The Central Association was an American minor league baseball league. It began operations in 1908, as it was essentially renamed from the 1907 Iowa State League . The Central Association ran continuously through 1917. It was reorganized thirty years later, operating as a Class-C league from 1947-1949, with major league affiliates for most teams. Baseball Hall of Fame members Grover Cleveland Alexander (Galesburg), Jake Beckley (Hannibal), Burleigh Grimes (Ottumwa) and Sam Rice (Galesburg and Muscatine) are league alumni.
1908–1917 league
In 1908, The Central Association formed with charter members: Burlington Pathfinders (Burlington, Iowa ), Jacksonville Lunatics (Jacksonville, Illinois ), Keokuk Indians (Keokuk, Iowa ), Oskaloosa Quakers (Oskaloosa, Iowa ), Ottumwa Packers (Ottumwa, Iowa ), Quincy Gems (Quincy, Illinois ) and the Waterloo Lulus (Waterloo, Iowa ) all had been members of the 1907 Iowa State League. A new team in Kewanee, Illinois , the Kewanee Boilermakers , joined as well.
In 1909, the Oskaloosa Quakers franchise folded and the Hannibal Cannibals (Hannibal, Missouri ) moved from the Illinois–Missouri League . In 1910, Jacksonville moved to the Northern Association and Waterloo moved to the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League . The Galesburg Pavers (Galesburg, Illinois ) and Monmouth Browns (Monmouth, Illinois ) joined after having left the Illinois–Missouri League . For the 1911 season, Quincy moved to the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League and the Muscatine Camels (Muscatine, Iowa ) formed and joined the league.
For 1913, Galesburg and Hannibal folded, with the Cedar Rapids Rabbits (Cedar Rapids, Iowa ), and Waterloo Jays (Waterloo, Iowa ) forming to join the league. In 1914, Kewanee and Monmouth folded while the Clinton Pilots (Clinton, Iowa ) and Marshalltown Ansons (Marshalltown, Iowa ) formed and joined the league. Ottumwa moved to Rock Island, Illinois , as the Rock Island Islanders and then again to Galesburg, as the Galesburg Pavers .
In 1915, Galesburg folded and the Mason City Claydiggers (Mason City, Iowa ) formed and joined the league. The Clinton team folded during the season. The league also threw out several wins by Keokuk (1), Marshalltown (5), Waterloo (1), and Clinton (40) after the fact.
Keokuk folded in 1916, while the Clinton Pilots rejoined and the Fort Dodge Dodgers (Fort Dodge, Iowa ) formed and joined the league. Burlington moved to become the Ottumwa Packers on July 20, and Muscatine also forfeited 34 wins in 1916.
In the final season, 1917, Muscatine and Ottumwa folded. The Dubuque Dubs in Dubuque, Iowa and the La Crosse Infants (La Crosse, Wisconsin ) formed and joined the league. Dubuque moved to Charles City, Iowa on July 4 to become the Charles City Tractorites. Cedar Rapids moved to Clear Lake, Iowa on July 27, finishing the season as the Clear Lake Rabbits . Clinton and La Crosse both folded before the end of the season on July 17. After the season, the league, and all teams in it, folded.
1947–1949 league
In 1947, a new league of the same name was created with major league affiliations. The Clinton Cubs (Chicago Cubs ) in Clinton, Iowa ; Hannibal Pilots (St. Louis Browns ), Hannibal, Missouri ; Rockford Rox (Cincinnati Reds ), Rockford, Illinois ; Keokuk Pirates (Pittsburgh Pirates ), Keokuk, Iowa ; Burlington Indians (Cleveland Indians ), Burlington, Iowa , and the Moline A's , (Philadelphia A's ) Moline, Illinois were the charter members of the reformed league.
In 1948, the Moline A's moved to Kewanee, Illinois to become the Kewanee A's in mid-season. In 1949, the Hannibal Pilots folded and the Cedar Rapids Rockets of Cedar Rapids, Iowa formed to join the league. Kewanee captured the 1949 championship. After the 1949 season, Cedar Rapids joined the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League , and the rest of the teams, and the league itself, folded.
