The Wessington Springs Saints were a minor league baseball team based in

Wessington Springs, South Dakota Wessington Springs is a city in central Jerauld County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 956 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jerauld County. History The Wessington Springs townsite was founded in 1880 and platted i ...

. In 1920, the Saints briefly played as members of the Class D level

South Dakota League The South Dakota League was a Class D level minor league baseball league that played from 1920 to 1923. The South Dakota League changed its name to the shortened Dakota League for the 1921 and 1922 seasons. The South Dakota League consisted of ...

, hosting home minor league games at the Wessington Springs City Park.

History

In 1920, Wessington Springs, South Dakota first hosted minor league baseball when the "Wessington Springs Saints" began play as charter members of the eight–team, Class D level

. The Aberdeen Boosters,

Huron Packers Huron may refer to: People * Wyandot people (or Wendat), indigenous to North America * Wyandot language, spoken by them * Huron-Wendat Nation, a Huron-Wendat First Nation with a community in Wendake, Quebec * Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi ...

, Madison Greys, Miller Climbers,

Mitchell Kernels The Mitchell Kernels were a minor league baseball team based in Mitchell, South Dakota. The Kernels played as members of the South Dakota League (1920), Dakota League (1921–1922), South Dakota League (1923), Nebraska State League (1936–1937) ...

, Redfield Reds and

Sioux Falls Soos The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin (; Dakota language, Dakota: Help:IPA, /otʃʰeːtʰi ʃakoːwĩ/) are groups of Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes and First Nations in Canada, First Nations peoples in North America. The ...

teams joined Wessington in beginning league play on May 18, 1920. The "Saints" nickname corresponds to Wessington being home to the

Wessington Springs College Wessington Springs College was an institution of higher learning located in Wessington Springs, Jerauld County, South Dakota. The college, affiliated with the Free Methodist Church, was founded in as "Wessington Springs Seminary." It was rename ...

/Seminary in the era. Opened in 1887, the college closed in 1964. The Wessington Springs Saints finished in fourth place in the 1920 South Dakota League, before the league reorganized during the season. The South Dakota league disbanded on July 17, 1920, and changed names to the

Dakota League Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesot ...

, but Wessington Springs did not field a franchise. Wessington Springs ended the 1920 season with a record of 49–48, as Matt McGrath served as manager. The Saints finished 12.0 games behind the first place

in the final standings. The 1920 Saints were the final minor league team hosted in Wessington Springs.

The ballpark

The Wessington Springs Saints played minor league home games at Wessington Springs City Park. Still in use as a public park, Wessington Springs City Park is located on Dakota Avenue South, Wessington Springs, South Dakota.

Year–by–year record

Notable alumni

No Wessington Springs Saints alumni reached the major leagues.

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Wessington Springs - Baseball Reference
Professional baseball teams in South Dakota Defunct baseball teams in South Dakota Baseball teams established in 1920 Baseball teams disestablished in 1920 Jerauld County, South Dakota South Dakota League teams