Tri-State League


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

History

The first league of that name played for four years and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia. The Canton Nadjys won the 1889 Tri State League championship. Cy Young pitched for the Nadjys in his first professional season and acquired his "Cy" nickname while pitching for Canton.
The second league, played from 1904–1914, and had member clubs in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The League contested its 1904 championship game in Philadelphia between York and Williamsport and attracted 3,500 fans to the Phillies' ball park
Charles F. Carpenter was president from 1906 to 1913.
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.
In the late 1930s another iteration existed for two years, composed of six teams from Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana in its first season, and just four teams excluding Indiana in its second.
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 1946–1955, 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.
There were teams in southern Maryland that played in a "Tri-State League" in at least the 60s, 70s, and the 80s. There was a team called the Pomonkey Giants associated with a Pomonkey social club in Pomonkey Maryland. They played teams in Berry Road near La Plata, Maryland and in Hughesville among others. It was very much a rural league and almost totally black players. The team is mentioned in the obituary of a player and coach, George Dyson, Jr in 2020.
One of the most extensive discussions of this Tri-State League explains how integration of Major League baseball led to the demise of the Negro leagues. It became neighborhood baseball.

Teams

1887

1888–1890

1904–1914

1924

1925–1926

1938–1939

1946–1955

Standings & statistics

1888 – 1890

1888 Tri-State League -

President: W.H. McDermith
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Lima Lushers7435.679–William Harrington
Wheeling Nail Cities7143.6235½Bill Otterson / Al Buckenberger
Columbus Senators6450.56112½Jim Curry / Frank Arnold
Canton5064.43926½William Zecher / J.H. Harmon
Toledo Maumees4668.40330½Harry Smith / Frank Mountain /
Robert Wood
Mansfield Pioneers4374.36835Frank Torreyson / Frank O'Brien /
James Green / Ed Darrow
Jackson Jaxons3083.26446George Burbridge / Jim Curry/
Jay Moore / James Trayy
Kalamazoo Kazoos6237.626NANorris O'Neil
Zanesville Kickapoos6339.618NAPeter McShannic / Al Swift
William Harrington
Sandusky Fish Eaters4454.449NAHorace Lockwood / James Hever
/ W.E. Rutter

Kalamazoo, Zanesville and Sandusky disbanded.

No playoffs held.
PlayerTeamStatTot
John KirbyLimaBA.369
Sam NicholWheelingRuns112
Buck WestColum/WheelHits150
Sam NicholWheelingHits150
George RooksLimaHR13
Henry FullerLimaSB103

1889 Tri-State League

President: W.H. McDermith
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Canton Nadjys6737.644–William Harrington
Springfield6148.5608½Walter Jennison / Lewis Hill /
Harry Fisher
Mansfield Indians5950.54110½Christopher Meisel / Robert Carey /
Jack Remsen
Dayton Reds5254.49116Frank Jones / Timothy Donovan /
Frank O'Brien
Hamilton4165.38727D.C. Blandy / Edward Hengle
Wheeling Nailers4167.38028Ben Sullivan / Sam Nichol /
Howell / John Dunn /
John Wright / John Crogan

No Playoffs held.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
John RynCantonBA.358Henry MorrisonMansfieldW23
Dusty MillerCantonRuns129R.J. RileyCantonPCT.813 13-3
John RynCantonHits150-----
Joseph SharpeCantonSB83-----

1890 Tri-State League

President: W.H. McDermith
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Mansfield Indians4925.662–George Greer
Wheeling Nailers3932.5498½Bob Glenalvin / Bill George
Youngstown Giants3833.5359½Harry Morton / Michael Cody
Akron Akrons3838.50012Charles Pike
McKeesport3644.45016Alexander Voss / Frank Torreyson
Canton Nadjys2648.35123William Heingartner / James Peeples /
Cecero Hiner / Jack Grogan
Dayton Reds3127.534NATimothy Donovan
Springfield2434.414NAHarry Fisher
Dayton disbanded July 8; Springfield disbanded July 9
PlayerTeamStatTot
Fred OsborneWheelingBA.397
Frank GoodryderMansfieldRuns81
Fred BettsSpring/WheelHits113
Frank MotzAkronHR14

1924

Tri-State League-Class D

President: Richard R. Grotto
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Beatrice Blues3530.538-Ed Reichle
Sioux Falls Canaries3530.538-Frank Boyle
Norfolk Elk Horns3130.5082Nig Lane
Grand Island Islanders3232.5002½Jake Kraninger
Hastings Cubs2934.4605Harry Cheek
Sioux City Cardinals2935.4535½Joe McDermott

