The Wyandotte Alkalis were a minor league baseball team based in

Wyandotte, Michigan Wyandotte ( ) is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 25,058 at the 2020 census. Wyandotte is located in southeastern Michigan, approximately south of Detroit on the Detroit River, and it is part of the coll ...

. In 1912 and 1913, the Alkalis, named for a locally based company, played exclusively as members of the Class D level

Border League The Border League, is the oldest established rugby union league in the World, having been formed in 1901. Currently known as the Booker Border League, after its sponsors, teams from all over the Scottish Borders as well as Berwick RFC from Nor ...

, winning the 1912 league championship. Wyandotte hosted home minor league games at Alkali Park.

History

In 1912, the Wyandotte, Michigan based Wyandotte Alkalis became charter members of the five–team Class D level

. The Border League featured teams from both the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. The 1912 league featured the

Mount Clemens Bathers The Mount Clemens Bathers were a minor league baseball team based in Mount Clemens, Michigan. Between 1906 and 1914, the Bathers played as members of the Class D level Southern Michigan League in 1906 and 1907, Border League in 1912 and 1913 and ...

Pontiac Indians The Pontiac Indians were a minor league baseball team based in Pontiac, Michigan. In 1912 and 1913, the Indians played exclusively as members of the Class D level Border League, hosting home games at Wisner Park. History In 1912, the Pontiac In ...

, Port Huron Independents and Windsor teams joining the Wyandotte Alkalis in Border League play. The "Alkalis" moniker derives from local business and the Michigan Alkali Company. The company headquarters was located along Biddle Street in Wyandotte. The Michigan Alkali Company owned much of the property in Wyandotte, Michigan during the era, including Alkali Park, the Wyandotte Alkalis' home ballpark. In their first season of play, the 1912 Wyandotte Alkalis won the Border League Championship. Beginning league play on May 30, 1912, Wyandotte had a final record 19–5 to win the title under manager H.R. Browne. Wyandotte finished 4.5 games ahead of the second place Pontiac Indians (14–9), followed by the Mount Clemens Bathers (11–15), Windsor (9–14) and Port Huron Independents (7–17) in the final standings. The Wyandotte Alkalis played their final season in 1913. Beginning play on May 24, 1913, the Alkalis placed second in the 1913 the Border League standings. Wyandotte ended the 1913 season with a 24–13 record, as manager H.R. Browne returned. The Alkalis finished 1.5 games behind the first place

Ypsilanti, Michigan Ypsilanti (), commonly shortened to Ypsi, is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 20,648. The city is bounded to the north by Superior Township and on the west, south, and ...

team in the six–team league final standings. The Border League folded after the 1913 season and never reformed. Wyandotte, Michigan has not hosted another minor league team.

The ballpark

The Wyandotte Alkalis played 1912 and 1913 home minor league games at Alkali Park. The ballpark was reported to have opened on May 16, 1901, built by the Michigan Alkali Company, namesake of the team. The ballpark site today is a portion of the 9–hole Wyandotte Shores Golf Course, located at 3625 Biddle Avenue Wyandotte, Michigan.

Timeline

Year–by–year records

Notable alumni

No alumni of the Wyandotte Alkalis reached the major leagues.

References

{{reflist, 2

External links

Wyandotte - Baseball Reference
Defunct minor league baseball teams Defunct baseball teams in Michigan Baseball teams established in 1912 Baseball teams disestablished in 1913 Border League teams Wyandotte, Michigan