South Dakota League
Formerly | Dakota League (1921–1922) |
---|---|
Sport | Minor League Baseball |
Founder | Michael E. Cantillon |
Inaugural season | 1920 |
Ceased | July 17, 1923 |
President | Michael E. Cantillon (1920–1923) |
No. of teams | 16 |
Country | ![]() |
Most titles | 3 Mitchell Kernels (1920–1922) |
Classification | Class D (1920–1923) |
Related competitions | North Dakota League (1923) |
The South Dakota League was a Class D level minor league baseball league that played from 1920 to 1923. The South Dakota League changed its name to the shortened Dakota League for the 1921 and 1922 seasons. The South Dakota League consisted of teams based in South Dakota. Franchises from Minnesota and North Dakota were added during the two Dakota League seasons. For the 1923 season, the league was divided into two four–team Class D partner entities, the South Dakota League and the North Dakota League.
History[]
In 1920, the South Dakota League began play as an eight–team Class D league, with all franchises based in South Dakota. The league would play four seasons and provided the first professional baseball in South Dakota since Sioux Falls played in the 1902–1903 Iowa-South Dakota League. The 1920 South Dakota League charter franchises were the Aberdeen Boosters, Huron Packers, Madison Greys, Miller Climbers, Mitchell Kernels, Redfield Reds, Sioux Falls Soos and Wessington Springs Saints.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
The league president for the duration of the South Dakota League/Dakota League was Michael E. Cantillon. Cantillon had been president of the minor league Minneapolis Millers from 1907 to 1918 and was the brainchild behind the formation of the South Dakota League.[7][8][9]
In the first season for the South Dakota League, the Mitchell Kernels won the 1920 South Dakota League Championship, their first of three consecutive championships. Mitchell had a 61–36 record under Manager Hank Scharnweber, finishing 3.5 games ahead of the Sioux Falls Soos in the regular season standings to claim the title, as the league had no playoffs for its duration. Baseball Hall of Fame member Jim Bottomley, at age 20, played for the 1920 Mitchell Kernels. Bottomley hit .312 with 7 home runs in 97 games.[10][7][11][4][12]
In 1921, the league changed names to the Dakota League, reforming after adding the Wahpeton-Breckenridge Twins, based in North Dakota and Minnesota. Baseball play on Sunday had been illegal in North Dakota until the law was repealed in 1920, a positive for early professional teams, who needed the revenue from large Sunday crowds to remain financially viable. Wahpeton, North Dakota newspaper publisher Robert J. Hughes formed the new Wahpeton-Breckenridge, Minnesota franchise, hiring Roy Patterson as manager. The Dakota league remained an eight–team Class D level league, with 13–player rosters. The 1921 league members were the Aberdeen Grays, Huron Packers, Madison Greys, Mitchell Kernels, Redfield Red Sox, Sioux Falls Soos, Wahpeton-Breckenridge Twins and Watertown Cubs. The Mitchell Kernels won their second consecutive league championship, again finishing ahead of the 2nd place Sioux Fall Soos.[9][13][8][14][15][16]
Continuing play as an eight–team Class D level league, the 1922 Dakota League season saw the Mitchell Kernels claim the championship, their third consecutive title. The Fargo Athletics, Jamestown Jimkotans and Valley City Hi-Liners became new league franchises in 1922, joining the Aberdeen Grays, Mitchell Kernels, Sioux Falls Soos, Wahpeton-Breckenridge Twins and Watertown Cubs. H.E. Ross founded the Jamestown Jinkotas, with former St. Louis Browns player Wib Smith serving as the Jamestown manager. J.H. Sampson served as president the Valley City Hi-Liners, with Charlie Boardman beginning the season as manager. Fargo attorney William H. Barnett was the founder of the Fargo Athletics and hired former major league player Ed Whiting to manage Fargo. On August 25, 1922, Roy Birkenstock of Jamestown threw a no-hitter in a 2–0 win over the Sioux Falls Soos. This was the league's first no–hitter. Mitchell finished the 1922 season with a 60–37 record under Manager Hank Scharnweber, 4.5 games ahead of the tied 2nd place teams, the Aberdeen Greys and Fargo Athletics. Baseball Hall of Fame member Al Simmons played for the 1922 Aberdeen Greys. At age 20, Simmons led the Dakota League with 144 hits, while batting .365 with 10 home runs.[17][8][9][18][19][4]
In their final season of 1923, the Dakota League split into two four–team partner entities to condense travel, with the leagues called the North Dakota League and South Dakota League.[9][20][7]
The 1923 South Dakota League began play as a four–team Class D level league with the Aberdeen Grays, Mitchell Kernels, Sioux Falls Soos and Watertown Cubs as member franchises. The North Dakota League formed the counterpart four–team Class D league, comprising the returning Jamestown Jimkotas, and three new franchises, the Minot Magicians, /Valley City Hi-Liners and Bismarck Capitals. The 1923 North Dakota League president was Logan Powell. On May 26, 1923, George Dennison of the Minot Magicians threw a no–hitter against the Bismarck Capitals in a 2–1 victory. The South Dakota League folded on July 17, 1923, with the Sioux Falls Soos in 1st place with a 35–22 record, 0.5 games ahead of the Aberdeen Greys. The Minot Magicians led the North Dakota League standings with a 48–21 record at the conclusion of the North Dakota League season, 15.0 games ahead of the 2nd place Jamestown Jimkotas. Both leagues permanently folded after the 1923 season.[1][2][7][11][9][18][21][22][20]
Cities represented 1920-1923[]
League standings 1920–1923[]
1920 South Dakota League[]
Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mitchell Kernels | 61 | 36 | .629 | - | Hank Scharnweber |
Sioux Falls Soos | 58 | 40 | .592 | 3.5 | Fred Carisch |
Huron Packers | 56 | 40 | .483 | 4.5 | Bill Shipke |
