The Mississippi–Ohio Valley League was a Class D level American minor league baseball league. Evolving from the renamed Illinois State League (1947–1948), the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League operated for seven seasons, from 1949 through 1955. In 1956 the league was renamed the Midwest League, which still exists today.
History In 1947, the Illinois State League was formed. Charter franchises were in the Illinois cities of Belleville, Centralia, Marion, Mattoon, Mount Vernon and West Frankfort. After the 1948 season, the Marion Indians moved out of Illinois to Kentucky. This necessitated a name change for the league.
The league changed names in 1949 to the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League. The league incorporated the new Paducah Chiefs and the five former Illinois State League teams, the Belleville Stags, Centralia Cubs, Mattoon Indians, Mount Vernon Kings, and West Frankfort Cardinals as 1949 charter members.
In 1950, a Springfield, Illinois franchise left the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League, the join the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League. The Mississippi–Ohio Valley League added expansion teams in the Paris Lakers and Vincennes Velvets. The Belleville franchise folded. There was more movement in 1951, as the Springfield Giants and West Frankfort Cardinals both folded and the Paducah Chiefs left to join the Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League. The league played 1951 with six teams, as Danville Dans joined from the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League.
In 1952, the league again expanded to eight teams, adding the Commodores in Decatur, Illinois and Cardinals in Hannibal, Missouri, while Vincennes relocated to Canton, Illinois. In 1953, the Canton and Centralia franchises both folded and the league returned to six teams. There was expansion again in 1954, as two Iowa teams, the Clinton Pirates and Dubuque Packers returned the league to eight members.
In the final season of the league, the Mount Vernon Kings moved to Kokomo, Indiana and became the Kokomo Giants and the Danville Dans moved to Lafayette, Indiana as the Lafayette Red Sox. Following the 1955 season, Hannibal moved to become the Michigan City White Caps, joining Kokomo, Lafayette, Clinton, Dubuque, Decatur, Mattoon and Paris in the renamed Midwest League. The Midwest League still exists today, with 16 teams.
Cities represented
Belleville, Illinois: Belleville Stags 1949, moved from Illinois State League 1947–1948 Canton, Illinois: Canton Citizens 1952 Centralia, Illinois: Centralia Cubs 1949, moved from Illinois State League 1947–1948; Centralia Sterlings 1950; Centralia Zeros 1951–1952 Clinton, Iowa: Clinton Pirates 1954–1955, moved to Midwest League 1956–1959 Danville, Illinois: Danville Dans 1951–1954 Decatur, Illinois: Decatur Commies 1952–1955, moved to Midwest League 1956–1974 Dubuque, Iowa: Dubuque Packers 1954–1955, moved to Midwest League 1956–1967 Hannibal, Missouri: Hannibal Stags 1952; Hannibal Cardinals 1953–1954; Hannibal Citizens 1955 Kokomo, Indiana: Kokomo Giants 1955 Lafayette, Indiana: Lafayette Chiefs 1955 Mattoon, Illinois: Mattoon Indians 1949–1954, moved from Illinois State League 1947–1948; Mattoon Phillies 1955, moved to Midwest League 1956 Mount Vernon, Illinois: Mount Vernon Kings 1949–1954 Paducah, Kentucky: Paducah Chiefs 1949–1950, moved to Kitty League 1951–1955 Paris, Illinois: Paris Lakers 1950–1955, moved to Midwest League 1956–1959 Springfield, Illinois: Springfield Giants 1950 Vincennes, Indiana: Vincennes Velvets 1950–1952 West Frankfort, Illinois: West Frankfort Cardinals 1949–1950, moved from Illinois State League 1947–1948
Standings & statistics 1949 Mississippi–Ohio Valley League Team nameWLPCTGBAttendManagers Centralia Cubs7444.627 –35,000Lou Bekeza West Frankfort Cardinals7149.5924 24,140 Robert Stanton Mattoon Indians6256.52512 38,325 Chuck Hawley Paducah Chiefs 5465.454 20½ 54,859 Caroll Peterson / Eddie Kearse Mt. Vernon Kings5367.44222 36,240 Robert Shreve / Bill Trotter Belleville Stags4376.361 31½ 13,500Les Mueller / Joe Yurkovich / Addie Nesbit / Bunny Mick Playoffs: Mattoon 3 games, Centralia 0; Paducah 3 games, West Frankfort 0; Finals: Paducah 4 games, Mattoon 3.
