The Dayton Aviators were a minor league baseball team based in

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Day ...

. From 1928 to 1930, the Aviators played as members of the Class B level

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 ...

, winning the 1928 league championship. The Aviators hosted home games at North Side 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

Billy Herman William Jennings Bryan Herman (July 7, 1909 – September 5, 1992) was an American second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 1930s and 1940s. Known for his stellar defense and consistent batting, Herman still holds many ...

played for the 1929 Dayton Aviators.

History

The Aviators were preceded in minor league play by the Dayton Veterans who had played from 1903 to 1917, as members of a previous version of the Class B level

. In 1928, the Dayton "Aviators" resumed minor league play, as the team became members of the six-team, Class B level

. The

Akron Tyrites The Akron Tyrites were a Minor league baseball team based in Akron, Ohio. They played in the Class B Central League from 1928 to 1929. The team returned to the league in 1932, but then moved to the city of Canton during the midseason and played u ...

Canton Terriers The Canton Terriers was the name of a minor league baseball team from Canton, Ohio that played between 1928 and 1942. The team was formed in 1928 as a member of the Central League and played there until 1932. In 1936 a new Terriers team was for ...

Erie Sailors The Erie Sailors was the primary name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Erie, Pennsylvania between 1906 and 1994. Pre-1930s Several unrelated teams used the Erie Sailors name in the Interstate League (1906–1907, 1913, 19 ...

, Fort Wayne Chiefs and Springfield Buckeyes teams joined Dayton in beginning Central League play on April 25, 1928. The Dayton "Aviators" nickname corresponds to Dayton aviation and history. Since 1923, Dayton has been home to the

National Museum of the United States Air Force The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...

, located on the

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene County, Ohio, Greene and Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patte ...

. Today, Dayton is also home to the Wright Brothers National Museum. Wright Cycle Company Offices

In their first season of play, the Aviators placed second in the Central League overall standings. With a record of 76–59, Dayton finished 1.0 game behind the first place Erie Sailors (76–57) in the final regular season standings. Erie won the second half of the split-season schedule, and the Fort Wayne Chiefs won the first half standings, with Fort Wayne eventually winning the playoff championship over Erie. Jimmy Jordan of the Aviators led the Central League with a .362 batting average and 27 home runs. Teammate

Ed Clough Edgar George Clough (October 28, 1906 – January 30, 1944) was an outfielder and pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. ...

had 130 strikeouts to lead the league pitchers. The Aviators continued play in the 1929 Central League, placing third in the final standings of the six-team league. The Dayton Aviators had an overall record of 68-69 and finished 11.5 games behind the first place Canton Terries in the final standings, as the league held no playoffs. The Aviators were managed by

Merito Acosta Baldomero Pedro "Merito" Acosta Fernández (May 19, 1896 – November 17, 1963) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball who played five seasons for the Philadelphia Athletics and Washington Senators. Acosta played winter baseball in the Cuba ...

during the season.

member

played for the Aviators in 1929. At age 19, in his second professional season, Herman hit .329 for the Aviators in 138 games. BillyHermanGoudeycard

The Dayton Aviators played their final season in the 1930 Central League and finished last in the standings. Playing under manager Nick Cullup, the Aviators placed sixth in the six-team league. With a record of 56-81, Dayton finished 26.0 games behind the first place Springfield Blue Sox. Clyde Hatter of Dayton led Central League pitchers with 217 strikeouts. The Central League did not return to play in 1931. The Aviators were succeeded in minor league play by the 1932

Dayton Ducks The Dayton Ducks were a minor league baseball team that played in the Central League in 1932 and then the Middle Atlantic League from 1933–1942. The team took its name from their owner and field manager, former St. Louis Cardinals player Ducky Ho ...

