Leavenworth Braves

The Leavenworth Braves was the final moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Leavenworth, Kansas between 1886 and 1949. Leavenworth teams played as members of the Western League (1886–1888), Kansas State League (1895), Missouri Valley League (1903–1904) and Western Association (1905–1907, 1946–1949).

The Leavenworth Braves were an affiliate of the Boston Braves from 1946 to 1948.

Baseball Hall of Fame member Jake Beckley played for the Leavenworth Soldiers in 1886 and 1887.

History[]

Minor league baseball began in Leavenworth with the 1886 Leavenworth Soldiers. Leavenworth played in the Western League from 1886 to 1888. Baseball Hall of Fame member Jake Beckley played for the Soldiers.^[1][2]

The Leavenworth Soldiers next played in the 1895 Kansas State League. The franchise folded on July 22, 1895 with a 7–10 record.^[3][4]

The Leavenworth White Sox began play as members of the 1903 Missouri Valley League. The Leavenworth White Sox folded on July 16, 1903 with a 15–53 record.^[5][6][7]

Leavenworth returned to the Missouri Valley League in 1904. The Leavenworth Orioles finished with a record of 48–74, placing 6th in the eight–team league.^[7][8][9]

In 1905, the Missouri Valley League reformed as the Western Association. The Leavenworth Orioles joined fellow members Guthrie Senators, Joplin Miners, Oklahoma City Mets, Sedalia Gold Bugs, Springfield Highlanders, Topeka White Sox and Wichita Jobbers in the 1905 Western Association.^[10][11]

The 1905 Leavenworth Orioles finished with a 75–59 record, placing 3rd in the Western Association.^[12]

Leavenworth continued play in the 1906 Western Association as the Leavenworth Old Soldiers. The Old Soldiers finished 68–72, 6th in the 1906 Western Association. The moniker reference is likely to Leavenworth being home to the Wadsworth Old Soldiers home.^{[13][10][14][15][16]}

Leavenworth played in the 1907 Western Association as the Leavenworth Convicts. The moniker was reference to Leavenworth being home of the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, which opened in 1903. The 1907 Leavenworth Convicts finished 29–108, placing a distant 8th in the Western Association, 71.0 games out of first place. The team folded following the 1907 season.^{[17][18][10][19]}

The 1946 Leavenworth Braves began play in the Class C level Western Association as an affiliate of the Boston Braves. The Western League reformed in 1946, after missing the 1943, 1944 and 1945 seasons due to World War II. Leavenworth joined the eight–team league, along with fellow members Fort Smith Giants, Hutchinson Cubs, Joplin Miners, Muskogee Reds, Salina Blue Jays, St. Joseph Cardinals and Topeka Owls.^[10]

The first home game for the Leavenworth Braves was on May 2, 1946. Before the game there was parade to the ballpark. Students were released from school to attend. The game drew 2,800, despite the fact that seating hadn’t even been installed yet at Wadsworth Park.^[20]

The 1946 Leavenworth Braves won the Western Association championship. Leavenworth finished with a 76–57 record to finish 1.0 game ahead of the Hutchinson Cubs in the final standings. The season home attendance was 56,176, an average of 845 per game.^[21][10]

Playing as a Boston Braves affiliate, the 1947 Leavenworth Braves had a record of 50–88, finishing 8th and last in the standings, drawing 28,419 fans. The Braves finished with a record of 62–75 in 1948, placing 6th in the standings, with season attendance of 40,639.^[22][23][24]

The 1949 season was the final season for the Leavenworth Braves, who were without an affiliate. The 1949 Leavenworth Braves finished with a record of 25–112, 8th and last in the Western Association, 70.5 games out of first. The Braves' attendance of 33,132 was 8th in the league, with the 7th place attendance at 50,145. Leavenworth folded after the 1949 season and was replaced in the Western Association by the Springfield Cubs. Leavenworth has not hosted another minor league team.^[10][25][26]

The ballparks[]

From 1904 to 1907, Leavenworth teams were noted to have played minor league home games at Central Ball Park. The ballpark was located at Shawnee Street & North 10th Street, Leavenworth, Kansas. Today, the site is "Wollman Park" and is a public park with an aquatic center. Today's address of Wollman Park is 1300 Shawnee Street, Leavenworth, Kansas.^[27][28]

The Leavenworth Braves teams were referenced to have played home games at Wadsworth Park. The ballpark seated 4,000. At the time, the ballpark was on Federal property that was part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Veteran's Affairs Medical Center. Today, the park is called "Ray Miller Park." The address for Ray Miller Park is 4103 South 4th Street, Leavenworth, Kansas.^[29][20]

Notable alumni[]

See also[]

• Leavenworth Braves players
• Leavenworth Convicts players
• Leavenworth Old Soldiers players
• Leavenworth Orioles players

References[]

External references[]

Baseball Reference