The Ohio State League was a minor league baseball league that operated in numerous seasons between 1887 and 1947, predominantly as a Class D level league. League franchises were based in

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

and

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

History

The first "Ohio State League" was a baseball league in 1887 before changing names to the

Tri-State League The Tri-State League was the name of six different circuits in American minor league baseball. History The first league of that name played for four years (1887–1890) and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia. The second leagu ...

. The Kalamazoo Kazoos won the first league championship. The league played in the 1889 and 1898 seasons. The first 20th century Ohio State League started in 1908 as a class D loop and ran through 1916. Another Ohio State League was formed in 1936 and ran through 1947 except for a break in '42-'43 due to World War II. In 1945, the OSL was one of just four class D circuits in operation, yet it was one of the first of dozens of leagues to collapse after World War II. The class D Ohio–Indiana League was formed in 1948 with eight teams, with seven of the eight cities coming from the Ohio State League. Six teams made their home in Ohio and the remaining two where from Indiana. This league lasted through 1951. The Portsmouth Cobblers won four Ohio State League championships.

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

Ed Delahanty Edward James Delahanty (October 30, 1867 – July 2, 1903), nicknamed "Big Ed", was an American professional baseball player, who spent his Major League Baseball (MLB) playing career with the Philadelphia Quakers, Cleveland Infants, Philadelph ...

played for the 1887 Mansfield team.

Cities represented

Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...

Akron Acorns Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city prop ...

1887, 1889 *

Canton, Ohio Canton () is a city in and the county seat of Stark County, Ohio. It is located approximately south of Cleveland and south of Akron in Northeast Ohio. The city lies on the edge of Ohio's extensive Amish country, particularly in Holmes and ...

: Canton 1887, 1898 *

Charleston, West Virginia Charleston is the capital and List of cities in West Virginia, most populous city of West Virginia. Located at the confluence of the Elk River (West Virginia), Elk and Kanawha River, Kanawha rivers, the city had a population of 48,864 at the 20 ...

Charleston Senators The Charleston Senators were an American minor league baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They were the first professional baseball team to play in Charleston, beginning play in 1910. The team was inactive during a few periods, playin ...

1913–1916 *

Chillicothe, Ohio Chillicothe ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Scioto River 45 miles (72 km) south of Columbus, Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio. It is the only city in Ross Count ...

Chillicothe Infants Chillicothe may refer to: * Chillicothe, Ohio **Chillicothe Turnpike, a highway **Chillicothe Paints, a collegiate summer baseball team *Chillicothe, Illinois *Chillicothe, Iowa *Chillicothe, Missouri *Chillicothe, Texas *Chillicothe (film), a 1999 ...

1910–1912;

Chillicothe Babes Chillicothe may refer to: * Chillicothe, Ohio **Chillicothe Turnpike, a highway **Chillicothe Paints, a collegiate summer baseball team *Chillicothe, Illinois *Chillicothe, Iowa *Chillicothe, Missouri *Chillicothe, Texas *Chillicothe (film), a 1999 ...

1913–1916 *

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

: Columbus Buckeyes 1887 *

Coshocton, Ohio Coshocton is a city in and the county seat of Coshocton County, Ohio, United States approximately 63 mi (102 km) ENE of Columbus. The population was 11,216 at the 2010 census. The Walhonding River and the Tuscarawas River meet in Cos ...

: Coshocton 1898 *

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Day ...

Dayton Indians The Central League was a minor league baseball league that operated sporadically from 1903–1917, 1920–1922, 1926, 1928–1930, 1934, and 1948–1951. In 1926, the league merged mid-season with the Michigan State League and p ...

1946–1947 *

Findlay, Ohio Findlay ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Ohio, United States. The second-largest city in Northwest Ohio, Findlay lies about 40 miles (64 km) south of Toledo, Ohio, Toledo. The population was 40,313 at the 2020 United St ...

: Findlay Browns 1937–1938; Findlay Oilers (baseball) 1939–1940; Findlay Browns 1941 *

Fostoria, Ohio Fostoria (, ) is a city located at the convergence of Hancock, Seneca, and Wood counties in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. It is approximately south of Toledo and north of Columbus. The city is known for its railroads, as app ...

: Fostoria Cardinals 1936; Fostoria Red Birds 1937–1941 *

Frankfort, Kentucky Frankfort is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, United States, and the seat of Franklin County. It is a home rule-class city; the population was 28,602 at the 2020 census. Located along the Kentucky River, Frankfort is the prin ...