, who were formed when the Central League resumed play. The Ducks continued play in the

Middle Atlantic League The Middle Atlantic League (or Mid-Atlantic League) was a lower-level circuit in American minor league baseball that played during the second quarter of the 20th century. History The Middle Atlantic League played from 1925 through 1951, with t ...

in 1933. Today, the

Dayton Dragons The Dayton Dragons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Dayton, Ohio, and play their home games at Day Air Ballpark, formerly known as Fifth Third Field. In 2 ...

continue minor league play as members of the Class A level

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

The ballpark

The Dayton Aviators teams hosted minor league home games at North Side Park. The ballpark had a capacity of 4,000. The ballpark had dimensions of (Left, Center, Right) of: 370, 420, 285 with a high Right Field fence. The ballpark was located northwest of Leo Street & Troy Pike Street. The ballpark site was located behind the location of the Philips Swimming Club, first built in 1901. Philips was once operated by the family of Baseball Hall of Fame member

Mike Schmidt Michael Jack Schmidt (born September 27, 1949) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire 18-season career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies. Schmidt was a 12-time All-Star and a ...

, a Dayton native. Schmidt's parents Joseph Jack Schmidt and Lois Jane Philipps managed the Philipps Aquatic Club, which had been founded by Lois's great-grandfather Charles A. Philipps. Schmidt worked as a lifeguard at the club and trainied there as a competitive swimmer. The club remained in the family until it was sold and closed in 2009.

Timeline

Year-by-year records

Notable alumni

(1929), Inducted

, 1975 *

(1929, MGR) * Everett Booe (1928, MGR) *

Tony Brottem Anton Christian "Tony" Brottem (April 30, 1891 – August 5, 1929) was born April 30, 1891. He was born on the family farm in the northwest corner of Hendrum Township, Norman County, MN, a few miles southeast of Halstad, MN. His father, John Ols ...

(1929) *

Earl Browne Earl James Browne (March 5, 1911 – January 12, 1993) was an American professional baseball player and manager. An outfielder and first baseman, he threw and batted left-handed, stood tall and weighed . He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and a ...

(1929-1930) *

(1928) * Nick Cullup (1930, MGR) *

Ray Cunningham Raymond Lee Cunningham (January 17, 1905 – July 30, 2005) was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1931 and 1932. He batted and threw right-handed. A native of Mesquite, Texas, Cunningh ...

(1928) *

Wayland Dean Wayland Ogden Dean (June 20, 1902 – April 11, 1930) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He played seven seasons in professional baseball, four at the major league level. In his major league career, Dean went 24–36 with a 4.87 ERA, 1 save, an ...

(1928) * Marv Gudat (1928) * Clyde Hatter (1930) *

Snipe Hansen Roy Emil Frederick "Snipe" Hansen (February 21, 1907 – September 11, 1978) was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. In a five-season major league career, he played for the Philadelphia Phillies and the St. Louis Browns. He was o ...

(1929) * Jimmy Jordan (1928) *

Johnny Marcum John Alfred Marcum (September 9, 1909 – September 10, 1984), nicknamed "Footsie" and "Moose", was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played for seven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston ...

(1929-1930) *

Gil Paulsen Guilford Paul Hans Paulsen (November 14, 1902 – April 2, 1994) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played one game for the St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. Th ...

(1928) *

Mike Ryba Dominic Joseph "Mike" Ryba (June 9, 1903 – December 13, 1971) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. A native of De Lancey, Pennsylvania, he attended Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania. He was a right-hander and played for the St. ...

(1928) *

Bobby Schang Robert Martin Schang (December 7, 1886 – August 29, 1966), born in Wales Center, New York, was a catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1914–15), New York Giants (1915) and St. Louis Cardinals (1927). He was the brother of former Major League ...

(1928) * Dutch Ussat (1929) *

Ab Wright Albert Owen "Ab" Wright (November 16, 1905 – May 23, 1995) was a professional baseball outfielder and a National Football League running back. He went to college at Oklahoma State University, then played for the Frankford Yellow Jackets in the N ...

(1928)

References

{{reflist

External links

Dayton Baseball ParksDayton - Baseball ReferenceDayton - Stats Crew
Defunct minor league baseball teams Professional baseball teams in Ohio Defunct baseball teams in Ohio Baseball teams established in 1928 Baseball teams disestablished in 1930 Dayton, Ohio Central League teams

History

The ballpark

Timeline

Year-by-year records

Notable alumni

See also

References

External links