Eastern Association (baseball)

The Eastern Association was a minor league baseball league. The first version of the league appeared in 1882, followed by similar one season leagues in 1891 and 1909 with teams in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. The league was a Class B level league in the 1913 and 1914 seasons, with teams based in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Eastern Association
FormerlyConnecticut League
ClassificationClass A (1891)
Class D (1909)
Class B (1913-1914)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1891
Ceased1914
PresidentCharles D. White (1891)
Fred Paige (1909)
Jim O'Rourke (1913-1914)
No. of teams25
CountryUnited States of America
Last
champion(s)
Unknown
Most titles1
Buffalo Bisons (1891)
Newburgh Colts (1909)
Hartford Senators (1913)
New London Planters (1914)
Related
competitions
Eastern League

History

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The 1891 Eastern Association played as a Class A level league and the president was Charles D. White. the 1891 league members were the Albany Senators, Buffalo Bisons, Lebanon Cedars, New Haven Nutmegs, Providence Clamdiggers, Rochester Hop Bitters, Syracuse Stars and Troy Trojans.[1][2][3]

In 1909, the Eastern Association played for eleven days before folding under league president Jim Paige. The 1909 league comprised Amsterdam, Gloversville, Johnstown, Kingston Colonials, Middletown Orange Blossoms, Newburgh Colts, Poughkeepsie Students and Schenectady.[4]

The 1913 Eastern Association was an eight-team league that featured the Bridgeport Crossmen, Hartford Senators, Holyoke Papermakers, Meriden Hopes, New Haven White Wings, New London Planters, Pittsfield Electrics, Springfield Ponies and Waterbury Contenders. The league president was Baseball Hall of Fame member Jim O'Rourke. The Holyoke Papermakers moved to Meriden on July 11, 1913.[5][1][4][6]

In their final season of play, the 1914 Eastern Association was an eight-team league, as Jim O'Rourke continued as president. The 1914 Eastern Association comprised the Bridgeport Crossmen, Hartford Senators, New Britain Sinks, New Haven White Wings, New London Planters, Pittsfield Electrics, Springfield Ponies and Waterbury Contenders.[1][7][4][8]

Cities represented

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Standings & statistics

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1891 Eastern Association

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schedule

Team W L GB Pct. Manager
Buffalo Bisons 89 35 .718 Patrick Powers
Albany Senators 72 49 .595 15.5 Joe Gerhardt
Troy Trojans 51 77 .398 36.5 David Mahoney
Lebanon Cedars 48 73 .397 37.0 James Randall
Syracuse Stars 56 42 .571 NA George Frazer
New Haven Nutmegs 48 39 .552 NA Walt Burnham
Rochester Hop Bitters 36 60 .375 NA Tom Power / Lew Kerstein
Providence Clamdiggers 29 54 .349 NA Bill McGunnigle

Providence disbanded August 13; New Haven disbanded August 14; Syracuse & Rochester disbanded August 25.[4]

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Buck West Syracuse BA .339 Les German Buffalo W 35
Ted Scheffler Buffalo Runs 156 Tony Von Fricken Albany SO 197
Harry Lyons Buffalo Hits 166 L.A. Gilliland New Haven ERA 0.89
Dan Lally New Haven HR 5 Les German Buffalo PCT .761; 35–11
Pete Sweeney Rochester HR 5
Art Bader Albany SB 106

[4]

1909 Eastern Association

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Team W L GB Pct. Manager
Newburgh Colts 8 2 .800 William Landgraf
Amsterdam 5 3 .625 2.0 NA
Johnstown 4 3 .571 2.5 NA
Kingston Colonials 4 3 .571 2.5 Hugh MacKinnon
Gloversville 4 5 .444 3.5 Jacob Leist
Middletown Orange Blossoms 2 6 .250 5.0 William K. Murray
Poughkeepsie Students NA NA NA NA Fred Paige
Schenectady Electricians NA NA NA NA Joseph Andries

Poughkeepsie and Schenectady disbanded June 1
The league folded after eleven days on June 6.[4]

1913 Eastern Association

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schedule

Team W L GB Pct. Manager
Hartford Senators 83 48 .634 Simon McDonald
New Haven White Wings 79 52 .603 4.0 Jerry O'Connell
Waterbury Contenders 70 61 .534 13.0 Sam Kennedy
Bridgeport Crossmen 69 63 .523 14.5 Gene McCann /
John Freeman / Monte Cross
New London Planters 65 66 .496 18.0 John Burns / Gene McCann
Springfield Ponies 60 70 .462 22.5 Frank Corridon / Jack O'Hara
Pittsfield Electrics 62 73 .459 23.0 John Zeller
Holyoke Papermakers /
Meriden Hopes
40 95 .296 45.0 Jim Garry

Holyoke (24–52) moved to Meriden July 11.[4]

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Benny Kauff Hartford BA .345 Bill Hopper New Haven W 31
Bill Morley Hartford Runs 103 Wib Smith Pittsfield SO 175
Benny Kauff Hartford Hits 176 Bill Hopper New Haven ERA 2.03
Tom Stankard Holy/Mer/Sprin HR 8 Bill Hopper New Haven PCT .795 31–8

[4]

1914 Eastern Association

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schedule

Team W L GB Pct. Manager
New London Planters 81 35 .698 Gene McCann
Waterbury Frolickers 69 51 .575 14.0 Lee Fohl
Bridgeport Bolts 67 56 .545 17.5 Jake Boultes
Hartford Senators 62 56 .525 20.0 Simon McDonald / Daniel O'Neill
Springfield Ponies 63 61 .508 22.0 Billy Hamilton / Simon McDonald
Pittsfield Electrics 60 63 .488 24.5 John Zeller
New Haven White Wings 54 64 .458 28.0 Jerry O'Connell
New Britain Sinks 27 97 .218 58.0 George Browne / Jim Garry

[4]

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Elmer Smith Waterbury BA .332 Willie Jensen New Haven W 21
Marty Becker New London Runs 90 Bun Troy Pittsfield SO 212
Ed Barney Hartford Hits 140 Doc Powers New Haven ERA 2.03
Pete Shields Waterbury HR 7 Doc Powers New Haven PCT .769 20–6

[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Eastern Association (B) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. ^ "1891 Eastern Association". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. ^ "1891 Eastern Association (EA) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lloyd Johnson; Miles Wolff, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  5. ^ "1913 Eastern Association". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. ^ "1913 Eastern Association (EA) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. ^ "1914 Eastern Association". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. ^ "1914 Eastern Association (EA) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.

Sources

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