Steubenville withdrew Aug 2; Mt. Vernon withdrew Aug 12; Massillon withdrew Aug 24. 1906 Ohio–Pennsylvania League
schedule
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Youngstown Ohio Works8453.613–
Akron Rubbernecks8355.6011.5
Lancaster Lanks7366.52512.0Frederick Gray / Curt Elston
New Castle Outlaws7367.52112.5Percy Stetler /
Ralph Lindaman / William Smith
7169.50714.5Ferdinand Drumm
Newark Cotton Tops6574.46820.0Gene Bates / Bill Bottenus /
Pete Sommers / Walter Snodgrass
Mansfield Giants5977.43424.5Carl McVey
Sharon Steels4693.33139.0Frank Yoho /
Charles Crowe / Dick Glassburner
Zanesville (58–55) moved to Marion August 28.
No playoffs were scheduled.
Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Bill Thomas YoungstownBA.303Fred Ehman AkronW29
Fred AbbottLancasterRuns83Fred Ehman AkronPCT.707 29–12
Bill Thomas YoungstownHits158
1907 Ohio–Pennsylvania League
schedule
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Youngstown Champs8652.623–Sam Wright
Newark Newks8653.6190.5Bob Berryhill
Akron Champs8353.6102.0
Lancaster Lanks7262.53712.0James Breen /
Curt Elston / Frank Locke
New Castle Nocks6474.46422.0Bill Smith
Mansfield Pioneers5584.39631.5Carl McVey
Sharon Giants5584.39631.5Rudy Kling / Van Patterson
Marion Drummers4887.35636.5Ferdinand Drumm /
Robert Quinn / Thomas Mylett
No playoffs were scheduled.
Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Curt Elston LancasterBA.318Buck Thomas YoungstownW28
Charlie StarrYoungstownRuns75Ed Asher NewarkPCT.714 25–10
Delos DrakeMarionHits164
1908 Ohio–Pennsylvania League
schedule
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Akron Champs8136.692–John Breckinridge
East Liverpool Potters7042.6258.5Bill Phillips
Canton Watchmakers6554.54617.0Ed Murphy / Thomas Lindsay
Sharon Giants6256.52519.5Van Patterson
Youngstown Champs5860.49223.5Sam Wright
New Castle Nocks4770.40234.0Pete Porter / R. Hagan
McKeesport Tubers4472.37936.5Bernie McCay / Pat Eastley
Girard Sailors /
Butler /
Erie Sailors		4279.34741
# Girard (0–9) moved to Butler May 9; Butler (5–17) moved to Erie June 15.
The season was shortened to September 7.
No playoffs were scheduled.
Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Wilbur GoodAkronBA.370Fred Ehman AkronW25
Teddy Hinton YoungstownRuns82Bill Phillips East LiverpoolPCT.818 18–4
Jack McAleeseYoungstownHits150
Harry Bailey CantonHR8

1909 to 1912

1909 Ohio–Pennsylvania League
schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Akron Champs8140.670–
East Liverpool Potters8045.6403.0Arch Osborne / John Raley
McKeesport Tubers7353.57910.5Bill Thomas
5965.47623.5Jim Barton / Ferdinand Drumm
Canton Watchmakers5567.45126.5Van Patterson
Erie Sailors4869.41031.0
Steubenville Stubs4873.39733.0John Hanlon /
Jim Lynch / Frank Blair
Youngstown Indians4678.37136.5Charles Crowe / William Terry
No playoffs were scheduled.
Player statistics!Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Burt ShottonSteubenvilleBA.347Harry CamnitzMcKeesportW27
Gene ElliottMcKeesportRuns75Arch Osborne East LiverpoolPCT.760 19–6
Burt ShottonSteubenvilleHits154

