The Minnesota–Wisconsin League, known as the "Minny" League, was a professional minor baseball league that existed from 1909 to 1912. It was a Class D league in 1909, 1910 and 1912 and a Class C league in 1911. As its name suggests, it featured teams based in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
History The inaugural 1909 Minnesota–Wisconsin League season featured the Duluth White Sox, Eau Claire Cream Puffs, La Crosse Outcasts, Winona Pirates, Wausau Lumberjacks and Superior Drillers as the six charter franchises in the league. The Duluth White Sox finished in first place, claiming the league championship.
In 1910, the Duluth White Sox, La Crosse Outcasts, Wausau Lumberjacks and Winona Pirates returned from 1909, while the Eau Claire Cream Puffs became the Eau Claire Commissioners and the Superior Drillers became the Superior Red Sox. The Red Wing Manufacturers and the Rochester Surgeons were newcomers to the league, which expanded to eight teams. The Eau Claire Commissioners finished in first place, winning the league championship.
In 1911, the league began play with the same teams as in 1910. During the season, the Red Wing and Wausau franchises both folded on June 26, 1911. The Superior Red Sox finished in first place, winning the league championship.
In 1912, the Minnesota–Wisconsin League began with four teams – the Eau Claire Commissioners, the La Crosse Outcasts, the Winona Pirates and the Rochester Bugs (formerly the Rochester Surgeons). Duluth and Superior left to form the Central International League. The Minnesota–Wisconsin League disbanded on July 1, 1912, with the Winona Pirates being the de facto league champion.
Notable players Hall of Fame members Dave Bancroft, 1909 Duluth White Sox, 1909 Superior Drillers, 1910–1911 Superior Red Sox and Burleigh Grimes, 1912 Eau Claire Commissioners, played in the league.
Cities represented Duluth, MN: Duluth White Sox 1909–1911 Eau Claire, WI: Eau Claire Cream Puffs 1909; Eau Claire Commissioners 1910–1912 LaCrosse, WI: LaCrosse Outcasts 1909–1912 Red Wing, MN: Red Wing Manufacturers 1910–1911 Rochester, MN: Rochester Roosters 1910; Rochester Bears 1911; Rochester Bugs 1912 Superior, WI: Superior Drillers 1909; Superior Red Sox 1910–1911 Wausau, WI: Wausau Lumberjacks 1909–1911 Winona, MN: Winona Pirates 1909–1912
Standings & statistics
1909 Minnesota-Wisconsin League Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Duluth White Sox6542.556--Thomas J. O'Brien Eau Claire Cream Puffs6257.5214 Tom Schoonhover LaCrosse Outcasts6056.5174½ Joe Safford Winona Pirates6056.5174½ Joe Killian Wausau Lumberjacks5466.45012½Jack McCarthySuperior Drillers5165.44013½Lew Drill +Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Bill Bailey Eau ClaireBA.308Phil StremmelSuperiorW22 Mike Malloy LaCrosseRuns75 Frank Nicholson Eau ClairePct.800; 8–2 Russ Bailey Eau ClaireHits143 A.J. McCrone DuluthHR6
1910 Minnesota-Wisconsin League schedule Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Eau Claire Commissioners7944.642-- Tom Schoonhover Winona Pirates6954.56110 Joe Killian Wausau Lumberjacks6955.55710½ Carl Bond Superior Red Sox6457.52914 Arthur O'Dea / Jack Taylor LaCrosse Outcasts5668.45123½Joe Safford Red Wing Manufacturers5167.43225½Mike Malloy Duluth White Sox5070.41727½ Thomas J. O'Brien Rochester Roosters4669.40029 Jack Corrigan / Frank O'Leary +Player statistics Player TeamStat TotPlayerTeamStatTot Dave CallahanEau ClaireBA.365 Nicholas Lakoff WinonaW23 Dave CallahanEau ClaireRuns92 Cy Dahlgren SuperiorPct.759; 22–7 Dave CallahanEau ClaireHits168 Walter Altermatt DuluthHR12
1911 Minnesota-Wisconsin League schedule Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Superior Red Sox7236.667-- Jack Taylor Winona Pirates7145.6125 Joe Killian Duluth White Sox6049.55012½ Thomas J. O'Brien Eau Claire Commissioners5357.48220 Tom Schoonhover LaCrosse Outcasts4768.40928½Bumpus Jones / Carl Bond Rochester Bears4071.36033½ Ted Corbett Wausau Lumberjacks 2122.488NA Carl Bond / Buddy Dolan Red Wing Manufacturers1329.310NA Fred Cooke Red Wing & Wausau disbanded June 26.
1912 Minnesota-Wisconsin League 1912 Minnesota-Wisconsin League schedule Team standingsWLPCTGB Managers Winona Pirates2914.674-- Fred Curtis Eau Claire Commissioners2517.5953½ Russell Bailey LaCrosse Outcasts1526.36613 Carl Bond Rochester Bugs1426.35013½ Art Lizzette The league disbanded July 1.
References
"Rochester Surgeons Beat Outcasts Again." Duluth News Tribune (Duluth, Minn.) 26 May 1910. 11.
"Surgeons Lost Final Autopsy: Rochester Drops an Up and Down Contest -- Score is 8 to 4." Duluth News Tribune (Duluth, Minn.) 29 May 1911. 2.