Rock Island Islanders
Rock Island Islanders | |
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Major league affiliations | |
Previous teams |
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Minor league titles | |
League titles | 5 1894, 1899, 1907, 1909, 1932 |
Team data | |
Previous names |
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Previous parks | 12th Street Grounds (1892, 1894–1895, 1898–1899, 1902–1911, 1916–1917) Douglas Park (1920–1932, 1934–1937) |
The Rock Island Islanders was the primary name of the
The Rock Island Islanders were affiliates of the St. Louis Browns in 1932 and Cincinnati Reds in 1933.
Beginning in 1920, Rock Island played home games at Douglas Park, sharing the field with the Rock Island Independents, a charter National Football League franchise.[1][2]
History
Beginning in 1879, Quad City professional baseball history includes minor League teams based in
The Rock Island Tri-Cities played in the only season of the
The Rock Island Islanders won two Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League Championships in an era without playoffs, finishing 84–47 in 1907 and 90–48 in 1909.[8][9] Both teams were managed by Jack Tighe.[10][5]
After the Islanders finished last, with a record of 58–79, in the 1911 Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League. Rock Island was replaced by the Springfield Senators in the 1912 Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League.[5][11]
With the Rock Island and Davenport hosting teams in this era, in 1914 a third Quad City minor league team was added. The 1914
The Rock Island Islanders briefly regained a franchise in 1914, when the
In 1916, the Rock Island Islanders rejoined the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League, playing alongside the Moline Plowboys and Davenport Blue Sox.[13][14] Rock Island was in fourth place (36–25) when the Three-I League halted play on July 8, 1917.[15] The league did not return in 1918, with the nation invested in World War I, but resumed in 1919 without Rock Island. The Islanders rejoined the league in 1920 and 1921, finishing in last place in both seasons. Overall, the Islanders played in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League from 1901 to 1911, 1916 to 1917 and 1920 to 1921.[2][5]
Rock Island joined the 1922
In 1922, the Islanders were managed by Pro Football Hall of Fame member Jimmy Conzelman, who also played for the 1922 team. Conzelman was a player on the Rock Island Independents pro football team, which also played at Browning Field.[19][20][21]
The Rock Island Islanders and Davenport Blue Sox faced each other in the Mississippi Valley League Championship series in 1932 and 1933. Rock Island won the 1932 Championship, defeating Davenport in six games. Davenport defeated the Islanders to win the 1933 Championship in the final season of the Mississippi Valley League.[3][22]
After joining the
The Rock Island Islanders played their final season in 1937, as both Rock Island and the Davenport Blue Sox teams were both members of the Western League in 1937.[27] The Rock Island Islanders franchise folded permanently on July 7, 1937.[28] The Western League itself then folded after the season.[3][5]
Rock Island captured league championships in 1894, 1899, 1907, 1909 and 1932.[5]
Rock Island has not hosted another minor league team.
The ballparks
Rock Island teams, until 1917, played home minor league games at the 12th Street Grounds. The ballpark was located on the North end of 12th street, near the railroad tracks in Rock Island, Illinois.[29]
Beginning in 1920, the Islanders hosted minor league home games at Douglas Park. The historic park and ballfield are still in use today.The Quad City 76ers Semi-Pro team is the primary tenant. Notably, Douglas Park also was the site of the first National Football League game on September 26, 1920, hosted by the Rock Island Independents. Douglas Park is located at 18th Avenue & 10th Street, Rock Island, Illinois, 61201.[1][30][31]
Timeline
Year(s) | # Yrs. | Team | Level | League | Affiliate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1892 | 1 | Rock Island-Moline Twins | Independent | Illinois-Iowa League |
None |
1894 | 1 | Rock Island-Moline Islanders | Class A |
Western Association | |
1895 | 1 | Rock Island Tri-Cities | Independent | Eastern Iowa League | |
1898–1899 | 2 | Rock Island Islanders | Western Association | ||
1901 | 1 | Class D |
Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League | ||
1902–1911 1916-1917 1920-1921 |
14 | Class B
| |||
1922–1931 | 8 | Class D |
Mississippi Valley League | ||
1932 | 1 | St. Louis Browns | |||
1933 | 1 | Class B |
Cincinnati Reds | ||
1934–1937 | 4 | Class A |
Western League | None |
Notable alumni
- Varney Anderson (1898)
- Harry Bay (1916) 2x AL Stolen Base Leader
- Julio Bonetti (1934–1935)
- Pat Caraway (1927)
- Charlie Case (1903)
- Pug Cavet (1910)
- Jimmy Conzelman (1922, MGR) Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Como Cotelle (1926)
- Bert Cunningham (1892)
- Ed Cushman (1892)
- Johnny Dickshot (1932, 1934)
- Pop Dillon(1898)
- Red Dooin (1899)
- Tommy Heath (1932)
- Hunter Hill (1902)
- Fred Hofmann (1917)
- Al Hollingsworth (1931–1933)
- Charlie Hollocher (1916) 1918 NL Hits Leader
- Joe Hoover (1937)
- Baby Doll Jacobson (1910–1911)
- Si Johnson (1928)
- Arndt Jorgens(1926)
- Harry Kimberlin (1932)
- Bill Krieg (1894)
- Tacks Latimer (1903)
- Glenn Liebhardt (1904)
- Clarence Mitchell (1936)
- Tim O'Rourke (1899)
- Russ Scarritt (1936)
- Boss Schmidt (1903)
- Al Schweitzer (1921)
- Elmer Stricklett (1899)
- Harry Swacina (1909)
- Bill Sweeney (1904–1905)
- Phil Weintraub (1926)
- Butch Weis (1920)
- Paul Zahniser (1937)
- Rock Island (minor league baseball) players
- Rock Island Islanders players
- Rock Island-Moline Islanders players
- Rock Island-Moline Twins players
External links
References
- ^ a b "Douglas Park". Rock Island, IL.
- ^ a b c d "Rock Island, Illinois Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ a b c "Minor League Baseball History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2012-09-21.
- ^ "1901 Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ ISBN 978-1932391176.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: others (link - ^ "1895 Eastern Iowa League (EIL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1898 Western Association (WA) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1907 Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League (IIIL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1909 Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League (IIIL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Jack Tighe minor league baseball coaching records on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1911 Rock Island Islanders minor league baseball Statistics on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1914 Ottumwa Packers/Rock Island Islanders/Galesburg Pavers minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1916 Rock Island Islanders minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1916 Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League (IIIL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1917 Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League (IIIL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1922 Mississippi Valley League (MVL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1922 Mississippi Valley League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Minor League Presidents | MiLB.com History | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com.
- ^ "1922 Rock Island Islanders Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Jimmy Conzelman Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Jimmy Conzelman | Pro Football Hall of Fame Official Site". pfhof.
- ^ John Fitzpatrick Minor League Statistics & History Baseball-Reference.com
- ^ "1934 Rock Island Islanders Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1935 Rock Island Islanders minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1936 Omaha Packers/Rock Island Robin Hoods minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "1936 Omaha Robin Hoods/Rock Island Islanders Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1937 Western League". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "1937 Rock Island Islanders minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "12th Street Grounds in Rock Island, IL history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
- ^ "Rock Island, IL - Official Website". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-02-28.
- ^ "St. Paul Ideals at Rock Island Independents - September 26th, 1920". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- ^ "Rock Island, Illinois Encyclopedia".