The Cadillac Chiefs were a minor league baseball team based in

Cadillac, Michigan Cadillac ( ) is a city in and county seat of Wexford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,371 at the 2020 census, which ranks it the third most-populated city in the Northern Michigan region after Traverse City and Alp ...

. In 1910, Chiefs became as charter members of the Class D level Western Michigan League, winning the 1910 league championship. Cadillac then continued play, with the Chiefs becoming members of the Class D

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 ...

from 1911 to 1914. The Chiefs hosted home minor league games at Recreation Park.

History

Minor league baseball began in Cadillac, Michigan in 1910. The Cadillac "Chiefs" became charter members of the reformed four–team Class D level Western Michigan League. The Chiefs joined the Holland Wooden Shoes, Muskegon Speed Boys and

Traverse City Resorters The Traverse City Resorters were a professional minor league baseball team located in Traverse City, Michigan, United States, playing in the Class D Michigan State League and the precursor West Michigan League from 1910 to 1914. The Resorters p ...

in beginning league play on May 28, 1910. The Cadillac use of the "Chiefs" moniker corresponds to regional history. Chief Pontiac, of the Cadillac Indians, led battles against settlers in Michigan. In their first season of play, the 1910 Cadillac Chiefs won the West Michigan League championship. Beginning play on May 28, 1910, the Chiefs ended the 1940 regular season with a record of 53–42, playing under manager Calvin Wenger. Cadillac finished the season 3.0 games ahead of the second place Traverse City Resorters (50–45), followed by third place Muskegon (48–48) and fourth place Holland (40–56) to win the championship. Martin Kubiak of Cadillac won the Western Michigan League batting title, hitting .378, while teammate Harry Gerloski led the league with 18 wins. The Cadillac Chiefs continued play in 1911 as the Western Michigan League expanded and became the reformed six–team Class D level

. The Manistee Colts and

Boyne City Boosters The Boyne City Boosters were a minor league baseball team based in Boyne City, Michigan. From 1911 to 1914, the Boosters teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Michigan State League, hosting home minor league games at Maple Par ...

franchises joined the four returning 1910 teams in beginning league play on May 23, 1911. Cadillac ended the 1911 season with a record of 73–45 and placed second in the final standings, tied with the

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 ...

, who had an identical record. Managed by Calvin Wenger, the Chiefs finished 0.5 game behind the first place Manistee Colts. The 1912 Cadillac Chiefs finished last in the six–team Michigan State League standings. The Chiefs finished in sixth place with a record of 35–82. Playing under returning manager Calvin Wenger and Thomas Railing, Cadillac finished 47.5 games behind the first place and champion Manistee Champs in the six–team league final standings. Al Platte of Cadillac won the Michigan State League batting title, hitting .367, also leading the league with 42 stolen bases. Continuing Michigan State League play, the 1913 Cadillac Chiefs placed fifth in the final standings. Playing under manager Homer Warner, the Chiefs ended the season with a record of 53–66. Cadillac finished 19.5 games behind the first place and repeat champion Manistee Champs in the six–team league. No playoffs were held in 1913. In their final season of play, the Cadillac Chiefs placed third in the 1914 the Michigan State League final standings. The league began the season as a six–team league. On September 1, 1914, the Boyne City Boosters and Traverse City Resorters franchises folded. Chiefs ended the season with a record of 67–51, playing under manager Jay Parker. Cadillac finished 5.5 games behind the first place and champion Muskegon Speeders in the final league standings. The Michigan State League folded after the 1914 season with the beginning of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. When the league resumed play in 1926, Cadillac did not field a franchise. Cadillac, Michigan has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Cadillac Chiefs hosted minor league teams home games at Recreation Park. The ballpark was noted to have been located at the Fair Grounds off Haring Street, as a 1914 map shows a baseball diamond inside the racecourse at the Northern Michigan Fair Association Fair Grounds. Today, the Northern District Fair Grounds are located at 1320 North Mitchell Street, Cadillac, Michigan. Cadillac City Park 2

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

Milo Allison Milo Henry Allison (October 16, 1890 – June 18, 1957) was a professional baseball player from 1913 to 1917. As an outfielder, he played for the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball ...

(1913) * Jay Parker (1914, MGR) *

Ken Penner Kenneth William Penner (April 24, 1896 – May 28, 1959) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for two seasons. He pitched for the Cleveland Indians in 1916 and the NL-Pennant winning Chicago Cubs in 1929; he did not appear in the World S ...

(1914) * Al Platte (1910–1912)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Cadillac - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Defunct baseball teams in Michigan Baseball teams established in 1910 Baseball teams disestablished in 1914 Michigan State League teams Wexford County, Michigan