The Eastern Association was a minor league baseball league. The first version of the league appeared in 1882, followed by similar one season leagues in 1891 and 1909 with teams in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. The league was a Class B level league in the 1913 and 1914 seasons, with teams based in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
History
The 1891 Eastern Association played as a Class A level league and the president was Charles D. White. the 1891 league members were the Albany Senators, Buffalo Bisons, Lebanon Cedars, New Haven Nutmegs, Providence Clamdiggers, Rochester Hop Bitters, Syracuse Stars and Troy Trojans.
In 1909, the Eastern Association played for eleven days before folding under league president Jim Paige. The 1909 league comprised Amsterdam, Gloversville, Johnstown, Kingston Colonials, Middletown Orange Blossoms, Newburgh Colts, Poughkeepsie Students and Schenectady.
The 1913 Eastern Association was an eight-team league that featured the Bridgeport Crossmen, Hartford Senators, Holyoke Papermakers, Meriden Hopes, New Haven White Wings, New London Planters, Pittsfield Electrics, Springfield Ponies and Waterbury Contenders. The league president was Baseball Hall of Fame member Jim O'Rourke. The Holyoke Papermakers moved to Meriden on July 11, 1913.
In their final season of play, the 1914 Eastern Association was an eight-team league, as Jim O'Rourke continued as president. The 1914 Eastern Association comprised the Bridgeport Crossmen, Hartford Senators, New Britain Sinks, New Haven White Wings, New London Planters, Pittsfield Electrics, Springfield Ponies and Waterbury Contenders.
Cities represented Albany, New York: Albany Senators 1891 Amsterdam, New York: Amsterdam 1909 Bridgeport, Connecticut: Bridgeport Crossmen 1913; Bridgeport Bolts 1914 Buffalo, New York: Buffalo Bisons 1891 Gloversville, New York: Gloversville 1909 Hartford, Connecticut: Hartford Senators 1913–1914 Holyoke, Massachusetts: Holyoke Papermakers 1913 Johnstown, New York: Johnstown 1909 Kingston, New York: Kingston Colonials 1909 Lebanon, Pennsylvania: Lebanon Cedars 1891 Meriden, Connecticut: Meriden Hopes 1913 Middletown, New York: Middletown Orange Blossoms 1909 New Britain, Connecticut: New Britain Sinks 1914 New Haven, Connecticut: New Haven Nutmegs 1891; New Haven White Wings 1913–1914 New London, Connecticut: New London Planters 1913–1914 Newburgh, New York: Newburgh Colts 1909 Pittsfield, Massachusetts: Pittsfield Electrics 1913–1914 Poughkeepsie, New York: Poughkeepsie Students 1909 Providence, Rhode Island: Providence Clamdiggers 1891 Rochester, New York: Rochester Hop Bitters 1891 Schenectady, New York: Schenectady Electricians 1909 Springfield, Massachusetts: Springfield Ponies 1913–1914 Syracuse, New York: Syracuse Stars 1891 Troy, New York: Troy Trojans 1891 Waterbury, Connecticut: Waterbury Contenders 1913; Waterbury Frolickers 1914
Standings & statistics 1891 Eastern Association schedule TeamWLGBPct.Manager Buffalo Bisons 8935.718–Patrick Powers Albany Senators 7249.59515½ Joe Gerhardt Troy Trojans5177.39836½ David Mahoney Lebanon Cedars4873.39737 James Randall Syracuse Stars 5642.571NAGeorge Frazer New Haven Nutmegs 4839.552NA Walt Burnham Rochester Hop Bitters 3660.375NA Tom Power / Lew Kerstein Providence Clamdiggers 2954.349NA Bill McGunnigle Providence disbanded August 13; New Haven disbanded August 14; Syracuse & Rochester disbanded August 25.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Buck WestSyracuseBA.339Les GermanBuffaloW35 Ted SchefflerBuffaloRuns156Tony Von FrickenAlbanySO197 Harry LyonsBuffaloHits166L.A. GillilandNew HavenERA0.89 Dan LallyNew HavenHR5Les GermanBuffaloPCT.761; 35–11 Pete SweeneyRochesterHR5 Art BaderAlbanySB106
1909 Eastern Association TeamWLGBPct.Manager Newburgh Colts82.800– William Landgraf Amsterdam53.6252 NAJohnstown43.5712½ NAKingston Colonials43.5712½ Hugh MacKinnon Gloversville45.4443½ Jacob LeistMiddletown Orange Blossoms26.2505 William K. Murray Poughkeepsie Students NANANANA Fred Paige Schenectady Electricians NANANANA Joseph Andries Poughkeepsie and Schenectady disbanded June 1The league folded after eleven days on June 6.
1913 Eastern Association schedule TeamWLGBPct.Manager Hartford Senators 8348.634–Simon McDonald New Haven White Wings 7952.6034 Jerry O'ConnellWaterbury Contenders7061.53413 Sam Kennedy Bridgeport Crossmen6963.52314½ Gene McCann / John Freeman / Monte Cross New London Planters6566.49618 John Burns / Gene McCann Springfield Ponies6070.46222½ Frank Corridon / Jack O'Hara Pittsfield Electrics6273.45923 John Zeller Holyoke Papermakers / Meriden Hopes4095.29645 Jim Garry Holyoke (24–52) moved to Meriden July 11.
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Benny KauffHartfordBA.345Bill HopperNew HavenW31 Bill MorleyHartfordRuns103Wib SmithPittsfieldSO175 Benny KauffHartfordHits176Bill HopperNew HavenERA2.03 Tom StankardHoly/Mer/SprinHR8Bill HopperNew HavenPCT.795 31–8
1914 Eastern Association schedule TeamWLGBPct.Manager New London Planters 8135.698–Gene McCann Waterbury Frolickers 6951.57514 Lee Fohl Bridgeport Bolts6756.54517½ Jake Boultes Hartford Senators6256.52520 Simon McDonald / Daniel O'Neill Springfield Ponies6361.50822 Billy Hamilton / Simon McDonald Pittsfield Electrics6063.48824½ John Zeller New Haven White Wings5464.45828 Jerry O'Connell New Britain Sinks 2797.21858 George Browne / Jim Garry
+Player statisticsPlayer TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Elmer SmithWaterburyBA.332Willie JensenNew HavenW21 Marty BeckerNew LondonRuns90Bun TroyPittsfieldSO212 Ed BarneyHartfordHits140Doc PowersNew HavenERA2.03 Pete ShieldsWaterburyHR7Doc PowersNew HavenPCT.769 20–6
References
Sources Baseball Reference