: Frankfort Old Taylors 1915–1916 *

Fremont, Ohio Fremont is a city in and the county seat of Sandusky County, Ohio, United States, located along the banks of the Sandusky River. It is about 35 miles from Toledo and 25 miles from Sandusky. It is part of the Toledo metropolitan area. The populat ...

: Fremont Reds 1936–1938; Fremont Green Sox 1938–1941 *

Hamilton, Ohio Hamilton is a city in and the county seat of Butler County, Ohio, United States. Located north of Cincinnati, Hamilton is the second largest city in the Greater Cincinnati area and the 10th largest city in Ohio. The population was 63,399 at th ...

: Hamilton Mechanics 1911; Hamilton Maroons 1913 *

Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Cabell County, and the largest city in the Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as the Tri-State Area. A h ...

: Huntington Blue Sox 1913–1914 Huntington Boosters 1916 *

Ironton, Ohio Ironton is a city in and the county seat of Lawrence County, Ohio, United States. Located in southernmost Ohio along the Ohio River northwest of Huntington, West Virginia, the city includes the Downtown Ironton Historic District. The populatio ...

: Ironton Orphans 1912; Ironton Nailers 1913–1915 *

Kalamazoo, Michigan Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. At the 2010 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 74,262. Kalamazoo is the major city of the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolit ...

: Kalamazoo Kazoos 1887 *

Lancaster, Ohio Lancaster ( ) is a city in Fairfield County, Ohio, in the south-central part of the state. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 40,552. The city is near the Hocking River, about southeast of Columbus and southwest of Zanesville. It is ...

: Lancaster Lanks 1908–1911 *

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...

Lexington Colts The Lexington Colts were a baseball team competing in the Blue Grass League, 1908–1912, the Ohio State League, 1913–1916, and the Mountain States League, 1954. The 1908 Lexington team was also called the "Thoroughbreds," Neither the team nor t ...

1913–1916 *

Lima, Ohio Lima ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwest Ohio along Interstate 75 in Ohio, Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton, Ohio, Dayton, southwest of Toledo, Ohio, T ...

: Lima Cigarmakers 1908–1912; Lima Pandas 1939–1941; Lima Red Birds 1944; Lima Reds 1945; Lima Terriers 1946–1947 *

Mansfield, Ohio Mansfield is a city in and the county seat of Richland County, Ohio, United States. Located midway between Columbus and Cleveland via Interstate 71, it is part of Northeast Ohio region in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau. The city ...

Mansfield Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area (followed by Sutton-in-Ashfield). It gained the Royal Charter of a market tow ...

1887;

Mansfield Pioneers The city of Mansfield, Ohio, was home to minor league baseball teams, known by various nicknames, which played periodically between 1887 and 1912, and between 1935 and 1941. History Late 19th century The team first began play in the Ohio State L ...

1908–1909; Mansfield Brownies 1912; Mansfield Tigers 1936; Mansfield Red Sox 1937;

Mansfield Braves Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area (followed by Sutton-in-Ashfield). It gained the Royal Charter of a market town ...

1939–1941 *

Marion, Ohio Marion is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Ohio, Marion County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio, approximately north of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus. The population was 35,999 at the 2020 United S ...

: Marion Diggers 1908–1912; Marion Presidents 1937; Marion Diggers 1944; Marion Cardinals 1945–1946; Marion Cubs *

Massillon, Ohio Massillon is a city in Stark County, Ohio, Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately west of Canton, Ohio, Canton, south of Akron, and south of Cleveland. The population was 32,146 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Mass ...

: Massillion 1898 *

Maysville, Kentucky Maysville is a home rule-class city in Mason County, Kentucky, United States and is the seat of Mason County. The population was 8,782 as of 2019, making it the 51st-largest city in Kentucky by population. Maysville is on the Ohio River, north ...

: Maysville 1913–1914; Maysville Angels 1915; Maysville Burley Cubs 1916 *

Middletown, Ohio Middletown is a city located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio, about 35 miles (47 km) north of Cincinnati. The population as of the 2020 census was 50,987. It is part of the Cincinnati metropo ...

: Middletown Red Sox 1944; Middletown Rockets 1945–1946 *

Muncie, Indiana Muncie ( ) is an incorporated city and the county seat, seat of Delaware County, Indiana, Delaware County, Indiana. Previously known as Buckongahelas Town, named after the legendary Delaware Chief.http://www.delawarecountyhistory.org/history/docs ...

