The Mountain States League was a Class D minor league baseball league which operated in the United States from 1911 to 1912. The league previously operated as the Virginia Valley League in 1910. Its teams hailed from Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia.
History During the 1911 season, season ended on September 12, 1911 after an investigation ordered by the National Association disclosed two cases of improper conduct in late season games to prevent Middleport-Pomeroy from winning the second half title. These games were later deducted at the fall meeting.
In 1912, the league folded during the season. After numerous teams had folded, the league stopped play on July 8, 1912, with the Ironton Forgers in 1st place.
After a three decade hiatus, the league revived in 1948, becoming the Mountain States League (1948–1954).
Cities represented Ashland, KY & Catlettsburg, KY: Ashland-Catlettsburg Twins (1911–1912) Charleston, WV:Charleston Senators (1911–1912) Huntington, WV: Huntington Blue Sox (1911–1912) Ironton, OH: Ironton Nailers (1911); Ironton Forgers (1912) Middleport, OH & Pomeroy, OH: Middleport-Pomeroy (1912) Montgomery, WV: Montgomery Miners (1911–1912) Point Pleasant, WV & Gallipolis, OH: Point Pleasant-Gallipolis/Middleport-Pomeroy (1911) Williamson, WV: Williamson (1912)
Standings & statistics 1911 Mountain States Leagueschedule Team standingsWLPCTGB ManagersMontgomery Miners6753.558-Ralph Fleming / Henry Runser Huntington Blue Sox6350.558½ Albert Knoessell Ashland-Catlettsburg Twins6355.5343 James Kitler Gallipolis /Middleport & Pomeroy5960.4967½Reddy Mack Charleston Senators5758.4967½ George Bigbee / Willoughby / H. Hollis Ironton Nailers4477.36423½ John Benny / Claude McCarty Point Pleasant-Gallipolis (16-32) moved to Middleport-Pomeroy July 1 Season ended September 12
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Grover ErbAshland-CatlettsburgBA.336George BaumgardnerHuntingtonW24 Grover ErbAshland-CatlettsburgRuns99Goat CochranMontgomeryW24 Earl StewardAshland-CatlettsburgHits147George BaumgardnerHuntingtonSO292 Grover ErbAshland-CatlettsburgHR17George BaumgardnerHuntingtonPct.727; 24-9
1912 Mountain States League Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Ironton Forgers3512.745-Peg MooreAshland-Catlettsburg Twins 2619.5788James Kitler Huntington Blue Sox 2720.5748 Albert Knoessell Williamson1130.26821 Henry Runser Charleston Senators1822.450NA Charles StocktonMiddleport & Pomery /Montgomery Miners1024.294NAReddy Mack Middleport-Pomeroy (7–21) moved to Montgomery June 16; Montgomery disbanded June 29; Charleston disbanded July 1; Ashland-Catlettsburg and Huntington disbanded July 8. League folded July 8.
References
Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, eds., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007.