Minors in the Depression

The first minor league was formed in 1877. Until the early 1960s, it was not uncommon for several leagues to fold during the season and a like number of teams to fold in midseason. The Great Depression made it especially challenging for minor league teams to make it through the season. On July 11, 1932 the National Association, the governing body for minor league baseball entered what was probably the deadilest period of their history.

Over the course of the next 13 days, four leagues folded and a fifth league had a close call. The trouble all started when the Decatur, IL and Springfield, IL Clubs of the Three-I League called its quits. The move left four clubs to finish the season. The loss and one more club and the league would be done for the year. The next day, the Danville, IL Club moved into the freshly vacated Springfield market. Three days later, things for the league got worse when the Quincy, IL Club was forced under, ending the leagues season. The scheduled season closer was September 5. The league would be reorganized in time for the 1935 season.

By the time the Quincy Club went under on the 15th, the trouble in the Cotton States League came to a head when the league folded on the 14th. The leagues biggest problem was the DeQuincy, Louisiana Club. The league had tried to transfer the club to Opelousas, Louisiana. The attempt to move the club failed. The league then tried to move the club to Vicksburg, Mississippi. The league needed a loan from the National Association to make the move happen. The loan request was denied and as a result the league folded. The league also had a scheduled season closer of September 5. The league was reorganized as the Dixie League in time for the 1933 season.

Just two days after the Quincy Club and the Three-I League folded, the Eastern League and its eight clubs folded. The Eastern League called it quits after it lost its Bridgeport, CT and Hartford, CT Clubs folded. The Eastern League had a scheduled season closer of September 11. The New York-Pennsylvania League slowly took over the leagues territory over the course of the next six seasons and for the 1938 season changed its name to the Eastern League. Today the league is a 12 club league.

Not all the troubled leagues folded. On the 18th, the day after the eastern League gave up the ghost, the troubles in the Western Association continued. Over the course of the first half or so of the season the league was in constant trouble. Teams seemed to move as often as they went on a road trip. On this date, the Bartlesville, OK and Hutchinson, KS Club merged at Bartlesville and the Topeka, KS Club folded, reducing the league to four clubs. One of the clubs, the Independence, KS Club then moved into the freshly vacated Hutchinson market. This time the moves worked and league was able to finish the season.

One last league was in trouble in this period, strugling to stay afloat. The Arizona-Texas League lost its Albuquerque, NM and Tucson, AZ clubs on the 24th, dropping league membership to three clubs. The league like the Three-I and Cotton States League had a scheduled season closer of September 5. The league would reorganize again in time for the 1937 season season. The real bummer on the part of the Albuquerque Club folding, was that the team had just 3 1/2 months earlier opened a new park with a bang. The park had opened on April 6th with a 43-15 win over El Paso.

Fortunately, minor league baseball was stablized in the early 1960s and has not seen a league or team fold in many years. Even independent baseball has stablized over the last couple seasons despite a sluggish economy. Its been about 5 years now since an indy club has folded in mid season.

Tomorrow we will look at another ballpark fire.