The Idaho Falls Spuds were the first minor league baseball team based in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Playing from 1926 to 1928, the Spuds played as members of the Class C level Utah-Idaho League, winning league championships in 1926 and 1927 and hosting home games at Highland Park. The Idaho Falls Spuds were followed by the Idaho Falls Russets, who joined the Pioneer League in 1940. Today, the Idaho Falls Chukars franchise continues play in the Pioneer League.

History

Minor League baseball began in Idaho Falls in 1926, when the Idaho Falls Spuds became charter members of the newly formed Utah-Idaho League. The Idaho Falls Spuds joined the

Logan Collegians The Logan Collegians were a minor league baseball team based in Logan, Utah. Between 1902 and 1927, Logan teams played as members of the 1902 Utah State League, 1921 Class D level Northern Utah League and Class C level Utah-Idaho League in 1926 ...

Ogden Gunners The Ogden Gunners was the final moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Ogden, Utah between 1900 and 1928. The Ogden Gunners played the 1926 to 1928 seasons in the Class C level Utah–Idaho League. The Gunners were preceded by Ogden ...

Pocatello Bannocks Pocatello () is the county seat of and largest city in Bannock County, with a small portion on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in neighboring Power County, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. It is the principal city of th ...

, Salt Lake City Bees and

Twin Falls Bruins The Twin Falls Bruins were the first minor league baseball team based in Twin Falls, Idaho. From 1926 to 1928, the Twin Falls Bruins played exclusively as members the Class C level Utah-Idaho League, hosting home games at Athletic Park. The Br ...

in the new six–team league. The 1926 Idaho Falls Spuds won the 1926 Utah–Idaho League Championship. The Spuds ended the season with a 75–39 record, finishing 11.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Twin Falls Bruins. Idaho Falls was managed by Bill Leard and Danny Collins. The league did not have playoffs in 1926. Idaho Falls pitcher Robert Hurst led the league with 22 wins, while teammate

Guy Morrison Walter Guy Morrison (August 29, 1895 – August 14, 1934) was a professional baseball player. He played briefly in the majors for the Boston Braves in 1927 and 1928. He also served as the baseball and football coach at Montclair State University ...

had a 2.83 ERA to lead the league. In 1927, the Spuds repeated as Utah-Idaho League Champions. On June 28, 1927, Idaho Falls pitcher Charles Newbill pitched a no–hitter in a 4–0 win against the Twin Falls Bruins. The Spuds finished the season with a record of 52–47 to place 3rd in the Utah-Idaho League regular season standings, playing under manager Dan O'Leary. In the 1927 Utah-Idaho League Playoffs, the Idaho Falls Spuds defeated the Pocatello Bannocks 4 games to 3 to claim their second consecutive Utah–Idaho League Championship. In 1928, the Idaho Falls Spuds were playing under manager Pete Maloney, with a record of 17–38, when the franchise disbanded on July 5, 1928. The Twin Falls Bruins franchise folded on the same day. The Utah–Idaho League finished the 1928 season with the four remaining teams, but folded permanently after the season. Idaho Falls minor league baseball resumed in 1940, when the Idaho Falls Russets became a member franchise of the Pioneer League, a league still playing as a Rookie League today with the Idaho Falls Chukars as a member.

The ballpark

The Idaho Falls Spuds minor league teams played home games at Highland Park. The ballpark sat within Highland Park. All Idaho Falls teams since have played in ballparks at the same site. The Highland Park ballpark had a capacity of 3,000 (1927), with dimensions (Left, Center, Right) of 350–400–350 (1927). The Highland Park ballpark was located at 500 West Elva, Idaho Falls, Idaho. Today, Highland Park contains Melaleuca Field, which hosts the Idaho Falls Chukars of the Pioneer League. Melaleuca Field is located at 568 West Elva, Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Timeline

Year-by-year records

Notable alumni

Bill Brenzel William Richard Brenzel (March 3, 1910 – June 12, 1979) was a Major League Baseball catcher who played three seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians where he earned a reputation for his quick wit and his slow feet. After his pla ...

(1928) * Ed Coleman (1927) * Jim Cronin (1926–1927) *

Ike Danning Isaac Danning (January 20, 1905 – March 30, 1983) was an American Major League Baseball catcher who played for the St. Louis Browns in . His brother, Harry Danning, played for the New York Giants from to . He was Jewish. He attended Polytechni ...

(1926) *

Roy Johnson Roy Johnson may refer to: Sport *Roy Johnson (footballer) (1891–1962), Australian rules footballer *Roy W. Johnson (coach) (1892–1989), American coach, athletic director, and faculty member of the University of New Mexico *Roy Johnson (pitcher) ...

(1926) *

(1926)

References