The Missouri Valley League was an American minor league baseball league which operated from 1901 through 1905.
History The Missouri Valley league formed in 1901 as an Independent league. The league consisted of teams in Kansas and Missouri: Columbus, Kansas, Fort Scott Memphis Route, Galena, Kansas, Joplin Colts, Monett Railroadmen, Nevada Reds, Oswego, Kansas and Pittsburg Coal Barons. 1901 league records and standings are unknown.
In 1902, The teams in Nevada, Missouri, Fort Scott, Kansas and Joplin, Missouri remained. Sedalia, Missouri; Coffeyville, Kansas; Jefferson City, Missouri; Iola, Kansas and Springfield, Missouri joined as the Missouri Valley League became designated as a Class D level league. On June 23, the Coffeyville Indians, with a 9–30 record, relocated to Chanute, Kansas, where they compiled a 32–51 record.
In the 1903 season, the teams in Chanute and Jefferson City folded. New teams in Leavenworth, Kansas, and Pittsburg, Kansas, formed and joined the league. The Nevada team, with a record of 21–39, relocated to Webb City, Missouri, on July 13, where their record was 0–4. The teams from Leavenworth and Webb City folded mid–season on July 16.
In 1904, new teams in Leavenworth, Kansas, and Topeka, Kansas, formed and joined the league. After the 1904 season, the Missouri Valley League essentially reformed under a different name as five member teams formed under a new league. Joplin, Leavenworth, Sedalia, Springfield, and Topeka all joined the new 1905 Western Association. The Iola franchise folded. The Fort Scott and Pittsburg franchises remained in the 1905 Class C level Missouri Valley League. In 1905, South McAlester moved to Ft. Smith on July 6. Muskogee disbanded on August 31, causing the Missouri Valley League to end on September 5.
Cities represented Chanute, KS: Chanute Oilers (1902) Columbus, KS: Columbus (1901) Coffeyville, KS: Coffeyville Indians (1902) Fort Scott, KS: Fort Scott Memphis Route (1901); Fort Scott Giants (1902–1905) Fort Smith, AR: Fort Smith Giants (1905) Galena, KS: Galena (1901) Iola, KS: Iola Gasbags (1902); Iola Gaslighters (1903); Iola Gasbags (1904) Jefferson City, MO: Jefferson City Convicts (1902) Joplin, MO: Joplin Colts (1901); Joplin Miners (1902–1904) Leavenworth, KS: Leavenworth White Sox (1903); Leavenworth Orioles (1904) McAlester, OK: South McAlester Giants (1905) Monett, MO: Monett Railroadmen (1901) Muskogee, OK: Muskogee Reds (1905) Nevada, MO: Nevada Reds (1901); Nevada Lunatics (1902–1903) Oswego, KS: Oswego (1901) Parsons, KS: Parsons Preachers (1905) Pittsburg, KS: Pittsburg Coal Barons (1901); Pittsburg Coal Diggers (1903–1904); Pittsburg Miners (1905) Sedalia, MO: Sedalia Gold Bugs (1902–1904) Springfield, MO: Springfield Reds (1902); Springfield Midgets (1903–1904) Topeka, KS: Topeka Saints (1904) Tulsa, OK: Tulsa Oilers (1905) Vinita, OK: Vinita Cherokees (1905) Webb City, MO: Webb City Goldbugs (1903, 1905)
Standings & statistics
1902 Missouri Valley League schedule Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Nevada Lunatics8638.694--James Driscoll Springfield Reds8340.6782½ Frank Hurlburt Fort Scott Giants 8044.6456 Fred HornadaySedalia Gold Bugs7248.60012 Joseph Roe / Fultz Joplin Miners5666.45929 Claude Marcum / Wickhizer Coffeyville Indians /Chanute Oilers4181.33644 Fred Porter / Larry Powers / Galbreath / Jack Jamieson Jefferson City Convicts4085.32046½ A.B. Carey / E.J. MillerIola Gasbags3490.27452 Dan Jenkins Coffeyville (9–30) moved to Chanute June 23.
1903 Missouri Valley League schedule Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Sedalia Gold Bugs8647.647--W.J. Ferguson / R.N. Harrison Springfield Midgets8248.6312½ Frank HurlburtIola Gaslighters 7952.6036 A.H.Harris Joplin Miners6962.52716 Dave Joseph Fort Scott Giants7164.52616 Fred HornadayPittsburg Coal Diggers3995.29147½ Claude East Nevada Lunatics / Webb City Goldbugs2143.328NA A.B. Cockerell Leavenworth White Sox1550.231NAClyde Hughes Nevada (21–39) moved to Webb City July 13, then disbanded July 16; Leavenworth disbanded July 16.
1904 Missouri Valley League schedule Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Iola Gasbags8341.669--Dad RisleySpringfield Midgets7746.6265½ F. Smith / John Perrine / Frank Hulburt Joplin Miners 7749.6117 John Fillman Sedalia Gold Bugs7153.57312 E.E. Codding Pittsburg Coal Diggers5764.47124½ O.H. Baldwin / John Kane Leavenworth Orioles4874.39334 Eli Cates / Elmer Smith Topeka Saints4578.36637½ Gus Alberts / C. Cole / John Shrant / Spencer Abbott Fort Scott Giants3689.28847½ Jack Bene / Louis Armstrong +Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Jacob BauerSedaliaBA.346Amos MorganIolaW32 Jacob BauerSedaliaHits178Ed CraigSpringfieldPct.826; 19–4 John RootIolaSO224
1905 Missouri Valley League schedule Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Pittsburg Miners7526.743--H.O. Baldwin Parsons Preachers6140.60414 John HamiltonMuskogee Reds 5246.53121½ G.A. Sabin / Mel Cooley / Dillard / Alex SandheimerFt. Scott Giants4952.48526 Harry Chapman Webb City Gold Bugs4754.46528 Elmer MeredithTulsa Oilers4458.43131½ Charlie Schafft Vinita Cherokees4163.39435½ Ed FinneySouth McAlester Giants / Ft. Smith Giants3363.34439½ Joe B. Roe South McAlester moved to Ft. Smith July 6.; Muskogee disbanded Aug 31; season to be shortened to September 5.
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Cy StinsonPittsburgW22Cy StinsonPittsburgCG30 Cy StinsonPittsburgIP279William BurnsPittsburgPct.875; 21–3
References
Further reading Sumner, Benjamin Barrett. Minor League Baseball Standings: All North American Leagues, Through 1999. Jefferson, N.C.:McFarland.