Minnesota–Wisconsin League

The Minnesota–Wisconsin League, known as the "Minny" League, was a professional minor baseball league that existed from 1909 to 1912. It was a Class D league in 1909, 1910 and 1912 and a Class C league in 1911. As its name suggests, it featured teams based in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin.[1]

Minnesota–Wisconsin League
ClassificationClass D (1909–1910)
Class C (1911)
Class D (1912)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1909
Ceased1912
PresidentJohn A. Elliott (1909–1910)
Frank Force (1911)
John A. Elliott(1912)
No. of teams8
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles1
Duluth White Sox (1909)
Eau Claire Commissioners (1910)
Superior Red Sox (1911)
Winona Pirates (1912)
Related
competitions
Central International League

History

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The inaugural 1909 Minnesota–Wisconsin League season featured the Duluth White Sox, Eau Claire Cream Puffs, La Crosse Outcasts, Winona Pirates, Wausau Lumberjacks and Superior Drillers as the six charter franchises in the league. The Duluth White Sox finished in first place, claiming the league championship.

In 1910, the Duluth White Sox, La Crosse Outcasts, Wausau Lumberjacks and Winona Pirates returned from 1909, while the Eau Claire Cream Puffs became the Eau Claire Commissioners and the Superior Drillers became the Superior Red Sox. The Red Wing Manufacturers and the Rochester Surgeons were newcomers to the league, which expanded to eight teams. The Eau Claire Commissioners finished in first place, winning the league championship.

In 1911, the league began play with the same teams as in 1910. During the season, the Red Wing and Wausau franchises both folded on June 26, 1911. The Superior Red Sox finished in first place, winning the league championship.

In 1912, the Minnesota–Wisconsin League began with four teams – the Eau Claire Commissioners, the La Crosse Outcasts, the Winona Pirates and the Rochester Bugs (formerly the Rochester Surgeons). Duluth and Superior left to form the Central International League. The Minnesota–Wisconsin League disbanded on July 1, 1912, with the Winona Pirates being the de facto league champion.

Notable players

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Hall of Fame members Dave Bancroft, 1909 Duluth White Sox,1909 Superior Drillers, 1910–1911 Superior Red Sox and Burleigh Grimes, 1912 Eau Claire Commissioners, played in the league.

Cities represented

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Standings & statistics

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1909 Minnesota-Wisconsin League

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Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Duluth White Sox 65 42 .556 -- Thomas J. O'Brien
Eau Claire Cream Puffs 62 57 .521 4.0 Tom Schoonhover
LaCrosse Outcasts 60 56 .517 4.5 Joe Safford
Winona Pirates 60 56 .517 4.5 Joe Killian
Wausau Lumberjacks 54 66 .450 12.5 Jack McCarthy
Superior Drillers 51 65 .440 13.5 Lew Drill[2]
Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Bill Bailey Eau Claire BA .308 Phil Stremmel Superior W 22
Mike Malloy LaCrosse Runs 75 Frank Nicholson Eau Claire Pct .800; 8–2
Russ Bailey Eau Claire Hits 143
A.J. McCrone Duluth HR 6[2]

1910 Minnesota-Wisconsin League

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schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Eau Claire Commissioners 79 44 .642 -- Tom Schoonhover
Winona Pirates 69 54 .561 10.0 Joe Killian
Wausau Lumberjacks 69 55 .557 10.5 Carl Bond
Superior Red Sox 64 57 .529 14.0 Arthur O'Dea / Jack Taylor
LaCrosse Outcasts 56 68 .451 23.5 Joe Safford
Red Wing Manufacturers 51 67 .432 25.5 Mike Malloy
Duluth White Sox 50 70 .417 27.5 Thomas J. O'Brien
Rochester Roosters 46 69 .400 29.0 Jack Corrigan / Frank O'Leary[2]
Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Dave Callahan Eau Claire BA .365 Nicholas Lakoff Winona W 23
Dave Callahan Eau Claire Runs 92 Cy Dahlgren Superior Pct .759; 22–7
Dave Callahan Eau Claire Hits 168
Walter Altermatt Duluth HR 12[2]

1911 Minnesota-Wisconsin League

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schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Superior Red Sox 72 36 .667 -- Jack Taylor
Winona Pirates 71 45 .612 5.0 Joe Killian
Duluth White Sox 60 49 .550 12.5 Thomas J. O'Brien
Eau Claire Commissioners 53 57 .482 20.0 Tom Schoonhover
LaCrosse Outcasts 47 68 .409 28.5 Bumpus Jones / Carl Bond
Rochester Bears 40 71 .360 33.5 Ted Corbett
Wausau Lumberjacks 21 22 .488 NA Carl Bond / Buddy Dolan
Red Wing Manufacturers 13 29 .310 NA Fred Cooke

Red Wing & Wausau disbanded June 26.[2]

1912 Minnesota-Wisconsin League

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1912 Minnesota-Wisconsin League schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Winona Pirates 29 14 .674 -- Fred Curtis
Eau Claire Commissioners 25 17 .595 3.5 Russell Bailey
LaCrosse Outcasts 15 26 .366 13.0 Carl Bond
Rochester Bugs 14 26 .350 13.5 Art Lizzette

The league disbanded July 1.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Minnesota-Wisconsin League (C) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.

"Rochester Surgeons Beat Outcasts Again." Duluth News Tribune (Duluth, Minn.) 26 May 1910. 11.

"Surgeons Lost Final Autopsy: Rochester Drops an Up and Down Contest -- Score is 8 to 4." Duluth News Tribune (Duluth, Minn.) 29 May 1911. 2.