Cities represented
Burlington, IA : Burlington Pathfinders 1908–1916; Burlington Indians 1947–1949
Cedar Rapids, IA : Cedar Rapids Rabbits 1913–1917; Cedar Rapids Rockets 1949
Charles City, IA : Charles City Tractorites 1917
Clear Lake, IA : Clear Lake Rabbits 1917
Clinton, IA : Clinton Pilots 1914–1917; Clinton Cubs 1947–1948; Clinton Steers 1949
Dubuque, IA : Dubuque Dubs 1917
Fort Dodge, IA : Fort Dodge Dodgers 1916–1917
Galesburg, IL : Galesburg Pavers 1910–1912; Galesburg Pavers 1914
Hannibal, MO : Hannibal Cannibals 1909–1912; Hannibal Pilots 1947–1948
Jacksonville, IL : Jacksonville Lunatics 1908; Jacksonville Braves 1909
Keokuk, IA : Keokuk Indians 1908–1915; Keokuk Pirates 1947–1949
Kewanee, IL : Kewanee Boilermakers 1908–1913; Kewanee A's 1948–1949
LaCrosse, WI : La Crosse Infants 1917
Marshalltown, IA : Marshalltown Ansons 1914–1917
Mason City, IA : Mason City Claydiggers 1915–1917
Moline, IL : Moline A's 1947–1948
Monmouth, IL : Monmouth Browns 1910–1913
Muscatine, IA : Muscatine Camels 1911; Muscatine Wallopers 1912–1913; Muscatine Buttonmakers 1914; Muscatine Muskies 1915–1916
Oskaloosa, IA : Oskaloosa Quakers 1908
Ottumwa, IA : Ottumwa Packers 1908–1910; Ottumwa Speedboys 1911–1912; Ottumwa Packers 1913–1914; Ottumwa Packers 1916
Rockford, IL : Rockford Rox 1947–1949
Quincy, IL : Quincy Gems 1908; Quincy Vets 1909–1910
Rock Island, IL : Rock Island Islanders 1914
Waterloo, IA : Waterloo Lulus 1908–1909; Waterloo Jays 1913–1915; Waterloo Shamrocks 1916; Waterloo Loons 1917
Standings & statistics
1908 to 1917
1908 Central Association
Player statistics
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
John House
Burlington
BA
.306
Harry Gaspar
Waterloo
W
32
Charles Rose
Burlington
Hits
146
Harry Gaspar
Waterloo
SO
2.17
Al Linderbeck
Quincy
Runs
75
Harry Gaspar
Waterloo
Pct
.889; 32–4
Al Linderbeck
Quincy
HR
10
1909 Central Association
Player statistics
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Fred Fenney
Ottum/Burl
BA
.300
Collis Spencer
Burlington
W
27
George Manush
Burlington
Hits
149
Joe Vyskocil
Hannibal
SO
209
George Manush
Burlington
Runs
91
Burleigh Grimes
Ottum/Kew
Pct
.742; 23–8
Al Linderbeck
Quincy
HR
10
H.W. Gray
Jacksonville
HR
10
1910 Central Association schedule
Player statistics
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Dan Kerwin
Hannibal
BA
.331
Charles Fanning
Galesburg
W
30
Thomas Owens
Quincy
Hits
148
Charles Fanning
Galesburg
SO
320
Don Senno
Ottumwa
Runs
84
Charles Fanning
Galesburg
Pct
.714; 30–12
Thomas Owens
Quincy
HR
9
Bill Donahue
Quincy
HR
9
1911 Central Association schedule
Player statistics
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Pearl Holycross
Muscatine
BA
.361
Ray Boyd
Ottumwa
W
30
Taylor Kensel
Ottumwa
Hits
163
Ray Boyd
Ottumwa
Pct
.811; 30–7
George Watson
Burlington
Runs
108
A.J. Ahring
Muscatine
SB
79
Don Senno
Ottumwa
HR
14
1912 Central Association
Player statistics
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
George Manush
Ottumwa
BA
.375
Bert Dunn
Ottumwa
W
26
Harry Shanley
Muscatine
Hits
176
Joe Sloan
Keokuk
SO
197
Harry Ellis
Burlington
Runs
100
Tom Drohan
Kewanee
Pct
.800; 24–6
John Sullivan
Ottumwa
HR
21
1913 Central Association
Player statistics
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Dave Milligan
Cedar Rapids
BA
.320
George Zackert
Muscatine
W
22
Harry Ellis
Burlington
Hits
156
George Zackert
Muscatine
SO
230
Harry Ellis
Burlington
Runs
100
George Zackert
Muscatine
Pct
.759; 22–7
Elmer Jacobs
Burlington
SO
230
1914 Central Association
Ottumwa moved to Rock Island July 17. However, the National Association would not let the Central Association invade the territory of the Three-I League , so Rock Island moved to Galesburg July 24.
