Missouri Valley League

The Missouri Valley League was an American minor league baseball league which operated from 1901 through 1905.

Missouri Valley League
ClassificationIndependent (1901)
Class D (1902–1903)
Class C (1904–1905)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1901
Ceased1905
Replaced bySouth Central League
PresidentDr. D.M. Shiveley (1902–1904)
Richard Robertson, Jr. (1905)
No. of teams23
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles1
Nevada Lunatics (1902)
Sedalia Gold Bugs (1903)
Iola Gasbags (1904)
Pittsburg Miners (1905)
Related
competitions
Western Association

History

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The Missouri Valley league formed in 1901 as an Independent league. The league consisted of teams in Kansas and Missouri: Columbus, Kansas, Fort Scott Memphis Route, Galena, Kansas, Joplin Colts, Monett Railroadmen, Nevada Reds, Oswego, Kansas and Pittsburg Coal Barons. 1901 league records and standings are unknown.[1]

In 1902, The teams in Nevada, Missouri, Fort Scott, Kansas and Joplin, Missouri remained. Sedalia, Missouri; Coffeyville, Kansas; Jefferson City, Missouri; Iola, Kansas and Springfield, Missouri joined as the Missouri Valley League became designated as a Class D level league. On June 23, the Coffeyville Indians, with a 9-30 record, relocated to Chanute, Kansas, where they compiled a 32–51 record.[2]

In the 1903 season, the teams in Chanute and Jefferson City folded. New teams in Leavenworth, Kansas, and Pittsburg, Kansas, formed and joined the league. The Nevada team, with a record of 21–39, relocated to Webb City, Missouri, on July 13, where their record was 0–4. The teams from Leavenworth and Webb City folded mid–season on July 16.[2]

In 1904, new teams in Leavenworth, Kansas, and Topeka, Kansas, formed and joined the league. After the 1904 season, the Missouri Valley League essentially reformed under a different name as five member teams formed under a new league. Joplin, Leavenworth, Sedalia, Springfield, and Topeka all joined the new 1905 Western Association. The Iola franchise folded. The Fort Scott and Pittsburg franchises remained in the 1905 Class C level Missouri Valley League. In 1905, South McAlester moved to Ft. Smith on July 6. Muskogee disbanded on August 31, causing the Missouri Valley League to end on September 5.[2][3]

Cities Represented

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Teams & statistics

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1902 Missouri Valley League

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schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Nevada Lunatics 86 38 .694 -- James Driscoll
Springfield Reds 83 40 .678 2.5 Frank Hurlburt
Fort Scott Giants 80 44 .645 6.0 Fred Hornaday
Sedalia Gold Bugs 72 48 .600 12.0 Joseph Roe / Fultz
Joplin Miners 56 66 .459 29.0 Claude Marcum / Wickhizer
Coffeyville Indians /
Chanute Oilers
41 81 .336 44.0 Fred Porter / Larry Powers /
Galbreath / Jack Jamieson
Jefferson City Convicts 40 85 .320 46.5 A.B. Carey / E.J. Miller
Iola Gasbags 34 90 .274 52.0 Dan Jenkins

Coffeyville (9–30) moved to Chanute June 23.

[2]

1903 Missouri Valley League

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schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Sedalia Gold Bugs 86 47 .647 -- W.J. Ferguson / R.N. Harrison
Springfield Midgets 82 48 .631 2.5 Frank Hurlburt
Iola Gaslighters 79 52 .603 6.0 A.H.Harris
Joplin Miners 69 62 .527 16.0 Dave Joseph
Fort Scott Giants 71 64 .526 16.0 Fred Hornaday
Pittsburg Coal Diggers 39 95 .291 47.5 Claude East
Nevada Lunatics /
Webb City Goldbugs
21 43 .328 NA A.B. Cockerell
Leavenworth White Sox 15 50 .231 NA Clyde Hughes

Nevada (21–39) moved to Webb City July 13, then disbanded July 16; Leavenworth disbanded July 16.

[2]

1904 Missouri Valley League

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schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Iola Gasbags 83 41 .669 -- Dad Risley
Springfield Midgets 77 46 .626 5.5 F. Smith /
John Perrine / Frank Hulburt
Joplin Miners 77 49 .611 7.0 John Fillman
Sedalia Gold Bugs 71 53 .573 12.0 E.E. Codding
Pittsburg Coal Diggers 57 64 .471 24.5 O.H. Baldwin / John Kane
Leavenworth Orioles 48 74 .393 34.0 Eli Cates / Elmer Smith
Topeka Saints 45 78 .366 37.5 Gus Alberts / C. Cole /
John Shrant / Spencer Abbott
Fort Scott Giants 36 89 .288 47.5 Jack Bene / Louis Armstrong

[2]

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Jacob Bauer Sedalia BA .346 Amos Morgan Iola W 32
Jacob Bauer Sedalia Hits 178 Ed Craig Springfield Pct .826; 19–4
John Root Iola SO 224[2]

1905 Missouri Valley League

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schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Pittsburg Miners 75 26 .743 -- H.O. Baldwin
Parsons Preachers 61 40 .604 14.0 John Hamilton
Muskogee Reds 52 46 .531 21.5 G.A. Sabin / Mel Cooley /
Dillard / Alex Sandheimer
Ft. Scott Giants 49 52 .485 26.0 Harry Chapman
Webb City Gold Bugs 47 54 .465 28.0 Elmer Meredith
Tulsa Oilers 44 58 .431 31.5 Charlie Schafft
Vinita Cherokees 41 63 .394 35.5 Ed Finney
South McAlester Giants /
Ft. Smith Giants
33 63 .344 39.5 Joe B. Roe

Muskogee disbanded Aug 31, causing the season to be shortened to September 5.
South McAlester moved to Ft. Smith July 6.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Cy Stinson Pittsburg W 22 Cy Stinson Pittsburg CG 30
Cy Stinson Pittsburg IP 279 William Burns Pittsburg Pct .875; 21–3

[2]

References

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  1. ^ "1901 Missouri Valley League (MVL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  3. ^ "1905 Missouri Valley League (MVL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.

Further reading

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  • Sumner, Benjamin Barrett. Minor League Baseball Standings: All North American Leagues, Through 1999. Jefferson, N.C.:McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0781-6