Central Association

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Central Association
FormerlyIowa State League
SportMinor League Baseball
Inaugural season1908
Ceased1949
PresidentM. E. Justice (1908–1916)
John F. Ford (1917)
Frank Hern (1947–1948)
Lee A. Thomas (1949)
No. of teams30
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles3
Ottumwa Speedboys (1911–1913)
ClassificationClass C (1908–1917)
Class D (1947–1949)
Related
competitions		Illinois–Missouri League
Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League

The Central Association was an American minor league baseball league. It began operations in 1908, as it was essentially renamed from the 1907 Iowa State League. The Central Association ran continuously through 1917. It was reorganized thirty years later, operating as a Class-C league from 1947-1949, with major league affiliates for most teams. Baseball Hall of Fame members Grover Cleveland Alexander (Galesburg), Jake Beckley (Hannibal), Burleigh Grimes (Ottumwa) and Sam Rice (Galesburg and Muscatine) are league alumni.

1908–1917 league[]

In 1908, The Central Association formed with charter members: Burlington Pathfinders (Burlington, Iowa), Jacksonville Lunatics (Jacksonville, Illinois), Keokuk Indians (Keokuk, Iowa) Oskaloosa Quakers (Oskaloosa, Iowa), Ottumwa Packers (Ottumwa, Iowa), Quincy Gems (Quincy, Illinois) and the Waterloo Lulus (Waterloo, Iowa) all had been members of the 1907 Iowa State League. A new team in Kewanee, Illinois, the Kewanee Boilermakers, joined as well.

In 1909, the Oskaloosa Quakers franchise folded and the Hannibal Cannibals (Hannibal, Missouri) moved from the Illinois–Missouri League. In 1910, Jacksonville moved to the Northern Association and Waterloo moved to the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. The Galesburg Pavers (Galesburg, Illinois) and Monmouth Browns (Monmouth, Illinois) joined after having left the Illinois–Missouri League. For the 1911 season, Quincy moved to the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League and the Muscatine Camels (Muscatine, Iowa) formed and joined the league.

For 1913, Galesburg and Hannibal folded, with the Cedar Rapids Rabbits (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), and Waterloo Jays (Waterloo, Iowa) forming to join the league. In 1914, Kewanee and Monmouth folded while the Clinton Pilots (Clinton, Iowa) and Marshalltown Ansons (Marshalltown, Iowa) formed and joined the league. Ottumwa moved to Rock Island, Illinois, as the Rock Island Islanders and then again to Galesburg, as the Galesburg Pavers.

In 1915, Galesburg folded and the Mason City Claydiggers (Mason City, Iowa) formed and joined the league. The Clinton team folded during the season. The league also threw out several wins by Keokuk (1), Marshalltown (5), Waterloo (1), and Clinton (40) after the fact.

Keokuk folded in 1916, while the Clinton Pilots rejoined and the Fort Dodge Dodgers (Fort Dodge, Iowa) formed and joined the league. Burlington moved to become the Ottumwa Packers on July 20, and Muscatine also forfeited 34 wins in 1916.

In the final season, 1917, Muscatine and Ottumwa folded. The Dubuque Dubs in Dubuque, Iowa and the La Crosse Infants (La Crosse, Wisconsin) formed and joined the league. Dubuque moved to Charles City, Iowa on July 4 to become the Charles City Tractorites. Cedar Rapids moved to Clear Lake, Iowa on July 27, finishing the season as the Clear Lake Rabbits. Clinton and La Crosse both folded before the end of the season on July 17. After the season, the league, and all teams in it, folded.

1947–1949 league[]

In 1947, a new league of the same name was created with major league affiliations. The Clinton Cubs (Chicago Cubs) in Clinton, Iowa; Hannibal Pilots (St. Louis Browns), Hannibal, Missouri; Rockford Rox (Cincinnati Reds), Rockford, Illinois; Keokuk Pirates (Pittsburgh Pirates), Keokuk, Iowa; Burlington Indians (Cleveland Indians), Burlington, Iowa, and the Moline A's, (Philadelphia A's) Moline, Illinois were the charter members of the reformed league.

In 1948, the Moline A's moved to Kewanee, Illinois to become the Kewanee A's in mid-season. In 1949, the Hannibal Pilots folded and the Cedar Rapids Rockets of Cedar Rapids, Iowa formed to join the league. Kewanee captured the 1949 championship. After the 1949 season, Cedar Rapids joined the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League, and the rest of the teams, and the league itself, folded.

