The Kansas State League was a minor league baseball league in the United States that intermittently operated in the state of Kansas in the late 19th century and into the early 20th century.
History
The Kansas State League was first established in 1887 as a Minor League Baseball "no classification" league and existed for that year only.
The league continued again and played in 1895 to 1896 as a "no classification" league.
Progressing into the 20th century, the circuit played in 1905–1906 as a class D league and this stint lasted two years.
The last segment of the league operated as a class D league from 1909 to 1911, and 1913–1914. The original Kansas State League ceased operation in 1911, merged with the Central Kansas League, and the 1912 season was played under the CKL name. In 1913, the CKL switched back to the Kansas State League name. After the 1914 season the league permanently disbanded.
Cities represented
Arkansas City, Kansas: Arkansas City (1887); Arkansas City Grays (1910) Arkansas City, Kansas & Winfield, Kansas: Arkansas City-Winfield Twins (1909) Atchison, Kansas: Atchison Huskers (1897–1898) Bartlesville, Oklahoma: Bartlesville Indians (1906) Chanute, Kansas: Chanute (1896); Chanute Browns (1906) Cherryvale, Kansas: Cherryvale Boosters (1906) Clay Center, Kansas: Clay Center Colts (1913)
Coffeyville, Kansas: Coffeyville (1896); Coffeyville Bricks (1906) El Dorado, Kansas: El Dorado Crushers (1911) Ellsworth, Kansas: Ellsworth (1905); Emporia Bidwells (1914) Emporia, Kansas: Emporia Reds (1887); Emporia Maroons (1895, 1897) Fort Scott, Kansas: Fort Scott Giants (1906) Great Bend, Kansas: Great Bend Millers (1905, 1909–1911, 1913–1914) Hoisington, Kansas: Hoisington (1905) Hutchinson, Kansas: Hutchinson Salt Miners (1905); Hutchinson Salt Packers (1909–1911); Hutchinson Packers (1914) Independence, Kansas: Independence (1896); Independence Coyotes (1906) Iola, Kansas: Iola Grays (1906) Joplin, Missouri: Joplin (1887) Junction City, Kansas: Junction City Parrots (1897); Junction City Soldiers (1913) Kingman, Kansas: Kingman (1905) Larned, Kansas: Larned Cowboys (1909); Larned Wheat Kings (1910–1911) Leavenworth, Kansas: Leavenworth Soldiers (1895) Lincoln Center, Kansas: Lincoln Center (1905) Lyons, Kansas: Lyons Lions (1909–1911, 1913) Manhattan, Kansas: Manhattan Elks (1913) McPherson, Kansas: McPherson Merry Macks (1909–1911) Minneapolis, Kansas: Minneapolis Minnies (1905) Newton, Kansas: Newton Railroaders (1909–1911) Ottawa, Kansas: Ottawa (1898) Parsons, Kansas: Parsons Parsons (1896); Parsons Preachers (1906) Pittsburg, Kansas: Pittsburg Champs (1906) Salina, Kansas: Salina Blues (1898); Salina Insurgents (1913); Salina Coyotes (1914) Strong City, Kansas & Cottonwood Falls, Kansas: Strong City-Cottonwood Falls Twin Cities (1909) Topeka, Kansas: Topeka Giants (1895, 1898); Topeka Colts (1897) Troy, Kansas: Troy Browns (1895) Vinita, Oklahoma: Vinita (1906) Webb City, Missouri: Webb City (1887) Wellington, Kansas: Wellington Browns (1887); Wellington Dukes (1909–1911) Whiting, Kansas & Horton, Kansas: Whiting-Horton (1895) Wichita, Kansas: Wichita Braves (1887); Wichita Blues 1898 Winfield, Kansas: Winfield (1887)
League overview YearChampionTeamsClassificationLeague PresidentNotes1887Wellington Browns6IndependentWalden 1895Troy Browns4Independent Harry T. Mote 1896Independence4Independent W.H. Thompson 1905Ellsworth6D George T. Tremble 1906Independence Coyotes8D Edward Bero Jr. League restarted July 61909Lyons Lions8D P. H. Hostutler 1910Hutchinson Salt Packers8D P. H. Hostutler 1911Great Bend Millers8DC. A. Case / Roy C. Gafford League disbanded on July 111913Great Bend Millers6D Roy C. Gafford 1914Emporia Bidwells4D Roy C. Gafford
