Quincy Gems (affiliated baseball)

The Quincy Gems was the primary name of the minor league baseball team in Quincy, Illinois, that played in various seasons from 1883 to 1973.

Quincy teams played as members of the Midwest League (1960–1973), Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (1946–1956), Mississippi Valley League (1933), Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (1911–1917, 1925–1932), Central Association (1908–1910), Iowa State League (1907), Western Association (1894–1898), Illinois-Iowa League (1891–1892), Central Interstate League (1889–1890) and Northwestern League (1883–1884). Quincy won league championships in 1889, 1913, 1929, 1931, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1961 and 1970.

Baseball Hall of Fame members Bruce Sutter, Tony Kubek and Whitey Herzog played for Quincy teams.

The Quincy Gems name returned in 2009 with the Gems playing in the collegiate summer Prospect League.

History Beginning play in 1883, Quincy minor league teams played as members of the Midwest League (1960–1973), Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (1946–1956), Mississippi Valley League (1933), Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (1911–1917, 1925–1932). Central Association (1908–1910), Iowa State League (1907), Central Interstate League (1889–1890), Western Association (1894–1898), Illinois-Iowa League (1891–1892), Central Interstate League (1889–1890) and Northwestern League (1883–1884).

After beginning play in 1883 as the Quincy Quincys, the team was first called the "Gems" in 1907 and had various other nicknames. Besided the Gems moniker Quincy minor league teams played as the (Quincy Cubs (1965–1973), Quincy Jets (1962–1963), Quincy Giants (1960–1961), Quincy Indians (1928–1933), Quincy Red Birds (1925–1927), Quincy Old Soldiers (1912), Quincy Infants (1911), Quincy Vets (1909–1910), Quincy Giants (1899), Quincy (1898), Quincy Little Giants (1897), Quincy Blue Birds (1896), Quincy Ravens (1890–1892, 1894), Quincy Black Birds (1889) and Quincy Quincys (1883–1884)).

The team was known as the Quincy Ravens from 1890 to 1892, and then again in 1894. The team played in the Illinois Iowa League in 1891 and 1892, before moving to the Western Association in 1894. They were managed by Sam LaRocque and William Wittrock in 1892. Several major leaguers played for the Ravens, one of the most prominent being Sam Gillen who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies. During the 1891 season, Pete Daniels threw 321 innings compiling a 0.79 ERA for the Ravens.

The franchise played in the Western Association (1894–1899), Iowa State League (1907), Central Association (1908–1910), Three-I League (1911–1932, 1946–1956), and the Midwest League (1960–73). They were affiliated with the New York Yankees (1946–1956), the San Francisco Giants (1956–60), New York Mets (1962–63) and the Chicago Cubs (1965–1973).

Overall, the franchise won a total of nine league championships. Quincy captured the Western Association championship in 1889, and Three-I League Championships in 1913, 1929, 1931, 1951, 1953 and 1954. Quincy won the 1961 and 1970 Midwest League Championships, defeating the Waterloo Hawks in 1961 and the Quad City Angels in 1970.

After the 1973 season, the franchise was moved to Dubuque, Iowa playing as the Dubuque Packers in the Midwest League for two seasons, before the franchise was folded and not replaced.

The Gems name returned in 2009 by the collegiate summer Prospect League team called the Gems, who also play at a renovated Q Stadium.

Ballparks Beginning in 1946, Quincy teams played at Q Stadium.

Previously, the team played at Eagles Stadium, which was located at the same site.

Q Stadium was constructed on the Eagles Stadium site as a Works Project Administration project in 1939. Q stadium is still an active baseball stadium, located at 1800 Sycamore Street, Quincy, IL 62301. The stadium is bounded by Sycamore Street (north, left field); football stadium and North 20th Street (east, right field); Spruce Street (south, first base); and North 18th Street (west, third base).

In 1984, the stadium was purchased by Quincy University from the City of Quincy for $1.00. Today, Q Stadium is home to Quincy University teams and the collegiate summer baseball team of the same name, the new Quincy Gems.

