Tri-State League

The Tri-State League was the name of five different circuits in American minor league baseball.

History

The first league of that name played for four years (1887–1890) and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia.

The second league, played from 1904–1914, and had member clubs in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Charles F. Carpenter was president from 1906 to 1913.^[1]

During the 1920s, two versions of the Tri-State League briefly existed: a 1924 loop with clubs in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota, and a 1925-1926 association located in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas.

The most recent incarnation of the league was the post-World War II Tri-State, a Class B circuit with clubs in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. This league, which played from 1946–55, typically included clubs in Charlotte, Asheville, Knoxville, Rock Hill and Spartanburg; most of its teams were affiliated with Major League Baseball farm systems.

The attendance crisis in the minor leagues of the 1950s - and the defection of clubs like Charlotte to higher-classification loops - eventually took its toll on the Tri-State League. In its last season, 1955, there were only four clubs in the league. Its last champion was the Spartanburg Peaches, an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

Teams

1887

• Played as Ohio State League

1888-1890

• Akron Akrons (1890)
• Canton (1888, 1890)
• Canton Nadjys (1889)
• Columbus Senators (1888)
• Dayton Reds (1889–1890)
• Hamilton (1889)
• Jackson Jaxons (1888)
• Kalamazoo Kazoos (1888)
• Lima Lushers (1888)
• Mansfield Pioneers (1890)
• McKeesport Tubers (1890)
• Sandusky Fish Eaters (1888)
• Springfield (1889–1890)
• Toledo Maumees (1888)
• Wheeling Nail Cities (1888)
• Wheeling Nailers (1889–1890)
• Youngstown Giants (1890)
• Zanesville Kickapoos (1888)

1904-1914

• Allentown (1912–1914)
• Altoona Mountaineers (1904–1909)
• Altoona Rams (1910–1912)
• Atlantic City (1912–1913)
• Camden (1904)
• Chester (1912)
• Harrisburg Senators (1904–1914)
• Johnstown Johnnies (1905–1908)
• Johnstown Jawns (1909)
• Johnstown Johns (1910–1912)
• Lancaster Red Roses (1905–1912, 1914)
• Lebanon (1904)
• Reading Pretzels (1907–1912, 1914)
• Shamokin (1905)
• Trenton Tigers 1907-1914
• Williamsport Millionaires (1904–1910)
• Wilmington Peaches (1904–1908)
• Wilmington Chicks (1911–1914)
• York Penn Parks (1904)
• York White Roses (1905–1907, 1909–1914)

1924

• Beatrice Blues
• Grand Island Islanders
• Hastings Cubs
• Norfolk Elk Horns
• Sioux City Cardinals
• Sioux Falls Canaries

1925-1926

• Blytheville Tigers (1925–1926)
• Corinth Corinthians (1925–1926)
• Dyersburg Deers (1925)
• Jackson Giants (1925)
• Jackson Jays (1926)
• Jonesboro Buffaloes (1925–1926)
• Sheffield-Tuscumbia Twins (1926)
• Tupelo Wolves (1925–1926)

1946-1955

• Anderson A's (1946)
• Anderson Rebels (1947–1954)
• Asheville Tourists (1946–1955)
• Charlotte Hornets (1946–1953)
• Fayetteville Cubs (1947–1948)
• Florence Steelers (1948–1950)
• Gastonia Rockets (1952–1953)
• Greenville Spinners (1951–1952, 1954–1955)
• Greenwood Tigers (1951)
• Knoxville Smokies (1946–1952, 1954)
• Reidsville Luckies (1947)
• Rock Hill Chiefs (1947–1955)
• Shelby Cubs (1946)
• Spartanburg Spartans (1946)
• Spartanburg Peaches (1947–1955)
• Sumter Chicks (1949–1950)

^[2]

References

1. Francis C. Richter (2005). Richter's history and records of base ball: the American nation's chief sport. McFarland & Company. p. 396. ISBN 0-7864-1727-7. Charles F. Carpenter, president of the Tri-State League from 1906 to 1913 ...
2. Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball – Lloyd Johnson, Miles Wolff. Publisher: Baseball America, 1993. Language: English. Format: Paperback, 420pp. ISBN 0-9637189-1-6

External links

• Baseball Reference – Tri-State League (Class B) Encyclopedia and History
• Baseball Reference – Tri-State League (Class D) Encyclopedia and History
• Baseball Reference – Western Tri-State League (Class D) Encyclopedia and History