The Monett Red Birds were a minor league baseball team based in

Monett, Missouri Monett is the most-populous city in the Barry and Lawrence counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The city is located in the Ozarks, just south of Interstate 44 between Joplin and Springfield. According to the 2020 census, the population of the ...

. From 1936 to 1939, The "Red Birds" played as members of the Class D level

Arkansas–Missouri League The Arkansas–Missouri League was a Class D level league in Minor League Baseball that operated from 1936 to 1940. The league was previously known as the Arkansas State League. Cities represented * Bentonville, Arkansas: Bentonville Mustangs 1 ...

. They were preceded in minor league play by the 1901 Monett "Railroadmen" who played the season as members of the Independent level

Missouri Valley League The Missouri Valley League was an American minor league baseball league which operated from 1901 through 1905. History The Missouri Valley league formed in 1901 as an Independent league. The league consisted of teams in Kansas and Missouri: Co ...

. The Red Birds hosted minor league home games at J.C.C. Park. The Monett Red Birds were a minor league affiliate of the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

for their duration.

History

Minor League baseball began in Monett in 1901, when the Monett Railroadmen played as members of the Independent level

. League rosters, records and standings from the 1901 season are not referenced. In 1936, minor league baseball returned when the Monett Red Birds became charter members of the six–team

, a Class D level league that evolved from the 1935

Arkansas State League The Arkansas State League was an American minor league baseball league that played in various seasons between 1894 and 1935, forming three different times. The first version was in operation in 1894, followed by an 1897 league. The Class D level ...

. The Arkansas State League became the Arkansas-Missouri League after the Huntsville Red Birds relocated to Missouri to become the Monett Red Birds. In 1936, playing in the Arkansas–Missouri League, as an affiliate of the

, the Monett Red Birds finished the season with a record of 56–63. Monett placed fourth in the Arkansas–Missouri League standings. The Bentonville Mustangs (69–49), Cassville Blues (61-59),

Fayetteville Bears Fayetteville may refer to: *Fayetteville, Alabama *Fayetteville, Arkansas ** The Fayetteville Formation *Fayetteville, Georgia *Fayetteville, Illinois * Fayetteville, Indiana *Fayetteville, Washington County, Indiana *Fayetteville, Missouri *Fayett ...

(53–67), Rogers Lions (44–75) and

Siloam Springs Travelers Silwan or Siloam ( ar, سلوان, translit=Silwan; gr, Σιλωὰμ, translit=Siloam; he, כְּפַר הַשִּׁילוֹחַ, translit=''Kfar ha-Shiloaḥ'') is a predominantly Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem, on the outskir ...

(74–44) joined Monett in the league standings. Monett finished 18.5 games behind the champion Siloam Springs Travelers, playing under managers Buzz Arlitt and Ken Blackman. On May 1, 1936, the Monett Red Birds hosted an exhibition game against the famed

Negro leagues The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans and, to a lesser extent, Latin Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be ...

team, the

Kansas City Monarchs The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri, and owned by J. L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 193 ...

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

member

Willard Brown Willard Jessie Brown (June 26, 1915 – August 4, 1996), nicknamed "Home Run" Brown, was an American baseball player who played outfielder in the Negro leagues for the Kansas City Monarchs and in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Brown ...

of the Monarchs hit a home run in the game, as the Monarchs won the contest 7–1. Continuing play in 1937, Monett placed fifth in the Arkansas–Missouri League. With a record of 45–76, the Red Birds finished 36.0 games behind the 1st place Rogers Lions in the final standings of the six–team league. The Monett managers were Ken Blackman and Joseph Davis. For the 1938 season, Monett adopted the one-word moniker Monett Redbirds. Resuming play in the Arkansas–Missouri League, Monett ended the season with a record of 44–74, playing under managers Heinie Mueller and Frank Sigafoos. The Redbirds placed fifth in the six–team league, finishing 30.5 games behind the first place Neosho Yankees. Monett played their final season in 1939 and finished last as the Arkansas–Missouri League reduced to four teams. The Monett Red Birds ended their final season with a record of 35–89 to place fourth in the four–team league, finishing 45.5 games behind the champion Fayetteville Angels under manager Fred Hawn. The Monett franchise folded after the 1939 season, replaced by the

Siloam Springs Cardinals The Siloam Springs Cardinals (previously known as the Buffaloes and the Travelers) were a minor league baseball team that represented Siloam Springs, Arkansas. In 1940 Siloam Springs played as members of the Arkansas–Missouri League in the fi ...

in the 1940 Arkansas–Missouri League, which permanently folded after the 1940 season. Monett, Missouri has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Monett Red Birds hosted minor league home games at J.C.C. Park. The "Junior Chamber of Commerce Park" had a reported capacity of 1,000 in 1936 and dimensions of (Left, Center, Right): 320–365–330 in 1939. J.C.C Park was located at South Lincoln Avenue (State Road 37), off U.S. 60, Monett, Missouri.

Timeline

Year–by–year record

Notable alumni

Erv Dusak Ervin Frank "Four Sack" Dusak (July 29, 1920 – November 6, 1994) was an American professional baseball outfielder, infielder and pitcher in Major League Baseball over nine seasons spanning 1941 to 1952 for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsbur ...

(1938) * Al Montgomery (1937) * Heine Mueller (1938, MGR) *

Frank Sigafoos Francis Leonard Sigafoos (March 21, 1904 – April 12, 1968) was a third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball. Prior to his professional career, Sig ...

(1938)

References

{{reflist, 2 St. Louis Cardinals minor league affiliates Defunct minor league baseball teams Sports clubs and teams in Missouri Baseball teams established in 1936 Baseball teams disestablished in 1939 Defunct baseball teams in Missouri Professional baseball teams in Missouri Red Birds