The Lyons Lions were a minor league baseball team based in

Lyons, Kansas Lyons is a city in and the county seat of Rice County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 3,611. History For millennia, the land now known as Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans. Although Coro ...

. From 1909 to 1911, Lyons played as members of the Class D level

Kansas State League The Kansas State League was a minor league baseball sports league, 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 ...

Central Kansas League The Central Kansas League was a Class D level baseball league established in 1908, playing through 1912. Member teams were based exclusively in Kansas. The Central Kansas League evolved from and into the Kansas State League. History The original ...

in 1912 and Kansas State League in 1913.

History

Minor league baseball in Lyons, Kansas began with the 1909 Lyons "Lions." Lyons became members of the reformed eight–team Class D level

. 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, McPherson Merry Macks,

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 ...

, Strong City-Cottonwood Falls Twins and

Wellington Dukes The Wellington Dukes are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Wellington, Ontario, Canada. They are in the Eastern Division of the Ontario Junior Hockey League and used to be a part of the Metro Junior A Hockey League. Originally a Junior C team in ...

joined Lyons as 1909 league members. In their first season of play, the Lyons Lions won the 1909 Kansas State League championship. Lyons ended the 1909 season with a record of 61–37, to finish first in the Kansas State League. The Lions finished 0.5 games ahead of the second place Hutchinson Salt Packers as Cecil Bankhead served as manager in leading the team to the championship. Pitcher Robert Hassler of Lyons led the league with 25 wins and 193 strikeouts. No playoffs were held for the duration of the league. On June 21, 1909, Lyons and McPherson played a 21–inning game at McPherson. Lyons defeated the McPherson Merry Macks 2–1 in the contest, which was played in 2:50. Continuing play in 1910, Lyons placed third in the Kansas State League standings. The Lyons Lions finished the 1910 season with a record of 57–53 as Cecil Bankhead,

Joe Riggert Joseph Aloysius Riggert (December 11, 1886 – December 10, 1973) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played for the Boston Red Sox, Brooklyn Robins, St. Louis Cardinals, and Boston Braves.

, Hi Ebright and John Jones served as managers. Player/manager Joe Riggert led the Kansas State League with a .362 batting average and 13 home runs, while teammate Walt Sizemore led the league with 18 wins. The Lions finished 13.5 games behind the first place Hutchinson Salt Packers in the final standings. The 1911 Lyons Lions of the Kansas State League ended the 1911 season with a record of 37–27, playing a shortened season. The league disbanded on July 11, 1911, due to crop failures and drought. When the league ceased play, Lyons was in third place in the standings. Spencer Abbott served as manager, as the Lions finished 4.5 games behind the first place Great Bend Millers in the shortened season. The Lyons Lions switched leagues in 1912, as Lyons became members of the six–team Class D level

The Lions ended the 1912 season with a 36–54 record, placing fifth in the standings. Blackie Wilson served as manager, as Lyons finished 18.0 games behind the first place Great Bend Millers. The Central Kansas League permanently folded following the 1912 season. In 1913, the Lyons Lions played their final season. Lyons continued play and joined the six–team Class D level

. The Manhattan Giants and

Junction City Soldiers The Junction City Soldiers were an American minor league baseball team founded in 1909 in the Central Kansas League. After the 1912 season, the Central Kansas League was renamed the Kansas State League. The team cased operations in 1913. Notable ...

folded from the league mid season. The Lions ended their final Kansas State League season with a record of 50–39, placing third. The Lions finished 3.0 games behind the first place Great Bend Millers as William Nelson served as the Lyons' manager. Lyons pitcher J.L. O'Byrne led the league with 17 wins in the shortened season. Lyons folded after the 1913 season as the Kansas State played as a four–team league in 1914. Lyons, Kansas has not hosted another minor league team. Today, the "Lyons Lions" nickname is still in use locally by Lyons High School sports teams.

The ballparks

The exact name and location of the Lyons Lions' home ballpark is not directly referenced. In the era, Workman Park was the only public park in Lyons, established in 1882. The park is still in use today as a public park. Lyons P5310423

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

* Coonie Blank (1911) * Lee Dressen (1910–1911) * Ben Harris (1909) *

Carl Manda Carl Alan Manda (November 16, 1886 – March 9, 1983) was a second baseman in Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is com ...

(1909, 1912) *

John Misse John Beverly Misse (May 30, 1885 – March 18, 1970) was a Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop who played for the St. Louis Terriers of the Federal League The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal L ...

(1911) *

(1909), (1910, MGR) *

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 ...

(1910) *

Dutch Wetzel Franklin Burton "Dutch" Wetzel (July 7, 1893 in Columbus, Indiana – March 5, 1942 in Hollywood, California) was a right-handed outfielder who played for the St. Louis Browns from 1920 to 1921. He made his big league debut on September 15, 1920 ...

(1912)

References

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External references

Lyons - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Defunct baseball teams in Kansas Baseball teams disestablished in 1909 Baseball teams established in 1913 Kansas State League teams Central Kansas League teams Rice County, Kansas