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Bunny Mick Belleville BA.354 Joseph Prucha CentraliaW19 Ev Joyner West Frankfort Hits170 Joseph Mattis MattoonSO166 Richard Martz PaducahRBI100 Dick Loeser West FrankfortERA2.22 Arthur Oliver PaducahHR17 Dick Loeser West FrankfortPCT.857 12–2 Ev Joyner West FrankfortRuns104 1950 Mississippi–Ohio Valley League - schedule Team nameWLPCTGBAttendManagers Centralia Sterlings8340.675 –35,767 Lou BekezaWest Frankfort7247.6059 20,910Robert StantonMattoon Indians7147.602 9½ 27,982Chuck Hawley Paducah Chiefs 6755.54915½ 47,297 Walter DeFreitas Springfield Giants6059.50421 21,126Ham Schulte / Von PriceParis Lakers4375.364 37½ 24,089 Earl Skaggs / Von Price John Morris Vincennes Citizens4376.36138 18,977 Melvin Ivy / Andy E. SmithMt. Vernon Kings3777.325 41½ 28,431Benny Meyer / Robert Schlemmer Playoffs: Centralia 3 games, Mattoon 1; Paducah 3 games, West Frankfort 0 Finals: Cancelled; Bad Weather & Military Call–up.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot James Belz West Frankfort BA.349 Gene Pisarski CentraliaW22 James Belz West Frankfort Hits154 William Ecklund CentraliaSO174 Lou Bekeza CentraliaRBI120 Gene Pisarski CentraliaERA2.06 Kenneth Dickens VincennesHR21 Gene Pisarski CentraliaPCT.880 22–3 James Belz West Frankfort Runs133 1951 Mississippi–Ohio Valley League Team nameWLPCTGBAttendManagers Paris Lakers8436.700 –51,331Tom Sunkel Centralia Zeroes6951.57515 38,554 Lou BekezaMt. Vernon Kings6059.50423½ 39,665Chuck Hawley / Charles Popovich Danville Dans5167.43232 24,775 Frank Piet / Everett Hall Mattoon Indians4969.41534 28,442 Melvin Ivy Vincennes Velvets4374.36839½25,652 Stormy Kromer / Robert Signaigo Playoffs: Mt. Vernon 2 games, Centralia 0. Danville 2 games, Paris 1. Finals: Danville 2 games, Mt. Vernon 0. +Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Clint McCord Paris BA.363 Lee Tunnison CentraliaW20 Clint McCord Paris Hits173 Lee Tunnison CentraliaSO170 James Given Mt. VernonRBI119 Lee Tunnison CentraliaERA3.12 Clint McCord ParisHR16Fred Williams ParisPCT.789 15–4 Clint McCord Paris Runs132 Lou Bekeza CentraliaHR16 1952 Mississippi–Ohio Valley League - schedule Team nameWLPCTGBAttendManagers Danville Dans8740.685 –75,898 Virl Minnis Paris Lakers8542.669236,606Tom Sunkel Decatur Commodores7352.58413 94,300Julian Acosta Hannibal Stags7057.55117 36,616 Walter DeFreitasMt. Vernon Kings5567.45129½ 34,752 James Granneman / Stanley Sadich Frank Brookman Vincennes Velvets / Canton Citizens5470.43531½ 25,654Chuck Hawley / Robert Sisk Centralia Zeroes4183.331 44½ 28,755 Charles Starasta / John Streza Mattoon Indians3589.282 50½ 49,316 Walter Dunkovich / Charles Popovich Robert Carson Vincennes moved to Canton June 7. Playoffs: Hannibal 3 games, Danville 1. Decatur 3 games, Paris 2. Finals: Decatur 3 games, Hannibal 1.
Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot +Player statisticsClint McCord Paris BA.392 Ken Gohn DanvilleW22 Clint McCord Paris Hits189 Amacio Ferro HannibalSO183 Jim ZappParisRBI136 Ken Gohn DanvilleERA1.58 Jim ZappParisHR20 James Agnew DanvillePCT.889 16–2Quincy Smith Paris Runs124 1953 Mississippi–Ohio Valley League - schedule Team nameWLPCTGBAttendManagers Decatur Commodores6850.576 –96,337Ray TaylorParis Lakers6653.555 2½ 35,000Tom Sunkel Mattoon Phillies6456.5335 61,000 James Deery Hannibal Cardinals5562.470 12½ 35,200 Tince Leonard Mt. Vernon Kings5564.462 13½ 31,600 Robert Schmidt Danville Dans4871.40320½62,700Virl Minnis Playoffs: Decatur 3 games, Hannibal 0. Paris 3 games, Mattoon 0. Finals: Decatur 3 games, Paris 2.
Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot +Player statistics Robert Schmidt Mt. Vernon BA.358 Juan Garcia Tince Leonard DecaturHannibalW18 James Partin Danville Hits167 Dennis Hamilton MattoonSO195 James Freeman DecaturRBI106 William Bright MattoonERA2.51 Kenneth Payne ParisHR16 Michael Rolls Mt. VernonPCT.824 14–3 Gonzalo Chenard DecaturRuns105 1954 Mississippi–Ohio Valley League - schedule Team nameWLPCTGBAttendManagers Decatur Commodores7452.587 –38,776Johnny Lucadello Danville Dans6659.528 7½ 39,992 Richard Klaus Clinton Pirates6359.5169 74,768Robert ClarkDubuque Packers6261.504 10½ 65,993 Jack Conway Mattoon Phillies6264.49212 48,422 Carl Bush / Don Osborn Paris Lakers5868.46016 39,103Tom Sunkel Hannibal Cardinals5868.46016 33,065 J.C. Dunn Mt. Vernon Kings5769.45217 27,584 Lou Bekeza Playoffs: Clinton 2 games, Decatur 0. Danville 2 games, Dubuque 1. Finals: Danville 3 games, Clinton 1. +Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Johnny LucadelloDecatur BA.362 John Bumgarner DecaturW22 Leon WagnerDanville Hits160 David Jiminez ClintonSO249 Robert SchmidtParisRBI125 John Bumgarner DecaturERA2.67 J.C. Dunn HannibalHR26David Jimenez ClintonPCT.769 20–6Leon Wagner Danville Runs108 1955 Mississippi–Ohio Valley League - schedule Team nameWLPCTGBAttendManagers Dubuque Packers7452.587 –94,925Ira Hutchinson Mattoon Phillies6857.544 5½ 51,277 Burl Storie Clinton Pirates6857.544 5½ 57,683Robert ClarkKokomo Giants6462.50810 45,289 Walt Dixon / Jack Milaskey Lafayette Chiefs6363.50011 61,287 Mark Wylie Decatur Commodores6264.49212 54,260Al Unser Paris Lakers6264.49212 30,245 Richard Rigazio Hannibal Citizens4284.33332 40,977 James Granneman / Allan Shinn Playoffs: Dubuque 2 games, Clinton 0. Mattoon 2 games, Kokomo 0. Finals: Dubuque 3 games, Mattoon 0.
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Orlando CepedaKokomo BA.393 Allen Evans KokomoW21 Jimmy Lynn Dubuque Hits180 Benjamin Rich ClintonSO199 Jimmy Lynn DubuqueRBI121 Dave Wegerek LafayetteERA2.59Walt DixonKokomoHR24 Glen Rosenbaum DubuquePCT.833 15–3 Jimmy Lynn Dubuque Runs121
Following the 1955 season, Hannibal folded. The other seven teams became charter members of the newly named, Class D level Midwest League and the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League was permanently folded.
References
Further reading Sumner, Benjamin Barrett. Minor League Baseball Standings:All North American Leagues, Through 1999. Jefferson, N.C.:McFarland. .