Year by year[]

1908

Team Name Record
Waterloo Lulus 88-37
Burlington Pathfinders 83-41
Quincy Gems 73-55
Keokuk Indians 57-68
Jacksonville Lunatics 56-69
Oskaloosa Quakers 51-75
Kewanee Boilermakers 48-79
Ottumwa Packers 48-80

1909

Burlington Pathfinders 83-51
Hannibal Cannibals 83-53
Keokuk Indians 80-57
Kewanee Boilermakers 73-61
Waterloo Lulus 64-69
Quincy Vets 62-73
Jacksonville Braves 46-84
Ottumwa Packers 48-91

1910

Quincy Vets 85-50
Ottumwa Packers 86-57
Hannibal Cannibals 77-60
Galesburg Pavers 69-67
Keokuk Indians 67-70
Monmouth Browns 62-72
Burlington Pathfinders 56-81
Kewanee Boilermakers 49-91

1911

Ottumwa Speedboys 87-41
Burlington Cowboys 81-44
Galesburg Pavers 66-63
Keokuk Indians 64-64
Kewanee Boilermakers 59-67
Monmouth Browns 59-69
Muscatine Camels 48-80
Hannibal Cannibals 45-81

1912

Ottumwa Speedboys 79-50
Kewanee Boilermakers 74-51
Burlington Pathfinders 73-53
Monmouth Browns 71-55
Hannibal Cannibals 67-61
Galesburg Pavers 61-67
Keokuk Indians 49-76
Muscatine Wallopers 33-94

1913

Ottumwa Packers 72-54
Muscatine Wallopers 68-54
Monmouth Browns 64-62
Keokuk Indians 62-63
Burlington Pathfinders 63-66
Cedar Rapids Rabbits 59-65
Kewanee Boilermakers 59-65
Waterloo Jays 53-71

1914

Waterloo Jays 78-51
Burlington Pathfinders 75-53
Muscatine Buttonmakers 72-53
Clinton Pilots 67-61
Cedar Rapids Bunnies 64-60
Keokuk Indians 52-76
Marshalltown Ansons 52-76
Ottumwa Rockers/ Rock Island Islanders/ Galesburg Pavers 49-79

1915

Burlington Pathfinders 81-38
Muscatine Muskies 63-57
Keokuk Indians 51-52
Mason City Claydiggers 58-63
Cedar Rapids Rabbits 54-62
Marshalltown Ansons 46-67
Waterloo Jays 52-74
Clinton Pilots 13-69

1916

Marshalltown Ansons 77-50
Clinton Pilots 73-51
Cedar Rapids Rabbits 62-64
Burlington Pathfinders/ Ottumwa Packers 62-64
Waterloo Shamrocks 58-67
Mason City Claydiggers 50-76
Fort Dodge Dodgers 41-86
Muscatine Muskies 45-34

1917

Marshalltown Ansons 64-34
Mason City Claydiggers 54-38
50-42
Cedar Rapids Rabbits/ Clear Lake Rabbits 39-52
Dubuque Dubs/ Charles City Tractorites 40-54
Fort Dodge Dodgers 37-57
Clinton Pilots 40-33
La Crosse Infants 29-43

1947

Team Name Affiliation Record
Clinton Cubs Chicago Cubs 73-51
Hannibal Pilots St. Louis Browns 69-56
Rockford Rox Chicago White Sox 68-57
Keokuk Pirates Pittsburgh Pirates 61-64
Burlington Indians Cleveland Indians 52-72
Moline A's Philadelphia A's 51-74

Clinton defeated Rockford 3 games to 2, and Hannibal defeated Keokuk 3 games to 1 in the first round of the playoffs.

Clinton defeated Hannibal 4 games to 1 for the championship.

1948

Clinton Cubs Chicago Cubs 79-47
Burlington Indians Cleveland Indians 68-62
Hannibal Pilots St. Louis Browns
Keokuk Pirates Pittsburgh Pirates 61-67
Rockford Rox Cincinnati Reds 56-72
Moline A's/Kewanee A's Philadelphia A's 53-74

Clinton beat Burlington 4 games to 2, and Keokuk beat Hannibal 4 games to 1 in the first round of the playoffs. Clinton beat Keokuk for the title 4 games to none.

1949

Burlington Indians Cleveland Indians 81-48
Keokuk Pirates Pittsburgh Pirates 74-54
Kewanee A's Philadelphia A's 68-60
Cedar Rapids Rockets 63-67
Clinton Steers Chicago Cubs 61-65
Rockford Rox Cincinnati Reds 38-91

Cedar Rapids beat Burlington 3 games to none, and Kewanee beat Keokuk 3 games to none, in the first round of the playoffs. Kewanee defeated Cedar Rapids 4 games to 2 for the title.

References[]

  • Sumner, Benjamin Barrett. Minor League Baseball Standings:All North American Leagues, Through 1999. Jefferson, N.C.:McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0781-6
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