The Indiana State League was an

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

level minor league baseball league that played in the 1888, 1890, 1896 and 1900 seasons. The Indiana State League consisted of teams based exclusively in

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

. The Indiana State League permanently folded after the 1900 season.

History

The Indiana State League first began minor league play in 1888. The league began play on May 11, 1888 as an

six–team league with members Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Frankfort, Lafayette, Logansport Oilers and Marion. After the season began, the

Lafayette, Indiana Lafayette ( , ) is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, located northwest of Indianapolis and southeast of Chicago. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, whi ...

franchise withdrew on June 12, 1888 to join the

Central Interstate League The Central Interstate League was an independent minor league baseball league that operated from 1888 to 1890. William H. Allen (1888), Henderson Ridgely (1889), E.T. McNeally (1890) and Fitzpatrick (1890) served as the league presidents. Th ...

and were replaced by the South Bend Green Stockings. The 1888 Indiana State League folded mid–season, on June 18, 1888. The Logansport Oilers were in 1st place with a 10–3 record when the Indiana State League stopped play in 1888. The Indiana State League expanded and played as an eight–team league in 1890 under league president McCullough. The 1890 member teams were Anderson, Bluffton, Elkhart, Fort Wayne Reds, Kokomo, Marion/Logansport, Muncie and Peru. During the season, Marion relocated to Logansport on July 6, 1890. Elkhart disbanded June 26, 1890 and Bluffton disbanded June 30, 1890. Anderson finished 1st in the league standings with a 38–25 record. The 1896 Indiana State League formed as a six–team

level league. The Logansport Ottos were the 1896 league champions with a 4–2 record under manager M.A Ryan. The league began play on July 26, 1896 and the season ended on August 4, 1896. In the final season of play, the Indiana State League reformed as a six–team league for the 1900 season. The president was Edward E. Hill. During the season, Elmwood moved from Logansport. Elwood and Muncie both disbanded on June 10, 1900, causing the entire league to fold. The Wabash Farmers were in 1st place with a 19–9 record when the league disbanded. Anderson and Marion joined

Interstate League The Interstate League was the name of five different American minor baseball leagues that played intermittently from 1896 through 1952. Early leagues Earlier versions of the Interstate League, with years active: *1896–1901: an unclassified ...

in August, 1900.

Cities represented

Anderson, Indiana Anderson, named after Chief William Anderson, is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Madison County. Anderson is ...

: Anderson (1890, 1896); Anderson Tigers (1900) *

Bluffton, Indiana Bluffton is a city in Harrison and Lancaster townships, Wells County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 10,308 at the 2020 census and the estimated population is 10,390. The city is the county seat of Wells County. History Blufft ...

: Bluffton (1890) *

Elkhart, Indiana Elkhart ( ) is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The city is located east of South Bend, Indiana, east of Chicago, Illinois, and north of Indianapolis, Indiana. Elkhart has the larger population of the two principal cities of th ...

: Elkhart (1888, 1890) *

Elwood, Indiana Elwood is a city in Madison and Tipton counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. The Madison County portion, which includes most of the city, is part of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the small portion in Tipton County is p ...

: Elmwood (1896); Elwood Wanderers (1900) *

Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Indiana, United States. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 as of the 2020 Censu ...

: Fort Wayne (1888);

Fort Wayne Reds A fortification is a military construction or building A building, or edifice, is an enclosed structure with a roof and walls standing more or less permanently in one place, such as a house or factory (although there's also portable bu ...

(1890) *

Frankfort, Indiana Frankfort is a city in Clinton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 16,422 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Clinton County. History Brothers John, William and Nicholas Pence, previously of Warren County, Ohio, settl ...

: Frankfort (1888) *

Kokomo, Indiana Kokomo ( ) is a city in Indiana and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Howard County, the Kokomo-Peru CSA, which includ ...

: Kokomo (1890);

Kokomo Blues Kokomo may refer to: Animals * Kokomo (gorilla), a western lowland gorilla at the San Diego Zoo * Kokomo Jr., a name given to two performing chimpanzees in the 1950s and 1960s Music Songs * "Kokomo Blues", by Scrapper Blackwell (1928) * " ...

(1896);

Kokomo Wildcats Kokomo may refer to: Animals * Kokomo (gorilla), a western lowland gorilla at the San Diego Zoo * Kokomo Jr., a name given to two performing chimpanzees in the 1950s and 1960s Music Songs * "Kokomo Blues", by Scrapper Blackwell (1928) * " ...

(1900) *

: Lafayette (1888) *

Logansport, Indiana Logansport is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, Indiana, United States. The population was 18,366 at the 2020 census. Logansport is located in northern Indiana at the junction of the Wabash and Eel rivers, northwest of Kokomo. Hi ...

: Logansport Oilers (1888); Logansport Ottos (1896); Logansport (1900) *

Marion, Indiana Marion is a city in Grant County, Indiana, United States. The population was 29,948 as of the 2010 United States Census. The city is the county seat of Grant County. It is named for Francis Marion, a brigadier general from South Carolina in the ...

: Marion (1888);

Marion Veterans Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mario ...

(1900) *

Muncie, Indiana Muncie ( ) is an incorporated city and the county seat, seat of Delaware County, Indiana, Delaware County, Indiana. Previously known as Buckongahelas Town, named after the legendary Delaware Chief.http://www.delawarecountyhistory.org/history/docs ...

: Muncie (1890, 1900) *

Peru, Indiana Peru is a city in, and the county seat of, Miami County, Indiana, Miami County, Indiana, United States. It is north of Indianapolis. The population was 11,417 at the 2010 census, making it the most populous city in Miami County. Peru is located ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

(1890) *

South Bend, Indiana South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan), St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 United S ...

: South Bend Green Stockings (1888) *

Wabash, Indiana Wabash is a city in Noble Township, Wabash County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 10,666 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Wabash County. Wabash is notable as claiming to be the first electrically lighted cit ...

: Wabash Farmers (1900)

Standings & statistics

1888 Indiana State League 1890 Indiana State League 1896 Indiana State League 1900 Indiana State League

External links

Baseball Reference

References

{{Professional Baseball Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States Baseball in Indiana Baseball leagues in Indiana 1888 establishments in the United States 1900 disestablishments in the United States Sports leagues established in 1888 Sports leagues disestablished in 1900