Standings & statistics 1887 Kansas State League +League standings Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers Wellington Browns2015.571 – Jack Pettiford Arkansas City 1920.487 3 W.F. Wingate/Billy Hunter / Luke ShortEmporia Reds1725.405 6½ DowningWichita Braves 1912.613NA George MoldJoplin14.200NA Davis BailorWebb City 02.000NAJames Ellis Wichita moved to Western League July 21; Joplin entered July 26, disbanded August 4; Webb City entered July 28, disbanded August 4; Winfield entered July 6, disbanded July 15. League folded August 8
+Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Ducky HempWichitaBA.389George HaddockEmporiaW8 GibbsEmporiaRuns31Jack PettifordWellingtonW8 BrightEmporiaHits53 Walter Baldwin WichitaPCT.800 4–1 GibbsEmporiaHR6
1895 Kansas State League +League standings Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers Troy Browns1914.576 – W.F. Johnson / Bill DevereuxEmporia Maroons1615.516 2 J.R. SodenTopeka Giants1616.500 2½ Harry MoteLeavenworth Soldiers /Whiting-Horton 1218.400 5½ F.W. Gassman / Logan Leavenworth (7–10) suspended July 22 moved to Whiting-Horton 1896 Kansas State League +League standings Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers Independence 168.667–J.W. Farleigh Coffeyville 1211.522 3½ Foster Parsons Parsons 911.450 5 NA Chanute 1017.370 7½ George Reese Parsons disbanded August 10; League folded August 20
1905 Kansas State League
+League standingsTeam standingsWLPCTGBManagersEllsworth3415.694–N/AGreat Bend Millers199.679 4½ Carl Moore Minneapolis Minnies2422.522 8½ Roy Gafford Hutchinson Salt Miners2224.47810½Cook / Fred Abbott Lincoln Center1119.37513½SimpsonKingman/Hoisington1334.27620 N/ALincoln Center and Great Bend joined July 6; Kingman disbanded July 22; Hoisington took Kingman's place July 24.
+Player statisticsStatisticPlayerTeamNumberWinsJonesEllsworth10 Cy Mason Hutchinson Salt Miners Arthur Relihan EllsworthWinning percentageJonesEllsworth.909 (10–1)Complete games Cy Mason Hutchinson Salt Miners15ShutoutsJonesEllsworth5Two No–Hitters were thrown in 1905. One by Lefty Holmes of Great Bend, and the other by Salter of Minneapolis.
1906 Kansas State League +League standingsTeam standingsWLPCTGBManagersIndependence Coyotes6948.590– Charles McLin /Crutcher / John Hendley Iola Grays/Cherryvale Boosters6250.554 4½ William BurnsParsons Preachers6050.545 5½ C. Pinkerton /P.P. Duffy / B.L. Taft Coffeyville Bricks5850.537 6½ Ed Mahley / Harry Barndollar/Haisman / FinneyBartlesville Indians5164.443 17 Gus Albert Chanute Browns3182.27436 A. Allen Fort Scott Giants3518.660NA M. McDonald Pittsburg Champs/Vinita3025.545NA H. Bartley / William BurnsPittsburg moved to Vinita June 6; Iola moved to Cherryvale June 15; Fort Scott and Vinita disbanded July 5. League discarded all games played before July 10 and season restarted.
+Player statisticsStatisticPlayerTeamNumberBatting average Ben Haas Independence Coyotes.341Hits Ed FosterCoffeyville Bricks97Runs Wilder Gray Coffeyville Bricks44WinsChick BrandomIndependence Coyotes16StrikeoutsChick BrandomIndependence Coyotes121Winning percentageHarry Womack Coffeyville Bricks1.000 (10–0)
1909 Kansas State League +League standingsTeam standingsWLPCTGBManagersLyons Lions6137.622– Cecil Bankhead Hutchinson Salt Packers6037.619 ½ Bill Zink McPherson Merry Macks5937.615 1 O. P. Depew / Earl Green Great Bend Millers4948.505 11½ Rudy Kling / Stillings Wellington Dukes4454.449 17 Cy Mason / John Meade Newton Railroaders4254.438 18 Con Harlow / A. Stillwell Arkansas City-Winfield Twins4156.423 19½ M. E. Parks /Frank Layne / Bennie Owens Strong City-Cottonwood Falls Twin Cities /Larned Cowboys3265.33028½Butch Freese / Buck WeaverCity of Winfield, Kansas bought partial interest in Arkansas City franchise on July 22; Strong City–Cottonwood Falls moved to Larned July 12.
