| Virginia Mountain League | |
| Sport: | Minor League Baseball |
| President: | B.F. Donovan (1914) |
| Inaugural: | 1914 |
| Teams: | 5 |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Continent: | or |
| Continents: | --> |
| Folded: | July 25, 1914 |
| Most Champs: | 1 Covington Papermakers Clifton Forge Railroaders* |
| Classification: | Class D (1914) |
| Related Comps: | Virginia League |
The Virginia Mountain League was a minor league baseball organization active in central western Virginia in 1914. The Class D level league folded during its only season of play.
On March 3, 1914, at a meeting in Lynchburg, Virginia, discussions began for the formulation of a six–team, Class D level baseball league. Teams were tentatively slated to be based in Lynchburg, Danville, Charlottesville, Clifton Forge, Staunton and Covington, with a salary limit of $800 (per team) monthly. Lynchburg was hesitant to commit because of a previous $700 lien on its territory, a result of a previous team in the Virginia League.
The league was then formed at a March 12, 1914, meeting, without Danville and Lynchburg franchises. B.F. Donovan, of Clifton Forge, was elected league president. D. R. Ellis, of Covington, was elected as vice-president.
The Virginia Mountain League had four teams: the Charlottesville Tuckahoes, the Clifton Forge, Virginia based Clifton Forge Railroaders, the Covington, Virginia based Covington Papermakers; the Staunton, Virginia based Staunton Lunatics and the Harrisonburg, Virginia hosted Harrisonburg Lunatics, The Staunton team later moved to Harrisonburg in July 1914.[1] The league disbanded on July 25, 1914, with Covington in first place with a 37–26 record, 5.0 games ahead of second place Charlottesville.
The Virginia Mountain League was reported to have folded due to poor attendance and the onset of World War I amid "rumors of fixed games."[2] [3]
Shortly after the Virginia Mountain League folded, there was an unsuccessful attempt, headed by Clifton Forge manager Buck Hooker, in August 1914, to revive the league and the teams.[4]
However, following the collapse of the league, the Covington and Clifton Forge teams elected to play a 10–game championship series. The Railroaders captured the unofficial league “title,” winning 7 of the 10 games. After winning a final doubleheader against Covington by scores of 5–4 and 5–3, a farewell reception and banquet was held for the players at Clifton Forge.
Charlottesville Tuckahoes 1914
Clifton Forge Railroaders 1914
Staunton Lunatics 1914
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | 26 | .587 | – | Frank Moore / Nick Carter | ||
| Charlottesville Tuckahoes | 31 | 30 | .508 | 5.0 | Walter Steinhause | |
| 28 | 34 | .452 | 8.5 | |||
| Staunton Lunatics / Harrisonburg Lunatics | 26 | 32 | .448 | 8.5 | Davey Crockett / Pat Krebs |