Southern Michigan League

The Southern Michigan League was a Minor League Baseball circuit which operated between 1906 and 1912. It was classified as a Class D league from 1906 to 1910 and as a Class C league from 1911 to 1912. After that, the league was known as the Southern Michigan Association between 1913 and 1915.

Southern Michigan League
ClassificationClass D (1906–1910)
Class C (1911)
Class D (1912–1913)
Class C (1914–1915)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1906
Ceased1915
PresidentJoseph S. Jackson (1906–1909)
James P. Bowen (1910–1912)
James Frank (1913–1915)
No. of teams12
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles2
Kalamazoo Kazoos/Celery Pickers (1908–1909)
Saginaw Wa-was (1910–1911)
Related
competitions
Michigan State League

The Southern Michigan Association held a Class D status in 1913 and was given Class C recognition in 1914 and 1915. The Association closed up after the 1915 season.

Cities represented/teams edit

League champions edit

  • 1906 – Mount Clemens Bathers
  • 1907 – Tecumseh
  • 1908 – Saginaw Wa-was
  • 1909 – Saginaw Wa-was
  • 1910 – Kalamazoo Kazoos
  • 1911 – Kalamazoo Celery Pickers
  • 1912 – Adrian Lions
  • 1913 – Battle Creek Crickets
  • 1914 – Saginaw Ducks
  • 1915 – South Bend Factors

Standings & statistics edit

1906 to 1910 edit

1906 Southern Michigan League

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Mount Clemens Bathers 69 34 .670 - Walter Trombley
Kalamazoo White Sox 63 41 .612 6.5 Clarence Pickell / Maurice Myers
Tecumseh Indians 57 47 .548 12.5 Horace Brewer
Jackson Convicts 52 52 .500 17.5 Maurice Myers / Rube Deneau
Battle Creek Crickets 39 56 .411 26 George Black/
Maurice Myers / Joe Ganzel
Saginaw 34 60 .362 30.5 Clarence Jessup / Kimmerley

Saginaw began play July 18. It was awarded a record of 15-20 when added. The Battle Creek record of 4-38 was expunged on July 21 and the reorganized team was awarded a record of 15-20 on July 22. The official standings were unequal due to the adjusted won-lost records.[1][2]

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot
Bill Roth Mt. Clemens BA .302
Bill Roth Mt. Clemens Hits 115

1907 Southern Michigan League

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Tecumseh Indians 69 42 .622 - Bo Slear
Kalamazoo White Sox 62 47 .569 6.0 Maurice Myers
Battle Creek Crickets 63 49 .563 6.5 James Henderson
Mount Clemens Bathers 51 51 .500 13.5 Joe Ganzel / George Thomas
Bay City 46 57 .447 19.0 M.E. Taylor
Lansing Senators 46 57 .447 19.0 Jack Morrissey
Flint Vehicles 42 64 .396 24.5 Fred Mason / Pete Tibald
Jackson Convicts 18 30 .375 NA Bruce Haynes

Jackson folded July 15.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
John Landry Mt. Clemens BA .297 Harvey Teal Tecumseh W 21
John Landry Mt. Clemens Runs 60 Tom Railing Tecumseh W 21
John Landry Mt. Clemens Hits 120 Irwin Gough Mt. Clemens SO 253
John Cocash Flint HR 6 Harry Steiger Battle Creek Pct .810; 17-4
Fred Merkle Tecumseh HR 6

1908 Southern Michigan League - schedule

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Saginaw Wa-was 72 52 .581 - Bruce Hayes/
E. Dillon / Blair
Kalamazoo White Sox 70 56 .556 3.0 Mo Myers
Jackson Convicts 68 57 .544 4.5 Bo Slear
Tecumseh Indians 64 62 .508 9.0 Smith
Battle Creek Crickets 62 63 .496 10.5 NA
Lansing Senators 60 65 .480 12.5 Jack Morrissey
Flint Vehicles 57 68 .448 15.5 Rube Deneau / Charles Cassell
Bay City Reds 48 78 .381 25.0 M. Taylor / Clyde McNutt
Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Leonard Cote Kalamazoo BA .327 Belmont Method Kalamazoo W 24
Bob Parker Jackson Runs 79 George Pearce Lansing SO 298
Chick Evans Jackson Hits 141 Edwin Taylor Kalamazoo Pct .800; 12-3
Jack Morrissey Lansing Hits 141
Red Bowser Flint HR 11