Wessington Springs Saints | 49 | 48 | .505 | 12.0 | Mattie McGrath |
Redfield Reds/Red Sox | 46 | 49 | .484 | 14.0 | Ollie Pickering / Harry Halstead |
Madison Greys | 42 | 50 | .457 | 16.5 | Ralph Works / Dave Altizer |
Aberdeen Boosters | 42 | 54 | .438 | 18.5 | Dave Altizer / Ed Karger |
Miller Climbers/Jugglers | 28 | 65 | .301 | 31.0 | Showboat Fisher / Frank Gurney |
1921 Dakota League[]
Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mitchell Kernels | 65 | 33 | .590 | - | Hank Scharnweber |
Sioux Falls Soos | 61 | 35 | .649 | 3.0 | Fred Carisch |
Wahpeton-Breckenridge Twins | 55 | 43 | .561 | 10.0 | Roy Patterson |
Redfield Red Sox | 47 | 46 | .505 | 15.5 | Harry Halstead |
Madison Greys | 45 | 50 | .474 | 18.5 | Dave Altizer |
Watertown Cubs | 44 | 53 | .454 | 20.5 | Mattie McGrath |
Aberdeen Grays | 35 | 62 | .361 | 29.5 | Ed Karger |
Huron Packers | 34 | 64 | .347 | 31.0 | Jay Andrews |
1922 Dakota League[]
Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mitchell Kernels | 60 | 37 | .619 | - | Hank Scharnweber |
Aberdeen Greys | 56 | 42 | .571 | 4.5 | E.H. Harkin / Bill Shipke |
Fargo Athletics | 56 | 42 | .571 | 4.5 | Ed Whiting |
Sioux City Soos | 55 | 42 | .567 | 5.0 | Fred Carisch |
Jamestown Jimkotans | 46 | 51 | .474 | 14.0 | Wilbur Smith |
Watertown Cubs | 42 | 54 | .443 | 17.0 | John Mokate |
Wahpeton-Breckenridge Twins | 42 | 55 | .439 | 18.0 | Roy Patterson |
Valley City Hi-Liters/Bismarck Capitals | 30 | 64 | .319 | 28.5 | Boardman / Menne Sampson / Bachant |
Valley City (25-46) Moved to Bismarck August 3, 1923[8]
1923 South Dakota League/ North Dakota League[]
South Dakota Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sioux Falls Soos | 35 | 22 | .614 | - | Jack Beaty |
Aberdeen Grays | 35 | 23 | .603 | 0.5 | Nig Nolte |
Mitchell Kernels | 28 | 27 | .5096 | 6.0 | Hank Scharnweber |
Watertown Cubs | 15 | 41 | .268 | 19.5 | Wilbur Smith |
North Dakota Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minot Magicians | 48 | 21 | .750 | - | Herb Hester |
Jamestown Jimkotas | 32 | 35 | .478 | 15.0 | Ed Whiting / Henry Wingfield |
New Rockford-Carrington/Valley City | 30 | 38 | .441 | 17.5 | Earl Pickering |
Bismarck Capitals | 26 | 42 | .382 | 21.5 | Tom Shanley/Mo McKnight |
Notable alumni[]
- Jim Bottomley, (1920) Mitchell Kernels. Inducted, Baseball Hall of Fame (1974).[37]
- Al Simmons, (1922) Aberdeen Greys. Inducted, Baseball Hall of Fame (1953)[38]
External links[]
- Dakota League - Baseball Reference Bullpen
South Dakota League - Baseball Reference Bullpen
North Dakota League- Baseball Reference Bullpen
References[]
- ^ a b "South Dakota League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ a b c Reichard, Kevin (November 5, 2008). "South Dakota League / Dakota League".
- ^ "Minor League history: (South) Dakota League". January 30, 2016.
- ^ a b c Lee.zion@capjournal.com, Lee Zion. "Dakota Life: America's pastime goes way back, way back in South Dakota". Capital Journal.
- ^ "Iowa-South Dakota League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- ^ Lalire, Gregory (March 31, 2011). "Baseball in the West". HistoryNet.
- ^ a b c d e f "South Dakota League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Dakota League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Curt Eriksmoen: Baseball league had short run in '20s". Bismarck Tribune.
- ^ "1920 South Dakota League (SDL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ a b "1923 North Dakota League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1920 Mitchell Kernels Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1921 Dakota League (DL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "North Dakota Baseball History". North Dakota Baseball History.
- ^ "1921 Dakota League (DL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1922 Dakota League (DL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1922 Dakota League (DL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ a b "Minor League No-Hitters 1920-1929 - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- ^ "1922 Aberdeen Grays Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ a b c "North Dakota League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
- ^ "1923 Dakota League (DL) Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1923 North Dakota League (NDL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Johnson Field in Aberdeen, SD history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Unknown in Fargo, ND history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Athletic Park in Huron, SD history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Unknown in Jamestown, ND history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Baughman Park in Madison, SD history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Crystal Park in Miller, SD history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Unknown in Minot, ND history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Hitchcock Park in Mitchell, SD history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ a b "Pioneer Park in Valley City, ND history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ a b "Wessington Springs City Park in Wessington Springs, SD history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Armadale Park in Redfield, SD history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Nelson Field in Sioux Falls, SD history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Unknown in Wahpeton, ND history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ {https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-2860
- ^ "Jim Bottomley Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Al Simmons Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States
- Baseball in South Dakota
- Baseball leagues in South Dakota
- 1920 establishments in the United States
- 1923 disestablishments in the United States
- Sports leagues established in 1920
- Sports leagues disestablished in 1923