: Muncie Reds 1947 *

Newark, Ohio Newark ( ) is a city serving as the county seat of Licking County, Ohio, United States, east of Columbus, at the junction of the forks of the Licking River. The population was 49,934 at the 2020 census, which makes it the 15th largest city in ...

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

1889; Newark Newks 1908–1911;

Newark Skeeters The Newark Skeeters was an American soccer club based in Newark, New Jersey and was a member of the American Soccer League and the Eastern Soccer League. History In December 1924, Tom Adam, former manager of West Hudson A.A., became the manage ...

1912;

Newark Moundsmen Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-th ...

1944–1947 *

Newport, Kentucky Newport is a list of Kentucky cities, home rule-class city at the confluence of the Ohio River, Ohio and Licking River (Kentucky), Licking rivers in Campbell County, Kentucky, Campbell County, Kentucky. The population was 15,273 at the 2010 United ...

: Newport Brewers 1914 *

New Philadelphia, Ohio New Philadelphia is a city in and the county seat of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. The county's largest city, New Philadelphia lies along the Tuscarawas River. The population was 17,677 at the 2020 census. It is a principal city in the ...

: New Philadelphia Red Birds 1936 *

Paris, Kentucky Paris is a home rule-class city in Bourbon County, Kentucky. It lies northeast of Lexington on the Stoner Fork of the Licking River. Paris is the seat of its county and forms part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. As ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

1914 *

Piqua, Ohio Piqua ( ) is a city in Miami County, southwest Ohio, United States, 27 miles north of Dayton. The population was 20,522 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was founded as the village of Washington in ...

: Piqua Picks 1911 *

Portsmouth, Ohio Portsmouth is a city in and the county seat of Scioto County, Ohio, United States. Located in southern Ohio south of Chillicothe, it lies on the north bank of the Ohio River, across from Kentucky, just east of the mouth of the Scioto River. ...

: Portsmouth Cobblers 1908–1915;

Portsmouth Truckers The Portsmouth Truckers were a Virginia League baseball team based in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States that existed on-and-off from 1895 to 1928. They also played in the Piedmont League in 1935, when they were affiliated with the Chicago Cubs. ...

(1916) *

Richmond, Indiana Richmond is a city in eastern Wayne County, Indiana. Bordering the state of Ohio, it is the county seat of Wayne County and is part of the Dayton, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 36,812. Situa ...

Richmond Roses Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

1946–1947 *

Salem, Ohio Salem is the largest city in Columbiana County, Ohio, with a small district in southern Mahoning County. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 11,915. It is the principal city of the Salem micropolitan area in Northeast Ohio. It is 18 m ...

: Salem 1898 *

Sandusky, Ohio Sandusky ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Erie County, Ohio, Erie County, Ohio, United States. Situated along the shores of Lake Erie in the northern part of the state, Sandusky is located roughly midway between Toledo, Ohio, Toledo ( wes ...

Sandusky Suds Sandusky may refer to: Places in the United States Cities and towns * Sandusky, Indiana * Sandusky, Iowa * Sandusky, Michigan * Sandusky, Ohio * Upper Sandusky, Ohio * Sandusky, West Virginia * Sandusky, Wisconsin Townships * Sandusky Township ...

1887; Sandusky Sailors 1936–1937 *

Springfield, Ohio Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County, Ohio, Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River (Ohio), Mad River, Buck Creek, and Beaver Creek, approxim ...

: Springfield Reapers 1908, 1911;

Springfield Giants From 1957 through 1965, the Springfield Giants were the Single-A and Double-A baseball team affiliate of the New York/San Francisco Giants in the Eastern League. The team played at Pynchon Park in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Springfield Gi ...

1944–1947 *

Steubenville, Ohio Steubenville is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Ohio River 33 miles west of Pittsburgh, it had a population of 18,161 at the 2020 census. The city's name is derived from Fort Steuben, a 1 ...

: Steubenville Stubs 1887 *

Tiffin, Ohio Tiffin is a city in and the county seat of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. Developed along the Sandusky River, which flows to Lake Erie, Tiffin is about 55 miles southeast of Toledo. The population was 17,963 at the 2010 census.Tiffin Tiffin is an Indian English word for a type of meal. It refers to a light breakfast or a light tea-time meal at about 3 p.m., consisting of typical tea-time foods. In certain parts of India, it can also refer to the midday luncheon or, in s ...

