The Bay City Wolves were a minor league baseball team based in

Bay City, Michigan Bay City is a city and county seat of Bay County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 34,932, and it is the principal city of the Bay City Metropol ...

. From 1919 to 1926, the Wolves played as members of the Class B level Michigan-Ontario League for the eight-season duration of the league, winning league consecutive championships in 1923 and 1924. In 1926, the

Michigan State League The Michigan State League was a minor league baseball league that operated in various seasons between 1889 and 1941. The league franchises were based exclusively in Michigan, with the league forming on six different occasions. Twenty two different ...

was formed through a merger of two leagues during the season, with the Wolves capturing the Michigan State League championship in their final season. The Bay City Wolves hosted minor league home games at Clarkston Park.

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

member Kiki Cuyler played his first professional seasons for the 1920 and 1921 Bay City Wolves. His contract was purchased from Bay City by the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

in 1921.

History

1920 to 1925 Michigan-Ontario League

Minor league baseball began in Bay City in 1883, when the "Bay City" team played the season as a member of the

Northwestern League The Northwestern League was a sports league that operated in the Central United States during the early years of professional baseball for five seasons: 1879, 1883–1884, and 1886–1887. After the 1887 season, the league was replaced by the We ...

. After numerous teams followed, the Wolves were immediately preceded in minor league play by the 1915

Bay City Beavers The Bay City Beavers were a Southern Michigan League baseball team based in Bay City, Michigan Bay City is a city and county seat of Bay County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located near the base of the Saginaw Bay on Lake Huron. As of the 20 ...

, who ended a nine-season tenure as members of the Class C level

Southern Michigan League The Southern Michigan League was a Minor League Baseball circuit which operated between 1906 and 1912. It was classified as a Class D league from 1906 to 1910 and as a Class C league from 1911 to 1912. After that, the league was known as the Sou ...

. In 1919, the "Bay City Wolves" resumed minor league play as charter members of the Class B level Michigan-Ontario League. The Battle Creek Custers,

Brantford Red Sox The Brantford Red Sox are an independent team of the Intercounty Baseball League based in Brantford, Ontario. They play their home games at Arnold Anderson Stadium. History The Brantford Red Sox were founded in 1911 when they joined the Canadian ...

Flint Halligans Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and start fires ...

, Hamilton Tigers,

Kitchener Beavers The Kitchener Beavers were a Canadian professional ice hockey team in Kitchener, Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has histor ...

London Tecumsehs The historic London Tecumsehs were a professional men's baseball team in London, Ontario, Canada, that were first formed in 1868 — a merger of the Forest City Base Ball Club and the London Base Ball Club — which, according to George Railton's ...

and Saginaw Aces teams joined Bay City in beginning league play on May 15, 1919. In their first season of Michigan-Ontario League play, the 1919 Bay City Wolves ended the season with a record of 43–69. The Wolves finished in fifth place, 36.0 games behind the first place Saginaw Aces. Bill Cristall and Cal Wenger served as the Bay City managers. In their second season of Michigan-Ontario League play, the 1920 Bay City Wolves ended the season in sixth place in the eight-team league. With a 51–69 record, Bay City ended the season 36.0 games behind the first place London Tecumsehs as Cal Wenger returned as manager. At age 20,

member Kiki Cuyler played for Bay City in 1920, hitting .258 in his first professional season. The Wolves placed third in the Michigan-Ontario League overall standings 1921 and won the first-half title in a split season schedule. Bay City ended the season with an overall record of 65–53 record, finishing 7.0 games behind London.

Punch Knoll Charles Elmer "Punch" Knoll (October 7, 1881 in Evansville, Indiana, USA – February 8, 1960 in Evansville, Indiana) was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Washington Senators in 1905. He also spent 27 seasons playing in the ...

began a successful four season tenure as the Bay City manager. In the playoff London defeated Bay City 4 games to 2. Pitcher Cy Boothby of Bay City led the Michigan-Ontario League with 21 wins. Kiki Cuyler continued play with Bay City in 1921. Cuyler hit .317 in 116 games before making his major league debut with the

during the 1921 season. In September, Pittsburgh purchased his contract from Bay City for $2,500. Cuyler was also pursued by the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

and their manager

Ty Cobb Tyrus Raymond Cobb (December 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961), nicknamed "the Georgia Peach", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. He was born in rural Narrows, Georgia. Cobb spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, the las ...

. The 1922 Michigan-Ontario League season saw Bay City end the season fourth place. The Wolves finished with an overall record of 69–62, ending 14.0 games behind the first place Hamilton Tigers. Punch Knoll returned as Bay City manager. Hamilton defeated Saginaw for the championship in the league playoff. Saraphin Good, a Bay City pitcher led the league with 19 wins and a 19–4 record. In 1923, the Wolves won their first of consecutive Michigan-Ontario League championships. The Bay City Wolves finished in first place with a record of 80–51, playing under the returning manager Punch Knoll. Bay City ended the season 2.5 games ahead of the second place Saginaw Aces as no playoffs were held. Seraphin Good of Bay City led the league with both 20 wins (20-5) and 168 strikeouts, while teammate Ovila Lahaie had a league leading ERA of 1.85. Bay City defended their Michigan-Ontario League championship in 1924. The Bay City Wolves ended the regular season with a record of 86–50, in the final season under manager Punch Knoll. The Wolves finished 5.0 games ahead of the second place

Flint Vehicles The Flint Vehicles were a professional baseball team in Flint, Michigan from 1921 to 1926. They were a part of the Michigan–Ontario League and were preceded in the league by the Flint Halligens in 1919 and 1920. In 1921, future Pittsburgh St ...

in the eight-team league. In the playoff, Bay City defeated Flint in seven games.