1909 Southern Michigan League

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Saginaw Wa-was 73 52 .584 - Billy Smith
Flint Vehicles 72 52 .581 0.5 Red Wright
Jackson Convicts 71 52 .577 1.0 Bo Slear
Kalamazoo Kazoos 64 60 .516 8.5 Harry Martin
Bay City Cardinals 59 66 .478 14.0 Ed Herr / Fritz Buelow
Lansing Senators 55 69 .443 17.5 Jack Morrissey
Adrian Yeggs 52 73 .416 21.0 Charles Cassell
Battle Creek Crickets 52 74 .413 21.5 Rube Deneau
Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Harry Martin Kalamazoo BA .330 Gene Krapp Flint W 23
Harry Ball Adrian Runs 94 Elmer Criger Jackson Pct .759; 22-7
Harry Ball Adrian Hits 141 Ed Kusel Saginaw Pct .759; 22-7

1910 Southern Michigan League - schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Kalamazoo Kazoos 87 52 .626 - Butts Wagner
Lansing Senators 87 52 .626 - Jack Morrissey
Adrian Yeggs 83 56 .597 4.0 Carl Vandagrift
Battle Creek Crickets 72 64 .529 13.5 Billy Earle
Flint Vehicles 69 71 .493 18.5 Ed Herr
Bay City 59 81 .421 28.5 Elbert Nugent / Leon Foy
Jackson Convicts 51 85 .375 34.5 Bo Slear
Saginaw Wa-was 46 93 .331 41.0 Billy Smith / Frank Wessell

Playoff: Kalamazoo 4 games, Lansing 2.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Red Bowser Flint BA .342 Bradley Valliere Kalamazoo W 23
Harry Ball Adrian Runs 117 Ed Warner Lansing W 23
Vic Saier Lansing Hits 175 Berne Hughey Kalamazoo SO 193
Red Bowser Flint HR 14 Bradley Valliere Kalamazoo Pct .793; 23-6

[1]

1911 to 1912 edit

1911 Southern Michigan Association - schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Kalamazoo Celery Pickers 88 51 .633 - Butts Wagner
Lansing Senators 79 55 .590 6.5 Jack Morrissey
Flint Vehicles 77 59 .566 9.5 Dan Collins
Bay City Billikens 73 64 .533 14.0 Mo Myers / Bo Slear
Saginaw Krazy Kats 72 67 .518 16.0 Mal Kittridge
Adrian Yeggs 65 76 .461 24.0 Billy Smith
Battle Creek Crickets 57 80 .416 30.0 John Burke
Jackson Convicts 39 98 .285 48.0 Charles Fox
Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
John Connors Jackson BA .377 Beany Jacobson Kalamazoo W 26
Buck Hopkins Saginaw Runs 120 Ed Warner Lansing W 26
Joe Kutina Saginaw Hits 193 Ed Warner Lansing SO 231
Clarence Kraft Flint HR 19 Beany Jacobson Kalamazoo Pct .743; 26-9
Pete Compton Battle Creek 3B 25

1912 Southern Michigan League - schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Adrian Lions 78 47 .624 - Dan Jenkins
Jackson Convicts 71 55 .563 7.5 Maurice Myers
Flint Vehicles 69 56 .552 9.0 John Burke / Dan Collins
Lansing Senators 63 62 .504 15.0 Jack Morrissey
Kalamazoo Celery Eaters 60 63 .488 17.0 Charlie Wagner
Battle Creek Crickets 59 68 .465 20.0 Eddie McKernan
Bay City Billikens 19 43 .306 NA James Slevins
Saginaw Trailers 19 44 .302 NA Walter Hartwell

