The Sterling Infants were a minor league baseball team based in

Sterling, Illinois Sterling is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. The population was 14,782 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, down from 15,370 in 2010. Formerly nicknamed "Hardware Capital of the World", the ...

. In 1910, the Sterling Infants played as members of the Class D level

Northern Association The Northern Association was a Class D level minor league. It began and ended play in 1910, disbanding on July 19, 1910. The Joliet club moved to Sterling on June 21. The Clinton and Freeport teams disbanded on June 28; The Elgin and Kankakee fran ...

. Previously, the 1890 Sterling Blue Coats were briefly members of the 1890 Illinois-Iowa League. Both teams played a partial season in their leagues and hosted minor league home games at the Sporting Association Grounds.

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

Bud Fowler Bud Fowler (March 16, 1858 – February 26, 1913), born "John W. Jackson", was an American baseball player, manager (baseball), manager, and club organizer. He is the earliest known African-American player in organized professional baseball. He ...

played for the 1890 Sterling Blue Coats, integrating the team and the Illinois–Iowa League.

History

Minor league baseball began in Sterling, Illinois when the 1890 Sterling Blue Coats became members of the 1890

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 Illinois-Iowa League. After Sterling began play in the eight–team league, the Blue Coats had a record of 21–51 on July 31, 1890 when the franchise moved to nearby

Galesburg, Illinois Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The city is northwest of Peoria. At the 2010 census, its population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County and the principal city of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical ...

. On September 4, 1890, 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 ...

, after compiling an 8–17 record in Galesburg, moved again to

Burlington, Iowa Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of, Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 23,982 in the 2020 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in 2000. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area, which includes ...

to become the

Burlington Hawkeyes 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 ...

. In Burlington, the franchise disbanded on September 10, 1890. The 1890 Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team finished with a 30–72 overall record when they disbanded. The team was in eighth place in the Illinois-Iowa League standings, finishing 33.5 games behind the first place Ottumwa Coal Palace Kings (63–43).

member Bud Fowler played for the Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team in 1890, hitting.322 for the season.

member

played for the Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team. Fowler was the first known African-American to play professional baseball, becoming a pioneer for baseball players. Fowler hit .322 for the season. Playing for the Sterling/Galesburg/Burlington team in 1890, Fowler hit .322 for the season. In 1910, minor league baseball returned to Sterling during the season. On June 21, 1910, the

Joliet Jolly-ites Joliet or Jolliet may refer to: People * Louis Jolliet (1645–1700), French-Canadian explorer of North America * Oscar Joliet (1878–1969), Belgian scholar-priest and Catholic Auxiliary bishop of Ghent Places in the United States * Joliet, Illi ...

of the Class D level

relocated to Sterling with a 21–18 record. The Sterling "Infants" played the remainder of the season, having a 3–16 record in Sterling to finish with a 24–34 overall record. The Joliet Jolly-ites/Sterling Infants placed sixth in the Northern Association standings, playing the season under manager

Hunkey Hines Henry Fred Hines (September 29, 1867 in Elgin, Illinois – January 2, 1928 in Rockford, Illinois), was a former professional baseball player who played outfield in two games for the Brooklyn Grooms The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Bas ...

. The Northern League permanently disbanded on July 19, 1910. Sterling, Illinois has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Sterling Blue Coats and Sterling Infants played home minor league games at the Sporting Association Grounds in Sterling, Illinois. The location of the Sterling Association Grounds ballpark is not known.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

(1890) Inducted

, 2021 *

Varney Anderson Varney Samuel "Varn" Anderson ( – ) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Indianapolis Hoosiers and the Washington Senators. Professional career Early minor league years Anderson played professionally at least as early as 18 ...

(1890) * Fritz Clausen (1890) * James Donnelly (1890, MGR) *

(1910, MGR) *

Jack Scheible John G. Scheible (February 16, 1866 – August 6, 1897) was a professional baseball player who pitched for two different teams over two seasons. He made his debut in 1893 with the Cleveland Spiders and played for the Philadelphia Phillies the ...

(1890)

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Sterling - Stats Crew
Defunct minor league baseball teams Professional baseball teams in Illinois Defunct baseball teams in Illinois Baseball teams established in 1910 Baseball teams disestablished in 1910 1910 establishments in Illinois 1910 disestablishments in Illinois Sterling, Illinois Whiteside County, Illinois Northern Association teams