The Tri-State League was the name of six different circuits in American minor league baseball.
History The first league of that name played for four years (1887–1890) and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia. The Canton Nadjys won the 1889 Tri State League championship. Cy Young pitched for the Nadjys in his first professional season and acquired his "Cy" nickname while pitching for Canton.
The second league, played from 1904–1914, and had member clubs in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The League contested its 1904 championship game in Philadelphia between York and Williamsport and attracted 3,500 fans to the Phillies' ball park
Charles F. Carpenter was president from 1906 to 1913.
During the 1920s, two versions of the Tri-State League briefly existed: a 1924 loop with clubs in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota, and a 1925–1926 association located in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas.
In the late 1930s another iteration existed for two years, composed of six teams from Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana in its first season, and just four teams excluding Indiana in its second.
The most recent incarnation of the league was the post-World War II Tri-State, a Class B circuit with clubs in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. This league, which played from 1946–1955, typically included clubs in Charlotte, Asheville, Knoxville, Rock Hill and Spartanburg; most of its teams were affiliated with Major League Baseball farm systems.
The attendance crisis in the minor leagues of the 1950s—and the defection of clubs like Charlotte to higher-classification loops—eventually took its toll on the Tri-State League. In its last season, 1955, there were only four clubs in the league. Its last champion was the Spartanburg Peaches, an affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.
There were teams in southern Maryland that played in a "Tri-State League" in at least the 60s, 70s, and the 80s. There was a team called the Pomonkey Giants associated with a Pomonkey social club in Pomonkey Maryland. They played teams in Berry Road near La Plata, Maryland and in Hughesville among others. It was very much a rural league and almost totally black players. The team is mentioned in the obituary of a player and coach, George Dyson, Jr in 2020.
One of the most extensive discussions of this Tri-State League explains how integration of Major League baseball led to the demise of the Negro leagues. It became neighborhood baseball.
Teams 1887 Played as Ohio State League
1888–1890
Akron Acorns (1890) Canton (1888, 1890) Canton Nadjys (1889) Columbus Senators (1888) Dayton Reds (1889–1890) Hamilton (1889) Jackson Jaxons (1888) Kalamazoo Kazoos (1888) Lima Lushers (1888) Mansfield Pioneers (1890) McKeesport Tubers (1890) Sandusky Fish Eaters (1888) Springfield (1889–1890) Toledo Maumees (1888) Wheeling Nail Cities (1888) Wheeling Nailers (1889–1890) Youngstown Giants (1890) Zanesville Kickapoos (1888)
1904–1914
Allentown (1912–1914) Altoona Mountaineers (1904–1909) Altoona Rams (1910–1912) Atlantic City (1912–1913) Camden (1904) Chester (1912) Harrisburg Senators (1904–1914) Johnstown Johnnies (1905–1908) Johnstown Jawns (1909) Johnstown Johns (1910–1912) Lancaster Red Roses (1905–1912, 1914) Lebanon (1904) Reading Pretzels (1907–1912, 1914) Shamokin (1905) Trenton Tigers 1907–1914 Williamsport Millionaires (1904–1910) Wilmington Peaches (1904–1908) Wilmington Chicks (1911–1914) York Penn Parks (1904) York White Roses (1905–1907, 1909–1914)
1924 Beatrice Blues Grand Island Islanders Hastings Cubs Norfolk Elk Horns Sioux City Cardinals Sioux Falls Canaries
1925–1926 Blytheville Tigers (1925–1926) Corinth Corinthians (1925–1926) Dyersburg Deers (1925) Jackson Giants (1925) Jackson Jays (1926) Jonesboro Buffaloes (1925–1926) Sheffield-Tuscumbia Twins (1926) Tupelo Wolves (1925–1926)
1938–1939 Chicago Harley Mills (1938–1939) Elgin All-Stars (1938) Fort Wayne Harvesters (1938) Madison Blues (1938–1939) Sheboygan Chairmakers (1938–1939) Spencer Coals (1938–1939)
1946–1955
Anderson A's (1946) Anderson Rebels (1947–1954) Asheville Tourists (1946–1955) Charlotte Hornets (1946–1953) Fayetteville Cubs (1947–1948) Florence Steelers (1948–1950) Gastonia Rockets (1952–1953) Greenville Spinners (1951–1952, 1954–1955) Greenwood Tigers (1951) Knoxville Smokies (1946–1952, 1954) Reidsville Luckies (1947) Rock Hill Chiefs (1947–1955) Shelby Cubs (1946) Spartanburg Spartans (1946) Spartanburg Peaches (1947–1955) Sumter Chicks (1949–1950) Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball – Lloyd Johnson, Miles Wolff. Publisher: Baseball America, 1993. Language: English. Format: Paperback, 420pp.