Bay City and Saginaw disbanded July 13.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Jack Onslow Lansing BA .385 Robert Troy Adrian W 25
Fred Ochs Flint Runs 89 Robert Troy Adrian SO 268
John Connors Jackson Hits 156 Walt Scott Adrian Pct .826; 19-4
Albert "Bull" Durham Bay City/Lansing HR 25

[1]

1913 to 1915 edit

1913 Southern Michigan Association

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Battle Creek Crickets 77 46 .626 - Ed McKernan
Adrian Lions 68 55 .553 9.0 Joe Jenkins
Jackson Convicts 66 60 .524 12.5 Maurice Myers
Saginaw Ducks 60 65 .480 18.0 Ducky Holmes
Flint Vehicles 57 64 .471 19.0 Dan Collins
Kalamazoo Kazoos 59 67 .468 19.5 Charles Wagner
Lansing Senators 54 68 .439 22.5 Jack Morrissey
Bay City Beavers 54 70 .435 23.5 Hugh Shannon
Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Fred Bramble Kalamazoo BA .349 Dick Niehaus Battle Creek W 24
Joe Jenkins Adrian Runs 88 Rudy Schwenk Saginaw SO 283
T.H. McNellis Lansing Hits 146 Dick Niehaus Battle Creek Pct .727; 24-9
Cecil Coombs Adrian HR 10

1914 Southern Michigan Association - schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Bay City Beavers 96 50 .658 0 Dan Jenkins
Saginaw Ducks 90 55 .621 5.5 Ducky Holmes
Battle Creek Crickets 92 57 .617 5.5 Dan Collins
South Bend Benders 85 60 .586 10.5 Ed Smith /
Harry Arndt / Ben Koehler
Flint Vehicles 75 70 .517 20.5 Jack Burke
Jackson Chiefs 71 72 .497 23.5 Maurice Myers / D. Brown
Lansing Senators /
Mt. Clemens Bathers
63 80 .441 31.5 Jack Morrissey
Toledo Mud Hens 53 93 .363 43.0 Topsy Hartsel
Adrian Fencevilles 53 94 .361 43.5 Bill Cristall / William Henderson
Kalamazoo Kazoos 49 97 .336 47.0 Charlie Wenger

Lansing (33-35) moved to Mt. Clemens July 10.
Playoff: Saginaw 4 games, Bay City 1.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Joe Harris Bay City BA .386 Walter Scott Saginaw W 26
Dan Jenkins Bay City Runs 140 Russell Robins Saginaw SO 338
Joe Harris Bay City Hits 197 John Jenkins Bay City Pct .852; 23-4
Edward Hoffman Flint HR 12

1915 Southern Michigan Association - schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
South Bend Factors 44 24 .667 - Ed Smith
Battle Creek Crickets 34 33 .507 9.5 Charles Wagner
Jackson Vets 31 33 .484 11.0 Dan Collins
Bay City Beavers 31 35 .470 12.0 Joe Jenkins
Saginaw Ducks 31 38 .449 13.5 Ducky Holmes
Flint Vehicles 31 39 .443 14.0 Ed Wheeler

The league disbanded July 7.

Player statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Charles Donnelly Bay City BA .387 Charles Vallandingham South Bend W 13
Joe Helmer South Bend Runs 48 Ben Higley Saginaw SO 127
Charles Donnelly Bay City Hits 87 Charles Vallandingham South Bend Pct .813; 13-3
Edward Hoffman Flint HR 7

[1]

References edit

  • Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, second edition, April 1997.
  1. ^ a b c d The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball. Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff, editors (Third ed.). Baseball America. 2007. ISBN 978-1932391176.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. ^ "Pinch Hits: Average Start on an Even Basis" (PDF). Diamonds in the Dusk. 418. diamondsinthedusk.com: 2. 6 January 2020.