Empire State League (1905–1907)

Empire State League (1905–1907)
ClassificationIndpependent (1905)
Class D (1906–1907)
SportMinor League Baseball
First season1905
Ceased1907
PresidentM.T. Roche (1905–1907)
No. of teams14
CountryUnited States of America
Most titles2
Seneca Falls (1905–1906)
Related
competitions		Empire State League (1913)
Empire State League (1987)

The Empire State League was a minor league baseball league that played from 1905 to 1907. The 14 different league franchises were based exclusively in New York (state). The league name was succeeded by the 1913 Empire State League based in Georgia and Empire State League (1987) based in New York (state).

History

On March 22, 1905, the Empire State League was formed at a meeting held in Syracuse, New York. The teams were selected and R.C. Mayor of Rome was elected secretary and treasurer. Salaries were set at $600.00 per month for each team.[1]

The 1905 Empire State League began play as an eight–team independent league on May 26, 1905. Seneca Falls won the championship with a 42–26 record and several teams folded or relocated during the 1905 season.[2][3]

In 1906, the Empire State League reduced to six teams, beginning the season on May 26, 1906 and becoming a Class D level minor league.[4][5] With a record of 48–26, Seneca Falls again won the championship.[6][7]

In its final season of play, the 1907 Empire State League continued play as a six–team Class D level league and crowned a new champion.[8][4] The Oswego Starchmakers finished 1.0 game ahead of second place Seneca Falls to win the league championship.[9][7]

M.T. Roche served as president of the Empire State League for all three seasons of play.[10][7]

Cities represented

[11]

Standings & statistics

1905 Empire State League

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Seneca Falls 42 26 .618 - Larry Sutton / J. Doyle
Palmyra /
Geneva		 33 22 .600 2.5 Bade Myers / George Williams
Rome 41 30 .577 2.5 NA
Lyons 31 35 .470 10.0 Jay Faatz
Oswego Starchmakers 32 44 .421 14.0 NA
Ilion /
Fulton		 20 39 .339 22.5 NA
Oneida 22 13 .629 NA Flanagan
Canandaigua 11 19 .367 NA NA
Cortland 00 00 .000 NA NA

Palmyra moved to Geneva in June; Ilion moved to Fulton July 10; Cortland disbanded July 18 (record unknown); Oneida disbanded July 25; Canandaigua disbanded July 27.

[3][2][7]

1906 Empire State League
schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Seneca Falls 48 32 .600 - Edward McGuire
Geneva 47 32 .595 0.5 John Murray
Auburn 37 35 .514 7.0 Willard Hoagland
Oswego Starchmakers 40 38 .513 7.0 Larry Sutton / William Mackey
Fulton 30 45 .400 15.5 John Stevenson
Penn Yan /
Syracuse		 20 40 .333 18.0 Manion / John O'Neil

Penn Yan (20–40) moved to Syracuse August 23; Syracuse folded before playing a game.[12][6][7]

1907 Empire State League
schedule

Team standings W L PCT GB Managers
Oswego Starchmakers 55 29 .655 - Chauncer Elliot
Seneca Falls 56 32 .636 1.0 T.C. Doyle
Auburn 44 39 .530 10.5 Willard Hoagland
Fulton 43 42 .506 12.5 John Stevenson
Geneva 34 51 .400 21.5 John Murray
Lyons 25 64 .281 32.5 J.M. Flynn

[9][7]

References

  1. ^ "Seneca County courier-journal. (Seneca Falls, N.Y.) 1902-1944, March 23, 1905, Image 1" (1905/03/23). March 23, 1905: 1 – via nyshistoricnewspapers.org. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ a b "1905 Empire State League (ESL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  3. ^ a b "1905 Empire State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  4. ^ a b "1906 Empire State League (ESL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. ^ "1906 Empire State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. ^ a b "1906 Empire State League (ESL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  8. ^ "1907 Empire State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. ^ a b "1907 Empire State League (ESL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. ^ Kane, Mary Ann (June 11, 1999). Cortland County. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738544533 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ "Empire State League (ESL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. ^ "1906 Penn Yan/Syracuse minor league baseball Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.