The Murray Infants were a minor league baseball team based in

Murray, Utah Murray () is a city situated on the Wasatch Front in the core of Salt Lake Valley in the U.S. state of Utah. Named for territorial governor Eli Murray, it is the state's fourteenth largest city. According to the 2020 census, Murray had a populat ...

. In 1914, the Murray Infants played briefly as members of the

Union Association The Union Association was a league in Major League Baseball which lasted for just the 1884 season. St. Louis won the pennant and joined the National League the following season. Seven of the twelve teams who were in the Association at some poi ...

before folding during the season. The Infants hosted home minor league games at Murray Park.

History

Before beginning minor league play, Murray first hosted semi–pro baseball teams, who played as members of the integrated Utah State Baseball League. On March 30, 1910, the Murray team played an exhibition game at home against the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...

. Chicago won the exhibition game by the score of 8–0. The game was held at an alternate ballpark after the Murray Park became flooded. Murray, Utah first hosted minor league baseball in 1914, when the Murray "Infants" became members of the six–team Class D level

. Murray joined the Boise Irrigators,

Butte Miners The Butte Miners was the primary moniker of the minor league baseball franchise based in Butte, Montana. Butte minor league teams played as members of the Montana State League (1892, 1900), Pacific Northwest League (1902), Pacific National Leagu ...

Helena Senators The Helena Senators were a minor league baseball team based in Helena, Montana. Between 1892 and 1914, Helena minor league teams played as members of the Montana State League (1892, 1900), 1902 Pacific Northwest League, 1903 Pacific National Leag ...

, Ogden Canners and

Salt Lake City Skyscrapers Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...

teams in beginning league play in 1914. Beginning league play on April 28, 1914, the Murray Infants folded during the season. On July 20, 1914, the Murray Infants franchise folded, with the Boise Irrigators also folding from the league on the same day. The two teams folding left the Union Association with four remaining teams. Murray folded with a record of 31–42, playing under manager

Cliff Blankenship Clifford Douglas Blankenship (April 10, 1880 – April 26, 1956) was an American professional baseball player. He played his first game on April 17, 1905. He played his 95th and final game on August 18, 1909. His batting average was .225. In 1907 ...

. The Union Association folded on August 5, 1914, after the Butte franchise folded, reducing the league to three remaining teams. The final regular season records of the six beginning members were led by the Ogden Canners, who had a final record of 54–32, Salt Lake City Skyscrapers (52–34) and Butte Miners (44–40). They were followed by the Boise Irrigators (32–39), Murray Infants (31–42) and Helena Senators (27–53). After Murray and the rest of the league folded, the Ogden Canners and the Salt Lake City Skyscrapers played 16 games against each other to complete their seasons. Ogden captured the 1914 Union Association Championship at the conclusion of the season. The Union Association permanently folded following the 1914 season. Murray, Utah has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The home minor league ballpark for the 1914 Murray Infants was Murray Park. The ballfield was noted to be where the softball field is located in Murray Park today. Still in use today as a public park, Murray Park is located at 292 East Murray Park Avenue in Murray City, Utah. Murray City Park State Street entrance

Year-by-year record

Notable alumni

(1914, MGR) * Ike Caveney (1914) *

Rex Dawson Rexford Paul Dawson (born February 10, 1889 – October 20, 1958) was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Washington Senators. He played his only major league game on October 3, 1913. He was born in Mount Vernon, Washington, and grew up in ...

(1914)

References

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External links