Standings & statistics 1888 – 1890 1888 Tri-State League - schedule President: W.H. McDermith Team standingsWLPCTGB ManagersLima Lushers7435.679– William Harrington Wheeling Nail Cities 7143.6235½ Bill Otterson / Al Buckenberger Columbus Senators 6450.56112½ Jim Curry / Frank ArnoldCanton 5064.43926½ William Zecher / J.H. HarmonToledo Maumees4668.40330½ Harry Smith / Frank Mountain / Robert Wood Mansfield Pioneers 4374.36835 Frank Torreyson / Frank O'Brien / James Green / Ed Darrow Jackson Jaxons3083.26446 George Burbridge / Jim Curry/Jay Moore / James Trayy Kalamazoo Kazoos 6237.626NA Norris O'Neil Zanesville Kickapoos 6339.618NA Peter McShannic / Al Swift (7/27) William HarringtonSandusky Fish Eaters 4454.449NA Horace Lockwood / James Hever / W.E. Rutter Kalamazoo, Zanesville and Sandusky disbanded. No playoffs held.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotJohn KirbyLimaBA.369 Sam Nichol WheelingRuns112Buck WestColum/WheelHits150 Sam Nichol Wheeling Hits150George RooksLimaHR13Henry FullerLimaSB103
1889 Tri-State League President: W.H. McDermith Team standingsWLPCTGB ManagersCanton Nadjys6737.644– William Harrington Springfield 6148.5608½ Walter Jennison / Lewis Hill / Harry Fisher Mansfield Indians 5950.54110½ Christopher Meisel / Robert Carey / Jack RemsenDayton Reds5254.49116 Frank Jones / Timothy Donovan / Frank O'Brien Hamilton 4165.38727 D.C. Blandy / Edward Hengle Wheeling Nailers4167.38028 Ben Sullivan / Sam Nichol / Howell / John Dunn / John Wright / John Crogan No Playoffs held.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot John Ryn CantonBA.358 Henry Morrison MansfieldW23Dusty Miller CantonRuns129 R.J. Riley CantonPCT.813 13-3 John Ryn CantonHits150 Joseph Sharpe CantonSB83
1890 Tri-State League President: W.H. McDermith Team standingsWLPCTGB ManagersMansfield Indians4925.662– George Greer Wheeling Nailers 3932.5498½ Bob Glenalvin / Bill George Youngstown Giants 3833.5359½ Harry Morton / Michael Cody Akron Akrons3838.50012 Charles Pike McKeesport3644.45016 Alexander Voss / Frank Torreyson Canton Nadjys 2648.35123 William Heingartner / James Peeples / Cecero Hiner / Jack Grogan Dayton Reds 3127.534NA Timothy DonovanSpringfield 2434.414NA Harry Fisher Dayton disbanded July 8; Springfield disbanded July 9
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotFred OsborneWheelingBA.397 Frank Goodryder MansfieldRuns81Fred BettsSpring/WheelHits113Frank MotzAkronHR14
1924 Tri-State League-Class D President: Richard R. Grotto Team standingsWLPCTGB ManagersBeatrice Blues3530.538- Ed Reichle Sioux Falls Canaries 3530.538-Frank Boyle Norfolk Elk Horns 3130.5082 Nig Lane Grand Island Islanders 3232.5002½ Jake Kraninger Hastings Cubs2934.4605 Harry Cheek Sioux City Cardinals 2935.4535½ Joe McDermott The league disbanded July 17.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Graeme Snow Sioux FallsBA.339 Edward Shupe Grand IslandW15Pid PurdyBeatriceRuns39 Carlos Dunnagan BeatricePCT.800 8-2Pid PurdyBeatriceHits65
1946 – 1949
1946 Tri-State League-Class B President: C.M. Llewellyn Team standingsWLPCTGB ManagersCharlotte Hornets9346.669–Spencer Abbott Asheville Tourists8357.59310½Bill Sayles Knoxville Smokies7367.52120½ Dale Alexander Shelby Cubs5981.42134½ Ray GreenAnderson A's5981.42134½ Clyde McDowell Spartanburg Spartans 5287.37441 Francis Kappelman Shelby defeated Anderson in a one game playoff for fourth place; Knoxville 4 games, Asheville 1; Charlotte 4 games, Shelby 2; Finals: Charlotte 4 games, Knoxville 3.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Dick Bouknight AshevilleBA.367Sonny DixonCharlotteW19Al KvasnakCharlotteRuns101 Ralph Germano SpartanburgSO179Fred MarshKnoxvilleHits180 Alex Zukowski CharlotteERA1.41Bill SaylesAshevilleRBI105 Alex Zukowski CharlottePCT.789 15-4 "Pud" Miller SpartanburgHR19