Year-by-year record

Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs189756-696thBill Traffley / Eugene McGreevy 1889 66-50 1st George Brackett none League Champs 1890 41-42 4th Billy Murray none 1891 65-35 1st Billy Murray 1892 12-23 NA Bill Whitrock (6/15)/ John Godar? / Sam LaRoque190761-666thHarry Hofernone190873-553rdHarry Hofernone190962-736thLouis Cook / Harry Hofer 191088-501stBade Myers 1911 71-63 3rd Bade Myers none 1912 67-70 4th Bade Myers none191379-601stThomas Hackett / Nick KahlLeague Champs191461-716thNick Kahlnone191565-564thJohn Castle191657-777thJohn Castlenone191727-385thTed WaringSeason shortened to July 8 1925 54-82 8th Newt Hunter (41-68) / Henry Wingfield (13-14) none 1926 62-75 7th Henry Wingfield (19-28) / Henry Wetzel (43-47) none 1927 63-75 6th Charles Schmidt (3-4) / Mack Allison (22-23) / Charles Knoll (38-48) none 1928 50-85 8th Joe Riggert / Hal Irelan 1929 82-56 1st Walter Holke none League Champs 1930 78-58 2nd Ray Schmidt 1931 67-49 2nd Walter Holke League Champs 1932 38-31 3rd Syl Simon Team withdrew July 15, causing league to fold 1933 53-59 4th Joe Klugmann 194637-828thEdward Marleau / Cedric Durst194750-757thGordie Hinkle194881-451stJames AdlamLost in 1st round194959-67 5thJames Adlam195064-604thJames AdlamLost in 1st round195165-653rdDutch ZwillingLeague Champs195254-727thPaul Chervinko195370-582ndVern HoscheitLeague Champs195471-644thVern HoscheitLeague Champs 195552-747thVern Hoscheit195656-645thVern Hoscheit 1960 55-66 6th Sam Calderone none 1961 67-59 4th Buddy Kerr League Champs 1962 68-57 4th Ken Deal 1963 56-68 9th Sheriff Robinson / Wally Millies none196442-7810thJim Finigan / Les Peden 1965 69-50 2nd Walt Dixon none 1966 61-63 5th Walt Dixon 1967 58-63 6th Harry Bright 1968 59-59 5th Walt Dixon 1969 64-55 3rd Walt Dixon none 1970 68-45 1st Walt Dixon League Champs 1971 61-63 6th Dick LeMay 1972 61-67 7th Dick LeMay 1973 61-64 7th Walt Dixon

Notable alumni Whitey Herzog (1952) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 2010 Tony Kubek (1955) Ford C. Frick Award, 2009 Bruce Sutter (1973) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 2006

Hank Bauer (1946) 6x MLB All-Star; 1966 MLB Manager of the Year; Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame Lew Burdette (1948) 2× MLB All-Star; 1957 World Series MVP; Braves Hall of Fame Jim Finigan (1964) 2x MLB All-Star Jim Ray Hart (1960) MLB all-Star Woodie Held (1953) Vern Hoscheit (1953-1956) Walter Holke (1929) Baby Doll Jacobson (1929) .311 Lifetime Batting Average Buddy Kerr (1960, MGR) MLB All-Star Pete LaCock (1970) Dennis Lamp (1973) Hal Lanier (1961) MLB MGR: 1986 NL Manager of the Year Sam Mertes (1894) 1903 NL RBI Leader Joe Niekro (1966) MLB All-Star; Houston Astros Hall of Fame Bill North (1970) 1974, 1975 AL Stolen Base Leader Fritz Ostermueller (1926) 1938 NL Saves Leader Ray Powell (1931) Gary Ross (1967) Hal Smith (1951) Russ Snyder (1954) Tom Sturdivant (1948-1950) Gus Suhr (1925) MLB All-Star Steve Sundra (1932) Lee Thomas (1955) 2x MLB All-Star Marv Throneberry (1953) Miller Lite commercials Hal Trosky (1932) 1936 AL RBI Leader; Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame Rabbit Warstler (1927) Dutch Zwilling (1951) 1914 NL Home Run Leader; 1915 NL RBI Leader

Quincy Gems (affiliated baseball)

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