1910 Ohio–Pennsylvania League
schedule

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Akron Champs7353.579–
Canton Deubers7254.5711.0Ferdinand Drumm
East Liverpool Potters6361.5089.0Guy Sample / Henry Lattimore
McKeesport Tubers6462.5089.0Duke Servatius / Edward Connors
Mansfield Reformers6066.47613.0
New Castle Nocks5767.46015.0Frank Blair / Jim Barton
Youngstown Steelmen5567.45116.0
Erie Sailors5569.44417.0
No playoffs were scheduled.
Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Frank Warrender East LiverpoolBA.341Fred Wilhelm CantonW23
Fred Dawson CantonRuns95Fred Wilhelm CantonSO284
Fred CorbinAkronHits150Fred Wilhelm CantonPCT.767 23–7
Duke Servatius McKeesportHR16
1911 Ohio–Pennsylvania League
schedule
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Akron Champs9042.682–
Youngstown Steelmen8250.6218.0Bill Phillips / W.R. Terry
Erie Sailors7754.58812.5
Canton Deubers7559.56016.0Ferdinand Drumm
Mansfield Brownies5582.40137.5Ed Hahn /
Les Channell / Frank Reynolds
New Castle Nocks /
Sharon Travelers		35101.25757.0Joe Sugden / Steve Griffin /
Bill Thomas / Peter Porter
East Liverpool Potters6349.563NAAlexander Sweeney
4080.333NA
New Castle (25–85) moved to Sharon August 12.
East Liverpool and Steubenville disbanded August 20.
No playoffs were scheduled.
Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Joe Wilson East LiverpoolBA.365Elmer BrownAkronW22
Ezra MidkiffAkronRuns96Ralph McConnaugheyErieW22
Ray MillerAkronHits162Earl MoseleyYoungstownSo242
Hughie TateYoungstownHR23Elmer BrownAkronPCT.815 22–5
1912 Ohio–Pennsylvania League
schedule
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Salem Quakers /
Fairmont Fairies		6444.593–
Steubenville-Follansbee Stubs6250.5544.0
Liverpool Potters /
Pittsburg /
New Martinsville		4957.46214.0Tony Crane / Charles Donnelly
4759.44316.0Charles Eichenberger /
R.M. Paige / Ralph Rainson
3922.639NAHack Adler /
Matthew McGrath / Monte Pfeiffer
2633.441NALarry Maley
1221.364NA
New Castle Nocks922.290NACharles Smith / Jack Murray
Connelsville and New Castle disbanded June 18; Salem moved to Fairmont July 9; Alliance-Sebring disbanded July 15 due to a player strike; McKeesport disbanded July 17; Sharon moved to Bridgeport August 10; East Liverpool moved to Pittsburgh (2–0) August 14, then to New Martinsville August 18.
The league rescinded its membership to the National Association August 13 when it placed a franchise in Pittsburgh.
Playoff: Fairmont was declared champion when Steubenville-Follansbee was unable to field a team for the playoffs.
Player statistics !Player!! Team!!Stat!! Tot!!!!Player!!Team!!Stat!!Tot
Baby Foster Connellsville / Alliance /
Steubenville-Follansbee		BA.377Ed Sisley Steubenville-FollansbeeW20
William Carroll Salem/FairmontRuns68Ed Sisley SteubenvilleSO217
Harry Edwards Salem/FairmontHits127Eddie Bauer McKeesportPct.789; 15-4
Charles Donnelly East LiverpoolHR7
Jim McKelvey Steubenville-Follansbee /
Bridgeport		SB40
[7]

References

  1. Web site: Ohio–Pennsylvania League of 1905 . Jim . Holl . Society for American Baseball Research . 2007-03-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20031107131758/http://www.sabr.org/sabr.cfm?a=cms,c,412,5,0 . November 7, 2003 .
  2. Spalding's Official Athletic Library Baseball Guide (New York: American Sports Publishing Co., 1910), p. 219.
  3. News: Jon . Baker . In Valley's baseball history, Evans was an early scrapper . The Valley Voice . 27 . July 1, 2005.
  4. News: News Notes . Sporting Life . December 16, 1905 . 9.
  5. Web site: Lewis Everett "Deacon" Scott . 1918 Red Sox . 2008-01-31.
  6. Web site: Ban Johnson . Joe . Santry . Cindy Thomson . Society for American Baseball Research . 2009-03-14.
  7. Book: The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball . Lloyd . Johnson . Miles . Wolff . Third . . 2007 . 978-1932391176.

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