1889; Tiffin Mud Hens 1936–1941 *

Wheeling, West Virginia Wheeling is a city in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Located almost entirely in Ohio County, of which it is the county seat, it lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and also contains a tiny portion extending ...

: Wheeling 1887;

Wheeling Nailers The Wheeling Nailers are a professional ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey Lea ...

1898 *

Youngstown, Ohio Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County, Ohio, Mahoning County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of ...

Youngstown Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and the largest city and county seat of Mahoning County. At the 2020 census, Youngstown had a city population of 60,068. It is a principal city of the Youngstown–Warren metropolitan area, which ...

1889 *

Zanesville, Ohio Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. It is located east of Columbus and had a population of 24,765 as of the 2020 census, down from 25,487 as of the 2010 census. Historically the state capita ...

Zanesville Kickapoos Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. It is located east of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus and had a population of 24,765 as of the United States Census 2020, 2020 census, down ...

1887; Zanesville Clay Diggers 1898; Zanesville Dodgers 1944–1947

Standings & statistics

1887, 1889, 1898

1887 Ohio State League Canton entered the league August 4; Akron disbanded September 3; tubenville disbanded June 29. 1889 Ohio State League Newark disbanded September 16; Tiffin disbanded September 18 1898 Ohio State League Zanesville entered the league May 30; Conshohockten disbanded June 2
The league disbanded June 5 due to poor weather and Sunday baseball restrictions

1908 to 1916

1908 Ohio State League Springfield moved to Portsmouth June 16. 1909 Ohio State League Newark and Lancaster both disbanded August 23. 1910 Ohio State League 1911 Ohio State League Newark moved to Piqua June 22. 1912 Ohio State League Marion moved to Ironton July 15. 1913 Ohio State League 1914 Ohio State League Ironton disbanded July 5; Newport-Paris disbanded July 5; Huntington and Maysville both disbanded July 22. 1915 Ohio State League Chillicothe moved to Huntington July 13; Huntington moved to Maysville July 19.
Playoff: Portsmouth 4 games, Maysville 1. 1916 Ohio State League Huntington & Frankfort disbanded July 16; Charleston moved to Chillicothe July 13; Lexington disbanded July 16
The league disbanded July 19.

1936 to 1941

1936 Ohio State League Mansfield and New Philadelphia both disbanded May 26. 1937 Ohio State League Sandusky moved to Marion June22. 1938 Ohio State League Playoff: Freemont 3 games, Fostoria 0. 1939 Ohio State League Playoff: Lima defeated Tiffin in a one-game playoff for fourth place. Freemont won 2nd place by coin toss. Findley 2 games, Fostoria 0; Lima 2 games, Fremont 1
Finals: Lima 4 games, Findlay 3; 1940 Ohio State League Playoff: Lima 3 games, Mansfield 0; Findley 3 games, Tiffin 1
Finals: Lima 4 Games, Findley 2. 1941 Ohio State League No League play 1942 & 1943 due to WW II.

1944 to 1947

1944 Ohio State League Playoffs: Newark 3 games, Lima 1;Middletown 3 games, Springfield 2
Finals: Newark 4 games, Middletown 2. 1945 Ohio State League Playoffs: Middletown 4 games, Springfield 2; Zanesville 4 games, Lima 2
Finals: Zanesville 3 games, Middletown 2. 1946 Ohio State League Playoffs: Zanesville 4 games, Richmond 0; Springfield 4 games, Newark 2.
Finals: Zanesville 4 games, Springfield 2. 1947 Ohio State League Playoffs: Zanesville 4 games, Springfield 0; Marion 4 games, Muncie 1;
Finals: Zanesville 4 games, Marion 2.

League records 1887–1951

See the Ohio–Indiana League for 1948-51

Sources

The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball; Second Edition
Image is user created not original.

External links

Baseball Reference12/6/45 TSN
1945 recap by President Colley Baseball leagues in Ohio Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States Baseball leagues in Kentucky Baseball leagues in West Virginia Baseball leagues in Michigan Sports leagues established in 1887 Sports leagues disestablished in 1947 Baseball leagues in Indiana

History

Cities represented

Standings & statistics

1887, 1889, 1898

1908 to 1916

1936 to 1941

1944 to 1947

League records 1887–1951

Further reading

Sources

External links