The Ohio State League was a minor league baseball league that operated in numerous seasons between 1887 and 1947, predominantly as a Class D level league. League franchises were based in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
History
The first "Ohio State League" was a baseball league in 1887 before changing names to the Tri-State League. The Kalamazoo Kazoos won the first league championship. The league played in the 1889 and 1898 seasons.
The first 20th century Ohio State League started in 1908 as a class D loop and ran through 1916.
Another Ohio State League was formed in 1936 and ran through 1947 except for a break in '42-'43 due to World War II. In 1945, the OSL was one of just four class D circuits in operation, yet it was one of the first of dozens of leagues to collapse after World War II.
The class D Ohio–Indiana League was formed in 1948 with eight teams, with seven of the eight cities coming from the Ohio State League. Six teams made their home in Ohio and the remaining two where from Indiana. This league lasted through 1951.
The Portsmouth Cobblers won four Ohio State League championships.
Baseball Hall of Fame member Ed Delahanty played for the 1887 Mansfield team.
Cities represented
Standings & statistics
1887, 1889, 1898
1887 Ohio State League
Stubenville disbanded June 29; Canton entered the league August 4; Akron disbanded September 3.
1889 Ohio State League
Newark disbanded September 16; Tiffin disbanded September 18
1898 Ohio State League
Zanesville entered the league May 30; Conshohockten disbanded June 2
The league disbanded June 5 due to poor weather and Sunday baseball restrictions
1908 to 1916
1908 Ohio State League
Springfield moved to Portsmouth June 16.
1909 Ohio State League
Newark and Lancaster both disbanded August 23.
1910 Ohio State League
1911 Ohio State League
Newark moved to Piqua June 22.
1912 Ohio State League
Marion moved to Ironton July 15.
1913 Ohio State League
1914 Ohio State League
Ironton disbanded July 5; Newport-Paris disbanded July 5; Huntington and Maysville both disbanded July 22.
1915 Ohio State League
Chillicothe moved to Huntington July 13; Huntington moved to Maysville July 19.
Playoff: Portsmouth 4 games, Maysville 1.
1916 Ohio State League
Huntington & Frankfort disbanded July 16; Charleston moved to Chillicothe July 13; Lexington disbanded July 16
The league disbanded July 19.
1936 to 1941
1936 Ohio State League
Mansfield and New Philadelphia both disbanded May 26.
1937 Ohio State League
Sandusky moved to Marion June22.
1938 Ohio State League
Playoff: Freemont 3 games, Fostoria 0.
1939 Ohio State League
Playoff: Lima defeated Tiffin in a one-game playoff for fourth place. Freemont won 2nd place by coin toss. Findley 2 games, Fostoria 0; Lima 2 games, Fremont 1
Finals: Lima 4 games, Findlay 3;
1940 Ohio State League
Playoff: Lima 3 games, Mansfield 0; Findley 3 games, Tiffin 1
Finals: Lima 4 Games, Findley 2.
1941 Ohio State League
No League play 1942 & 1943 due to WW II.
1944 to 1947
1944 Ohio State League
Playoffs: Newark 3 games, Lima 1;Middletown 3 games, Springfield 2
Finals: Newark 4 games, Middletown 2.
1945 Ohio State League
Playoffs: Middletown 4 games, Springfield 2; Zanesville 4 games, Lima 2
Finals: Zanesville 3 games, Middletown 2.
1946 Ohio State League
Playoffs: Zanesville 4 games, Richmond 0; Springfield 4 games, Newark 2.
Finals: Zanesville 4 games, Springfield 2.
1947 Ohio State League
Playoffs: Zanesville 4 games, Springfield 0; Marion 4 games, Muncie 1;
Finals: Zanesville 4 games, Marion 2.
League records 1887–1951
See the Ohio–Indiana League for 1948-51
Further reading
- Craig Lammers: "Death in the Ohio State League", in The National Pastime – A Review of Baseball History, Society for American Baseball Research, Cleveland, Ohio, number 26 (May, 2006), pp. 125–128.
Sources
The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball; Second Edition
Image is user created not original.
External links
- Baseball Reference
- 12/6/45 TSN 1945 recap by President Colley
