The Crawfordsville Hoosiers were a minor league baseball team briefly based in

Crawfordsville, Indiana Crawfordsville is a city in Montgomery County in west central Indiana, United States, west by northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 16,306. The city is the county seat of Montgomery County, the only char ...

in 1888. The Crawfordsville Hoosiers were charter members of the Independent level Central Interstate League, before relocating to Terre Haute, Indiana during the 1888 season. Baseball Hall of Fame member

Bud Fowler Bud Fowler (March 16, 1858 – February 26, 1913), born "John W. Jackson", was an American baseball player, manager, and club organizer. He is the earliest known African-American player in organized professional baseball. He was elected to the ...

played for the Hoosiers.

History

Crawfordsville, Indiana first hosted minor league baseball play in 1888, when the Crawfordsville "Hoosiers" became charter members of the Independent level Central Interstate League. The Bloomington Reds, Danville Browns, Davenport Hawkeyes, Decatur,

Dubuque Dubuque (, ) is the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. At the time of the 2020 census, the population of Dubuque was 59,667. The city lies at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, a r ...

Lafayette Lafayette or La Fayette may refer to: People * Lafayette (name), a list of people with the surname Lafayette or La Fayette or the given name Lafayette * House of La Fayette, a French noble family ** Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757� ...

, Peoria Reds and

Rockford Rox The Rockford Rox was the primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Rockford, Illinois, between 1871 and 1949. In an era of early baseball, Rockford hosted teams in numerous leagues beginning in 1871. From 1916 to 1923, the Rox p ...

joined the Crawfordsville Hoosiers as charter members in league play. On May 1, 1888, the Crawfordsville Hoosiers began league play, with Baseball Hall of Fame member Bud Fowler on the roster, integrating the team. Fowler had previously been signed by the 1888 Lafayette team, but never appeared for the team after issues with his race arose from the team manager and Fowler asked to be released. Fowler then signed with Crawfordsville. Fowler was described in a local newspaper review of the players on the roster as "having graduated from Oberlin College with honors. He is well informed, has traveled extensively and is an absolute teatotaller." Fowler hit .294 for the 1888 season with the Hoosiers. On July 2, 1888, the Crawfordsville Hoosiers had a 21–21 record, playing under manager Albert Miller, when the franchise relocated to become the Terre Haute Hoosiers. The team ended the season in third place with a 32–26 overall record, finishing 8.0 games behind the first place Davenport Hawkeyes when the league folded for the season on July 27, 1888. Crawfordsville/Terre Haute player A.W. Snyder led the Central Interstate league with 6 home runs. Crawfordsville, Indiana has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The name of the Crawfordsville minor league ballpark in 1888 is unknown.

Year–by–year record

Notable alumni

(1888) Inducted, Baseball Hall of Fame 2022 *

Belden Hill Belden L. Hill (August 24, 1864 - October 22, 1934) was a third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association in nine games in 1890. He remained active as a player in minor league baseball thro ...

(1888)

References

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External links