The Larned Wheat Kings were a minor league baseball team based in Larned, Kansas. From 1909 to 1911, Larned teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level

Kansas State League The Kansas State League was a minor league baseball league in the United States that operated in the state of Kansas in the late 19th century and into the early 20th century. History The Kansas State League was first established in 1887 as a ...

. The team began play known as the Larned "Cowboys" in the 1909 season. In 1911, the Kansas State League, Larned included, folded during the season due to drought. Larned hosted home minor league games at City Park.

History

Minor league baseball in Larned, Kansas began during the 1909 season, when the Larned Cowboys came into existence during the season. On July 12, 1909, the Strong City-Cottonwood Falls Twin Cities team, with a 22–41 record relocated to Larned and the Cowboys became members of the reformed eight–team Class D level

. Larned immediately joined the Arkansas City-Winfield Twins,

Great Bend Millers The Great Bend Millers were a minor league baseball team based in Great Bend, Kansas. The "Millers" played as members of the Class D level Kansas State League in 1905 and from 1909 to 1911. Great Bend continues play in the Central Kansas League ...

, Hutchinson Salt Packers,

Lyons Lions The Lyons Lions were a minor league baseball team based in Lyons, Kansas. From 1909 to 1911, Lyons played as members of the Class D level Kansas State League, Central Kansas League in 1912 and Kansas State League in 1913. History Minor league ba ...

McPherson Merry Macks The McPherson Merry Macks were a minor league baseball team based in McPherson, Kansas. The "Merry Macks" played as members of the 1908 Class D level Central Kansas League and Kansas State League from 1909 to 1911. McPherson hosted home minor lea ...

Newton Railroaders The Newton Railroaders were a minor league baseball team based in Newton, Kansas between 1909 and 1924. Preceded by the 1888 Newton team and the 1908 Newton Browns, Newton minor league teams played as members of the Western League (1885–1899), We ...

and Wellington Dukes teams as 1909 league members. Completing their first season of play, the Twin Cities/Cowboys team finished in last place. After compiling a 10–24 record while based in Larned, the team finished with a 32–65 overall record to finish in eighth place. Playing under managers Harry Freese and

Farmer Weaver William B. "Farmer" Weaver (March 23, 1865 – January 23, 1943), was a professional baseball player in the Major Leagues from 1888 to 1894, for the Louisville Colonels and Pittsburgh Pirates. Primarily an outfielder (649 games), he also played 73 ...

, the Cowboys finished 28.5 games behind the first place

in the final Kansas State League standings. Continuing play as members of the 1910 Kansas State League, the Larned team played under the Larned "Wheat Kings" moniker. The Larned "Wheat Kings" nickname corresponds with local agriculture production in the region. Today, the Larned region continues its history as a strong wheat producing region. Larned finished the 1910 season with a record of 46–56 to place seventh under returning manager Farmer Weaver and Harry McLear. Weaver resigned as manager with the team on an 11–game losing streak and a record of 15–25 at the time of his departure. The Wheat Kings finished 20.5 games behind the first place Hutchinson Salt Packers in the final 1910 standings. On August 19, 1910, Larned pitcher Harry Watson threw a

no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...

in a 2–0 victory over the

. The 1911 Larned Wheat Kings played their final season as the Kansas League folded during the season. The Wheat Kings ended the 1911 season with a record of 23–32, after the league disbanded on July 11, 1911, due to crop failures and drought. When the league ceased play, Larned was in sixth place in the standings. Harry Berte served as manager as the Wheat Kings finished 14.0 games behind the first place Great Bend Millers in the shortened season. After serving as an umpire in the 1911 Kansas State League, in 1912, former Larned manager Farmer Weaver was sentenced to 21 years in prison for domestic crimes. He was later released in 1914, with a former teammate serving as his parole clerk. After the Kansas State League folded following the 1911 season, the league did not play in 1912 and resumed play in 1913 without a Larned franchise. Larned, Kansas has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballparks

The Larned minor league teams played home games at the City Park in Larned. In the era of

Sunday laws Sunday is the day of the week between Saturday and Monday. In most Western countries, Sunday is a day of rest and a part of the weekend. It is often considered the first day of the week. For most observant adherents of Christianity, Sunday ...

it was noted that Sunday baseball was allowed to be played in Larned, Kansas. Larned KS - March 10 1914

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

Lee Dressen Leo August "Lee" Dressen (July 23, 1889 – June 30, 1931) was a Major League Baseball first baseman. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals in and the Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in ...

(1910) * Walt Thomas (1910) *

(1909–1910, MGR) *

Larned Cowboys players Larned can refer to: * Charles Larned (died 1834), lawyer, military officer, and politician * Josephus Nelson Larned (1836-1913), American journalist, educator, librarian, historian * Larned B. Asprey * Scott Larned (1969–2005), keyboardist * Sim ...

Larned Wheat Kings players Larned can refer to: * Charles Larned (died 1834), lawyer, military officer, and politician * Josephus Nelson Larned (1836-1913), American journalist, educator, librarian, historian * Larned B. Asprey * Scott Larned (1969–2005), keyboardist * Sim ...

References

{{reflist, colwidth=25em

External links

Larned - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Defunct baseball teams in Kansas Baseball teams disestablished in 1910 Baseball teams established in 1911 Kansas State League teams Pawnee County, Kansas