The Mason City Claydiggers were a minor league baseball team based in

Mason City, Iowa Mason City is a city and the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 27,338 in the 2020 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Go ...

. In 1912, Mason City "Cementmakers" were a member of the independent

Iowa State League The Iowa State League was a minor league baseball league that played from 1904 to 1907 and in 1912. The Class D level league had franchises based in Illinois and Iowa. The Ottumwa Snappers won league championships in 1904 and 1905. The Iowa Stat ...

before the "Claydiggers" played as members of the Class D level

Central Association The Central Association was an American minor league baseball league. It began operations in 1908, as it was essentially renamed from the 1907 Iowa State League. The Central Association ran continuously through 1917. It was reorganized thirty yea ...

from 1915 to 1917. The Cementmakers won the 1912 the league pennant. The Mason City teams hosted minor league home games at Hanford Park.

History

Beginning in 1902, Mason City hosted numerous semi–pro teams in the years before minor league baseball, playing as the "Hubs" and "Claydiggers." Minor league baseball began in Mason City with the 1912 Mason City Cementmakers, who joined the

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

. The Mason City Cementmakers won the 1912 Iowa State League pennant. Mason City finished with a record of 38–27, placing first overall in the five–team Iowa State League final standings under manager Frank Barber. Mason City finished ahead of the Fort Dodge Boosters (34–25),

Estherville, Iowa Estherville is a city in Emmet County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,904 in the 2020 census, a decline from 6,656 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Emmet County. History Emmet County was initially created by an act of th ...

(28–22),

Emmetsburg Emmetsburg is a city in Palo Alto County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,706 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Palo Alto County. Emmetsburg is located around the southern bay of Five Island Lake. History The tow ...

(24–38) and

Clear Lake Fish Eaters The Clear Lake Fish Eaters were a minor league baseball team based in Clear Lake, Iowa. Clear Lake teams played as members of the Independent level Iowa State League in 1912 and the Class D level Central Association in 1917, with the 1917 team p ...

(11–24) in the overall standings. However, Mason City did not play in the playoffs as the league played a split season schedule and Mason City did not win either of the half seasons. The Iowa State League permanently folded after the 1912 season. In 1915, Mason City returned to minor league play. The Mason City Claydiggers began play as members of the Class D level

, replacing the

Galesburg Pavers Galesburg is the name of some places in the United States of America: *Galesburg, Illinois, the largest city in the US named Galesburg *Galesburg, Iowa *Galesburg, Kansas *Galesburg, Michigan *Galesburg, Jasper County, Missouri *Galesburg, Putnam Co ...

franchise in the league. Mason City hosted the league opener at Mason City on May 6, 1915, where the Claydiggers were defeated 2–0 by the

Muscatine Muskies Muscatine may refer to: People * Charles Muscatine, scholar of medieval literature * Lissa Muscatine Places * Muscatine County, Iowa * Muscatine, Iowa (County Seat) * Muscatine, Iowa micropolitan area Other * Louisa–Muscatine Community School ...

. In attendance for the opener were Iowa Governor George W. Clark, Adjutant General Guy E. Logan and Central Association President M. E.Justice. Mason City Mayor Truman Potter threw out the first pitch. In their first season of play in the Central Association, the Mason City Claydiggers ended with a record of 58–63, finishing in fourth place in the regular season standings, playing the season under manager

Harry Bay Harry Elbert "Deerfoot" Bay (January 17, 1878 – March 19, 1952) was a professional baseball player who played outfield in the major leagues from 1901 to 1908. Bay played for the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Bronchos/Naps. Early life He atte ...

. The 1915 league standings were led by the first place

Burlington Pathfinders Burlington may refer to: Places Canada Geography * Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador * Burlington, Nova Scotia * Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington" * Burlington, Prince Edward Island * Burlington Bay, now ...

(81–38), followed by the

(63–57),

Keokuk Indians The Keokuk Indians was a primary nickname of the various minor league baseball teams based in Keokuk, Iowa between 1875 and 1962. The 1875 Keokuk Westerns franchise were members of the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players, a l ...

(51–52), Mason City Claydiggers (58–63),

Cedar Rapids Rabbits Cedar may refer to: Trees and plants *''Cedrus'', common English name cedar, an Old-World genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae *Cedar (plant), a list of trees and plants known as cedar Places United States * Cedar, Arizona * ...

(54–62),

Marshalltown Ansons The Marshalltown Ansons were a minor league baseball team that played in the Central Association from 1914 to 1917 and in the Mississippi Valley League from 1922 to 1928. They were located in Marshalltown, Iowa. History The team was named for H ...

(46–67), Waterloo Jays (52–74) and

Clinton Pilots Clinton is an English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton has frequently been used as a give ...

(13–69). Mason City finished 24.0 games behind the 1st place Burlington team. The Mason City Claydiggers finished in sixth place in the eight–team Central Association in 1916. Mason City had a record of 50–73 under returning manager Harry Bay, finishing 26.5 games behind the first place

. The 1917 season was the final one for the early Central Association. The league folded after the 1917 season and reformed in 1947. The 1917 Claydiggers finished with a 54–38 record, placing second in the Central Association, playing the season under manager Dan O'Leary. Mason City finished 7.0 games behind the first place Marshalltown Ansons. The league received permission and ceased play on August 7, 1917. The league did not return to play in 1918. Mason City was without minor league baseball until 1994. The Mason City Bats played as members of the

level four–team

Great Central League The Great Central League was a short-lived baseball league of four teams that played baseball in the upper Midwest of the United States in . The league and four teams were owned by Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota ...

. The Bats finished with a record of 19–41, placing fourth in the standings in the league's only season of play.

The ballpark

Mason City teams played home minor league games at Hanford Park. After the Claydiggers folded, the grandstands were disassembled, and the lumber was used for projects at the local fairgrounds. Hanford Park was located at the southwest corner of Pierce Avenue & Highway 106 in Mason City.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

(1915–1916, MGR) * Eddie Brown (1915–1917) *

Bill Burwell William Edwin Burwell (March 27, 1895 – June 11, 1973) was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach. Early life Burwell was born in Jarbalo, Kansas.He won 239 minor league games during a 22-year playing career. He pitched ...

(1917) * Clarence Garrett (1915–1916) * Harry Lunte (1916)

References

{{Reflist, 2

External links

Mason City - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Defunct baseball teams in Iowa Professional baseball teams in Iowa Central Association teams Mason City, Iowa Baseball teams established in 1915 Baseball teams disestablished in 1917 1915 establishments in Iowa 1917 disestablishments in Iowa