Player statistics
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Paddy Siglin
Waterloo
BA
.322
Fred Miller
Burlington
W
23
John Singleton
Burlington
Hits
158
George Zackert
Muscatine
SO
305
Walt Meinert
Burlington
Runs
94
W. Halper
Cedar Rapids
Pct
.722; 13–5
1915 Central Association
Clinton disbanded in mid-season. Wins taken away: Clinton 40, Keokuk 18, Marshalltown 5, Waterloo 1.
1916 Central Association
Burlington moved to Ottumwa July 20. Muscatine forfeited 34 wins.
Player statistics
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Babe Ellison
Muscatine
BA
.361
Dick Blunk
Ottumwa
W
24
Babe Ellison
Muscatine
Hits
178
H. W. Flanagan
Muscatine
SO
266
Charles Reinhart
Muscatine
Runs
104
Ken Penner
Marshalltown
ERA
1.41
Albert Durham
Musca/Marsh
HR
18
1917 Central Association
Dubuque moved to Charles City July 4; Clinton & La Crosse disbanded July 17; Cedar Rapids moved to Clear Lake July 27. The season was shortened to August 7 with National Association permission.
Player statistics
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Bing Miller
Clinton
BA
.337
Red Torkelson
Marshalltown
W
20
Bing Miller
Clinton
Hits
106
Frank Ulch
La Cros/Cedar
ERA
1.25
Joe Wilkes
Clin/Charl
Runs
69
John Mokan
Ft. Dodge
HR
9
[citation needed ] [1]
1947 to 1949
1947 Central Association schedule
Playoffs: Clinton 3 games, Rockford 2; Hannibal 3 games, Keokuk 1. Finals: Clinton 4 games, Hannibal 1.
Player statistics
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Edward Wiltsee
Clinton
BA
.387
Charles Funk
Hannibal
W
19
Roy Sievers
Hannibal
Hits
159
Charles Funk
Hannibal
SO
145
Roy Sievers
Hannibal
Runs
121
Stan Wnetrzak
Clinton
ERA
1.72
Roy Sievers
Hannibal
RBI
141
Roy Sievers
Hannibal
HR
34
1948 Central Association schedule
Moline (17–25) moved to Kewanee June 18. Playoffs: Clinton 4 games, Burlington 2; Keokuk 4 games, Hannibal 1. Finals: Clinton 4 games, Keokuk 0.
Player Statistics
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Gus Bell
Keokuk
BA
.319
Ronald McLeland
Hannibal
W
18
Billy Klaus
Clintonl
Hits
167
Calvin Howe
Clinton
W
18
Elzer Marx
Clinton
Runs
108
Wesley Carr
Clinton
SO
163
Dwight Maxhimer
Clinton
RBI
105
Merrill Merkle
Hannibal
SO
163
John Tanner
Keokuk
HR
23
Ronald McLeland
Hannibal
ERA
2.39
1949 Central Association schedule
Playoffs: Cedar Rapids 3 games, Burlington 0; Kewanee 3 games, Keokuk 0. Finals: Kewanee 4 games, Cedar Rapids 2.
Player Statistics
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Player
Team
Stat
Tot
Harry Minor
Keokuk
BA
.350
Walter Rush
Burlington
W
16
John Miller
Kewanee
Hits
158
John Graney
Clinton
SO
164
George Sopko
Keokuk
Runs
120
Harry Pritz
Keokuk
ERA
1.32
John Tanner
Cedar Rapids
RBI
121
John Tanner
Cedar Rapids
HR
37
[citation needed ]
Cedar Rapids beat Burlington 3 games to none, and Kewanee beat Keokuk 3 games to none, in the first round of the playoffs. Kewanee defeated Cedar Rapids 4 games to 2 for the title.
[1]
References
Sumner, Benjamin Barrett. Minor League Baseball Standings:All North American Leagues, Through 1999. Jefferson, N.C.:McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0781-6
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