Joe Kiefer Joseph William Kiefer arlem Joe or Smoke(July 19, 1899 – July 5, 1975) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. Listed at , 190 lb., Kiefer batted and threw right-handed. He was born ...

of Bay City led the Michigan-Ontario League with 19 wins, Ovila Lahaie had a league leading 148 strikeouts, Sylvester Heitzman of Bay City had a league best .783 winning percentage with an 18–5 records and

George Tomer George Clarence Tomer (November 26, 1895 – December 15, 1984) was an American Major League Baseball player who pinch hit for the St. Louis Browns in . Tomer had a 13-year Minor League career following his one Major League game. He was also ...

of Bay City led the league with 174 total hits. 1925 was the final full season for the Michigan-Ontario League, as the league reduced to six teams. The Bay City Wolves ended their final season in fourth place. With a 74–67 record, the Wolves finished 12.0 games behind the first place London Indians, who won the league playoff over Hamilton. Dick Breen served as the Bay City manager. Pitcher Marty Griffin of Bay City led the league with 137 strikeouts.

1926: Two leagues

Bay City played in two leagues in 1926 winning a league championship, as the Michigan-Ontario League merged during the season to create a new league. The Wolves began the season in the four-team Michigan-Ontario League. On June 13, 1926, the league folded with Bay City in third place, with a record of 10–18 to finish 9.0 games behind the first place

Port Huron Saints The Port Huron Saints was the final moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Port Huron, Michigan between 1883 and 1926. Port Huron minor league teams played as members of the Michigan State League in 1890, 1895 and 1897, the Intern ...

. Bob Prysock was the manager as the team continued play in a new league. On June 15, 1926, the

was reformed by the mid-season merger of the

Central League The or is one of the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consist ...

and Michigan-Ontario League. Bay City, the

, Port Huron and the Saginaw Aces teams of the Michigan-Ontario League merged with the Grand Rapids Black Sox, Kalazamoo Celery Pickers, Ludington Tars and

Muskegon Reds The Muskegon Reds was the primary name of the minor league baseball franchise in Muskegon, Michigan that existed on-and-off from 1890 to 1951. History Muskegon played in the Michigan State League (1890–1902, 1911–1914, 1926, 1940–1941), Cen ...

of the Central League to form the new Michigan State League. The Wolves captured the Michigan State League championship in the newly formed league. The Bay City Wolves finished in first place with a 64–30 record. Bob Prysock continued as the manager as the Wolves ended the season 8.0 games ahead of the second place Port Huron Saints. Al Bashang of Bay City led the Michigan State League in scoring 107 runs. Saraphin Good of Bay City led the league with 19 wins and a 19–4 record. The Michigan State League did not return to play in 1927. The league next formed in 1941 without a Bay City franchise. Bay City has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Bay City Wolves hosted minor league home games at Clarkson Park. The ballpark was named for

member John Clarkson, who had played for an early Bay City team. The ballpark began hosting minor league baseball in 1906, when the Bay City team in the

Interstate Association The Interstate Association was a minor league baseball league that played briefly in the 1906 season. The eight–team, Class C level Interstate Association consisted of franchises based in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. The Interstate League playe ...

played home games at the ballpark. Clarkston Park was located at the corner of Livingston Street & Center Avenue in Bay City. Today, the site contains retail properties.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

* Kiki Cuyler (1921-1922) Inducted

, 1968 * Al Bashang (1926) *

Jim Brown James Nathaniel Brown (born February 17, 1936) is a former American football player, sports analyst and actor. He played as a fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL) from 1957 through 1965. Considered to be one ...

(1925) * Bud Connolly (1923-1924) * Bill Cristall (1919, MGR) * Claral Gillenwater (1926) * Marty Griffin (1925) *

Hal Haid Harold Augustine "Hal" Haid (December 21, 1897 – August 13, 1952) was a professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of six seasons (1919, 1928–1931, 1933) with the St. Louis Browns, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Brav ...

(1919) *

Spencer Harris Anthony Spencer Harris (August 12, 1900 – July 3, 1982), was an American professional baseball player who appeared in 164 games in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox (1925–26), Washington Senators (1929), and Philadelphia Athleti ...

(1922-1924) *

Arthur Hauger John Arthur Hauger (November 18, 1893 – August 2, 1944) was a major league baseball player and scout and minor league manager. Hauger was an outfielder for the Cleveland Naps. He played in fifteen games and only managed one hit (a single) ...

(1924) * Bill Kelly (1921) *

(1924) *

(1921-1924, MGR) * Fritz Knothe (1925) * Ben Koehler (1921-1922) * Willie Ludolph (1923) * Bill Mizeur (1923) *

Syl Simon Sylvester Adam Simon (December 14, 1897 – February 28, 1973) was a professional baseball player for the St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewer ...

(1922) *

(1923-1925) * Bill Whaley (1919-1922)

References

{{reflist

External links

Bay City - Baseball Reference
Baseball in Michigan Baseball teams established in 1919 Baseball teams disestablished in 1926 Sports in Bay City, Michigan Michigan State League teams Michigan-Ontario League teams Defunct baseball teams in Michigan