Another Tradition

Yesterday we discussed an event that did not catch on as a Fourth of July tradition, that being the accidental burning down of the local ballpark. Another tradition seemed to make its rounds through minor league baseball in the years before World War II ended. That tradition was team and league failures. Many teams and league depended on a strong gate on the Fourth of July to be able to make through the rest of the season. A weak holiday gate all too frequently would doom a team or a league.

My records indicate that 9 leagues failed on July 5. I also count 17 clubs folding and six franchise shifts being made on July 5. Sometimes, these events are teams giving up for the season and other times they are giving up for good and never heard from again. The leagues that have failed were the 1898 New England League, the 1899 Texas League, the 1900 International League, the 1910 West Virginia League, the 1911 Northeast Arkansas League, the 1915 Buckeye League, the 1915 Rio Grande Valley Association, the 1942 West Texas- New Mexico League and the 1995 Golden League. The 1898 New England League was reorganized the following year and would continue with several other breaks until 1949. The 1898 Texas League was a war time failure and reorganized the following year and except for World War II has operated every year since 1902. The 1900 International League, was not the same as the International League that we know and love today but, a small league in the Michigan-Ontario area. This league was reorganized in 1908. The 1910 West Virginia League gave it one more season in 1913. The 1911 Northwest Arkansas League was reorganized for a 5 year run in 1936. The 1915 Rio Grande Valley Association was reorganized as the Arizona State League in 1928 covering a smaller area until it became the Arizona-Texas League in 1931. The 1915 Buckeye League was clearly the one year wonder as it was never reorganized after its lone season. The 1942 West Texas-New Mexico League was a special exception as it was a war time suspension. The league did reorganize for a long post war run. The 1995 Golden League was another one year run.

For a complete run of July 5 events or the 3 leagues that failed on July 6, please see my website or write me at sabrkev@gmail.com


Tomorrow we look at some MLB All-Star Game history.