The league disbanded July 17.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Graeme SnowSioux FallsBA.339Edward ShupeGrand IslandW15
Pid PurdyBeatriceRuns39Carlos DunnaganBeatricePCT.800 8-2
Pid PurdyBeatriceHits65----

1946 – 1949

1946 Tri-State League-Class B

President: C.M. Llewellyn
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Charlotte Hornets9346.669–Spencer Abbott
Asheville Tourists8357.59310½Bill Sayles
Knoxville Smokies7367.52120½Dale Alexander
Shelby Cubs5981.42134½Ray Green
Anderson A's5981.42134½Clyde McDowell
Spartanburg Spartans5287.37441Francis Kappelman

Shelby defeated Anderson in a one game playoff for fourth place; Knoxville 4 games, Asheville 1; Charlotte 4 games, Shelby 2; Finals: Charlotte 4 games, Knoxville 3.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Dick BouknightAshevilleBA.367Sonny DixonCharlotteW19
Al KvasnakCharlotteRuns101Ralph GermanoSpartanburgSO179
Fred MarshKnoxvilleHits180Alex ZukowskiCharlotteERA1.41
Bill SaylesAshevilleRBI105Alex ZukowskiCharlottePCT.789 15-4
"Pud" MillerSpartanburgHR19-----

1947 Tri-State League-Class B

President: C.M. Llewellyn
Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Spartanburg Peaches8851.633–157,435Kerby Farrell
Anderson Rebels8455.6044150,290Bob Richards
Knoxville Smokies7367.52115½101,189Dale Alexander
Charlotte Hornets7268.51416½116,729Spencer Abbott / Cal Ermer
Rock Hill Chiefs6871.4892091,042Dan Carnevale
Asheville Tourists6574.46823123,897Bill Sayles
Fayetteville Cubs6178.4392763,081Clyde McDowell
Reidsville Luckies4592.3284259,043Lee Gamble

Playoffs: Charlotte 4 games, Spartanburg 1; Anderson 4 games, Knoxville 2; Finals: Charlotte 4 games, Anderson 3.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Smoky BurgessFayettevilleBA.387James KleckleySpartanburgW20
Fred BaroccoAndersonRuns123Edward CraftAndersonSO185
Sammy MeeksCharlotteHits191Robert CallanCharlotteERA3.08
Al SimononisAndersonRBI132James KleckleySpartanburgPCT.769 20-6
Al SimononisAndersonHR27-----

1948 Tri-State League-Class B

President: C.M. Llewellyn
Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Asheville Tourists9551.651–122,693Clay Bryant
Anderson Rebels7768.53117½103,180Bob Richards
Rock Hill Chiefs7670.5211985,621Ed Freed / Dick Bouknight
Fayetteville Cubs7371.5072176,956Skeeter Scalzi
Charlotte Hornets7274.49323122,211Joe Bowman
Knoxville Smokies7176.48324½95,164Dale Alexander / Dave Garcia
Spartanburg Peaches6877.46926½98,993Kerby Farrell
Florence Steelers5095.34544½72,569George Motto / James Martin

Playoffs: Rockhill 3 games, Asheville 1; Fayetteville 3 games, Anderson 1.
Finals: Fayetteville 4 games, Rockhill 1.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Robert ChurchillKnoxvilleBA.406Red DwyerRockhillW22
Norman KoneyAshevilleRuns145Lacy JamesRockhillSO213
Robert ChurchillKnoxvilleHits230Joe LandrumAshevilleERA2.77
Floyd FoggFayettevilleRBI144Bob SpicerFayettevillePCT.818 18-4
Len CrossSpartanburgHR29-----
Robert ChurchillKnoxville3B28-----

1949 Tri-State League-Class B

President: C.M. Llewellyn
Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Florence Steelers8759.596–60,124Jim Martin
Spartanburg Peaches8160.5743½128,490Kerby Farrell
Asheville Tourists7671.51711½105,899Ed Head
Rock Hill Chiefs7170.50413½98,237Dick Bouknight
Knoxville Smokies7273.49714½94,809Frank Genovese
Sumter Chicks6580.44821½55,309Wes Livengood / Glen Schaeffer
Charlotte Hornets6280.4372394,276Clyde McDowell
Anderson Rebels6283.42824½85,760Bob Richards

Playoffs: Florence 3 games, Rock Hill 2; Spartanburg 3 games, Asheville 1; Finals: Florence 4 games, Spartanburg 2.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Robert ChurchillRock HillBA.360Melvin FisherFlorenceW27
Harold HarriganAndersonRuns118John FitzgeraldFlorenceSO166
Alexander DriskillAshevilleHits172Survern WrightRock HillERA1.86
Harold HarriganAndersonRBI121Al AberSpartanburgPCT.750 24-8
Harold HarriganAndersonHR43-----