The New Castle Quakers hosted home minor league games at Pearson Park through 1897 before moving to the new Cascade Park for the next two seasons.
History
1895 Iron & Oil League
The city first hosted minor league baseball in 1883, when the New Castle "Nashannocks" team played as members of the Western Interstate League.[1] In 1884, the team continued play in the Iron & Oil Association, finishing in fourth place with a 20–24 record.[2][3]
In their first season of play, the Quakers finished in fourth place. New Castle ended the season with a record of 40–33. Playing the season under manager Will Thompson, the Quakers finished 2.5 games behind the first place Franklin Braves in the final standings.[7][8] The Iron and Oil League folded following the season.[4]
In their first season of play in the new league, the Quakers placed fifth in the 1896 Interstate League standings.[9] Completing the season with an overall record of 53–59, New Castle finished 20.0 games behind the first place Toledo Swamp Angels, with Jay Faatz and M. C. Whitehill serving as managers.[12][13][14] Jake Ganzel of New Castle led the league with 17 home runs.[14]
The 1897 New Castle Quakers placed third in the Interstate League final standings, as the league became a Class B level league.[15][16] The Quakers ended the season with a record of 63–54 as Paul Russell served as manager.[17] New Castle ended the season 11.0 games behind the first place Toledo Mud Hens.[14][17][18]
In 1898, the Quakers placed fourth in the Interstate League final standings, as the league continued play as an eight-team. Class B level league.[19][20] Compiling a record of 81–69, playing the season under manager Dad Lytle, New Castle finished 3.5 games behind the first place Dayton Old Soldiers.[14][21] Pitcher Charlie Smith of New Castle led the league with 184 strikeouts.[14]
The 1899 New Castle Quakers won the Interstate League Championship.[22] With a regular season record of 87–53, New Castle was managed by Pat Wright.[23][24] After beginning the season with a 42–39 record through July 27, the team then went 45–14 to capture the league championship.[25] In the final regular season standings, the Drillers finished just 1.0 game ahead of the second place Mansfield Haymakers (86-54).[22][23][14]
The 1899 Quakers had the distinction of having four 20-game winners on their pitching staff: Charlie Smith (20-9), Jack Wadsworth (24-13), Oscar Streit (21-13) and Frank Figgemeier (20-13). All four pitchers advanced to the major leagues.[25]
In their final season of Interstate League play, the 1900 New Castle Quakers finished last in the eight-team league after winning the championship the season before.[26] New Castle ended the season with a record of 44–95 as Pat Wright returned as manager. The Quakers finished 49.0 games behind the first place Dayton Veterans in the final standings.[27] The Fort Wayne Indians won a playoff with Dayton to claim the championship.[14][28]
(2020) Waterfall at Cascade Park. A roller coaster once crossed the waterway just downstream from the falls. New Castle, Pennsylvania.
New Castle teams played in two ballparks between 1895 and 1900.
From 1895 to 1897, the New Castle Quakers teams hosted home Interstate League minor league games at Pearson Park.[30] Located within the Neshannock Township, Pearson Park is still in use today as a public park, with 105 acres containing two ballfields and other amenities.[31] The park is located at 179 Pearson Park Drive, New Castle.[32]
After the 1898, season, the Quakers moved to the new Cascade Park ballpark.[25] The ballpark was located at East Washington Street & Cascade Boulevard in New Castle.[33] In 1897, the New Castle Traction Company (later known as the Pennsylvania Power Company), bought the property from Col. Levi Brinton, who had purchased the land in 1892.[34] Named after a waterfall within the park, Cascade Park opened on May 29, 1897. In 1898, park owners added a carousel, the baseball park, theater, and dance pavilion to the park. The pavilion is still standing today. In the era, the dance pavilion was noted to be the largest in the state of Pennsylvania.[35] A trolly system ran to the park in the era, transporting as many as 7,200 people in a day via trolly.[36] Today, Cascade Park is still in use as a public park. It is located at 1928 East Washington Street in New Castle.[36]