+Player statisticsStatisticPlayerTeamNumberBatting average Jim Miller Newton Railroaders.342Home Runs Pete LaFlambois Arkansas City-Winfield Twins6Hits Jim Miller Newton Railroaders119Runs Jasper Hainsey McPherson Merry Macks66Wins Robert Hassler Lyons Lions25Strikeouts Robert Hassler Lyons Lions193Winning percentage Pearl Stanley Hutchinson Salt Packers.793 (23–6) 1910 Kansas State League +League standingsTeam standingsWLPCTGBManagersHutchinson Salt Packers7039.642– Bill Zink McPherson Merry Macks5849.542 11 D. Conklin / F. J. Synek Lyons Lions5753.51813½Cecil Bankhead / Joe Riggert /Buck Ebright / John Jones Newton Railroaders5654.509 14½ Mel Backus Great Bend Millers5455.495 16 Charles Lyons Wellington Dukes4856.461 19½ C. Pinkerton / Ody Abbott / Harry Vitter / Lewis Armstrong Larned Wheat Kings4656.451 20½ Buck Weaver / Harry McLean Arkansas City Grays4067.374 29 L. Evans / Dennis McGuire / Doc Baker
+Player statisticsStatisticPlayerTeamNumberBatting averageJoe Riggert Lyons Lions.362Home RunsJoe Riggert Lyons Lions13Hits Bill Zink Hutchinson Salt Packers141Runs Charles Weisner Lyons Lions132WinsE. J. SmithHutchinson Salt Packers18 Walt Sizemore Lyons Lions Strikeouts Rolla Maple Great Bend Millers205Winning percentageE. J. SmithHutchinson Salt Packers.750 (18–6)
1911 Kansas State League +'League standingsTeamWLPCTGBManagersGreat Bend Millers3920.661– Affie Wilson / Wild Bill LuhrsenNewton Railroaders3921.650 ½ N/ALyons Lions3727.578 4½ Spencer AbbottMcPherson Merry Macks3128.525 8 Joseph Harris Hutchinson Salt Packers2929.500 9½ Bill Zink Larned Wheat Kings2332.418 14 Harry BerteEl Dorado Crushers1533.313 18½ Bill Annis / Walter Sizemore Wellington Dukes1538.283 21 Peter Ketter /C. E. Powell / Ned Price Wellington played 10 home games in Wichita, Kansas from June 11 to June 23.League disbanded July 11 due to crop failures and drought. No individual statistics available.
1913 Kansas State League +League standingsTeamWLPCTGBManagersGreat Bend Millers5336.596– Affie Wilson / William Luhrsen Clay Center Cubs5137.580 1½ Max Addington Lyons Lions5039.562 3 William Nelson Salina Insurgents2663.292 27 Lon Ury / Mike WeldayManhattan Elks2724.529N/A Fred Moore Junction City Soldiers2129.420N/A Norm Price / Cecil Bankhead After Junction City disbanded July 9; League folded Manhattan July 10.
+Player statisticsStatisticPlayerTeamNumberBatting averageJohn SingletonClay Center Cubs.335HitsJohn SingletonClay Center Cubs133RunsJohn SingletonClay Center Cubs78WinsJ. L. O'ByrneLyons Lions17Winning percentageC. H. RileyGreat Bend Millers1.000 (9–0) 1914 Kansas State League +League standingsTeamWLGBManagers Emporia Bidwells5432– Ira Bidwell Salina Coyotes4741 8 Dick Robin Hutchinson Packers4049 15½ Jesse Clifton Great Bend Millers3554 20½ Affie Wilson
+ Player statistics Stat Player Team Number Batting average Pete LaFlambois Emporia Bidwells.342 Hits Rick Freeman Hutchinson Packers98 Wins Otis Lambeth Ralph Shimeal Emporia BidwellsEmporia Bidwells14 Runs Paul Turgeon Emporia Bidwells61 Strikeouts Powell Burnett Salina Coyotes166 Winning percentageOtis LambethEmporia Bidwells.737 (14–5)
Sources Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (1997, second edition), edited by W. Lloyd Johnson]and Miles Wolff