1947 Tri-State League-Class B President: C.M. Llewellyn Team standingsWLPCTGBAttend ManagersSpartanburg Peaches8851.633–157,435Kerby Farrell Anderson Rebels8455.6044150,290 Bob Richards Knoxville Smokies7367.52115½101,189 Dale Alexander Charlotte Hornets 7268.51416½116,729Spencer Abbott / Cal ErmerRock Hill Chiefs6871.4892091,042Dan Carnevale Asheville Tourists6574.46823123,897Bill SaylesFayetteville Cubs6178.4392763,081 Clyde McDowell Reidsville Luckies4592.3284259,043Lee Gamble Playoffs: Charlotte 4 games, Spartanburg 1; Anderson 4 games, Knoxville 2; Finals: Charlotte 4 games, Anderson 3.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTotSmoky BurgessFayettevilleBA.387 James Kleckley SpartanburgW20 Fred Barocco AndersonRuns123 Edward Craft AndersonSO185Sammy MeeksCharlotteHits191 Robert Callan CharlotteERA3.08 Al Simononis AndersonRBI132 James Kleckley SpartanburgPCT.769 20-6 Al Simononis AndersonHR27
1948 Tri-State League-Class B President: C.M. Llewellyn Team standingsWLPCTGBAttend ManagersAsheville Tourists9551.651–122,693Clay Bryant Anderson Rebels7768.53117½103,180 Bob Richards Rock Hill Chiefs7670.5211985,621 Ed Freed / Dick BouknightFayetteville Cubs 7371.5072176,956Skeeter Scalzi Charlotte Hornets7274.49323122,211Joe Bowman Knoxville Smokies7176.48324½95,164Dale Alexander / Dave GarciaSpartanburg Peaches6877.46926½98,993Kerby FarrellFlorence Steelers5095.34544½72,569 George Motto / James Martin Playoffs: Rockhill 3 games, Asheville 1; Fayetteville 3 games, Anderson 1. Finals: Fayetteville 4 games, Rockhill 1.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Robert Churchill KnoxvilleBA.406 Red Dwyer RockhillW22 Norman Koney AshevilleRuns145Lacy JamesRockhillSO213 Robert ChurchillKnoxvilleHits230Joe LandrumAshevilleERA2.77Floyd Fogg FayettevilleRBI144Bob SpicerFayettevillePCT.818 18-4Len Cross SpartanburgHR29 Robert Churchill Knoxville3B28
1949 Tri-State League-Class B President: C.M. Llewellyn Team standingsWLPCTGBAttend ManagersFlorence Steelers8759.596–60,124 Jim Martin Spartanburg Peaches8160.5743½128,490Kerby Farrell Asheville Tourists7671.51711½105,899 Ed Head Rock Hill Chiefs7170.50413½98,237 Dick Bouknight Knoxville Smokies7273.49714½94,809Frank Genovese Sumter Chicks6580.44821½55,309Wes Livengood / Glen SchaefferCharlotte Hornets6280.4372394,276 Clyde McDowell Anderson Rebels6283.42824½85,760 Bob Richards Playoffs: Florence 3 games, Rock Hill 2; Spartanburg 3 games, Asheville 1; Finals: Florence 4 games, Spartanburg 2.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Robert Churchill Rock HillBA.360 Melvin Fisher FlorenceW27 Harold Harrigan AndersonRuns118 John Fitzgerald FlorenceSO166 Alexander Driskill AshevilleHits172 Survern Wright Rock HillERA1.86 Harold Harrigan AndersonRBI121Al AberSpartanburgPCT.750 24-8 Harold Harrigan AndersonHR43
References
External links Baseball Reference – Tri-State League (Class B) Encyclopedia and History Baseball Reference – Tri-State League (Class D) Encyclopedia and History Baseball Reference – Western Tri-State League (Class D) Encyclopedia and History