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 played under that name for the remainder of the season.Ball Park Digest
The Central League later reformed in 1928.

Minor League class history

Before the current minor league baseball classification system was introduced in 1963, minor leagues/teams were classified from Class D up to Class Triple-A. The following is a list of the various classifications that the Central League had during its years of operation: * Class B: 1903–1917, 1920–1922, 1928–1930, 1932, 1934 * Class C: 1926 * Class A: 1948–1951

Cities represented

The following are former cities and teams that made up the Central League. *

Akron, Ohio 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 ...

: Akron Rubbermen 1912; Akron Tyrites 1928–1929, 1932 * Anderson, IN: Anderson Orphans 1903 * Bloomington, IL:

Bloomington Blues Bloomington may refer to: Places U.S.A. (most commonly) *Bloomington, Illinois *Bloomington, Indiana *Bloomington, Minnesota U.S.A. (less commonly) *Bloomington, California *Bloomington, Idaho *Bloomington, Kansas *Bloomington, Maryland *Bloomi ...

1900 *

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 an ...

: Canton Red Stockings 1905; Canton Chinamen 1906–1907; Canton Statesmen 1912; Canton Terriers 1928–1930, 1932 *

Charleston, WV 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 1949–1951 *

Danville, IL Danville is a city in and the county seat of Vermilion County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 33,027. As of 2019, the population was an estimated 30,479. History The area that is now Danville was once home to the Miami, ...

Danville Champions Several different minor league ballclubs have been based in the town of Danville, Illinois, fielding teams in 38 seasons between 1888 and 1982 under various monikers. The Danville Suns (1982), Danville Dodgers (1975–1976), Danville Warriors (1 ...

1900 *

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County, Ohio, Greene County. The 2020 United S ...

Dayton Veterans Dayton () is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County, Ohio, Greene County. The 2020 United S ...

1903–1917;

Dayton Aviators The Dayton Aviators were a minor league baseball team based in Dayton, Ohio. From 1928 to 1930, the Aviators played as members of the Class B level Central League, winning the 1928 league championship. The Aviators hosted home games at North Si ...

1928–1930; Dayton Ducks 1932;

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 ...

1948–1951 * Decatur, IL:

Decatur Commodores The Decatur Commodores were a professional minor league baseball team based in Decatur, Illinois that played for 64 seasons. The Commodores are the primary ancestor of today's Kane County Cougars. They played, with sporadic interruptions, from 1 ...

1900 * Erie, PA:

Erie Sailors The Erie Sailors was the primary name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Erie, Pennsylvania between 1906 and 1994. Pre-1930s Several unrelated teams used the Erie Sailors name in the Interstate League (1906–1907, 1913, 19 ...

1912, 1915, 1928–1930, 1932 *

Evansville, IN Evansville is a city in, and the county seat of, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States. The population was 118,414 at the 2020 census, making it the state's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the largest city in ...

: Evansville River Rats 1903–1910, 1913–1915; Evansville Strikers 1911;

Evansville Evas The Evansville Evas was a primary nickname of an early minor league baseball teams in Evansville, Indiana between 1877 and 1931. Early Evansville teams played as members of the League Alliance (1887), Central Interstate League (1889-1890), Inter ...

1916–1917 *

Flint, MI Flint is the largest city and seat of Genesee County, Michigan, United States. Located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the region known as Mid Michigan. At the 2020 census, Flint had a population of ...

: Flint Arrows, 1948–1951 *

Fort Wayne, IN Fort Wayne is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Indiana, United States. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 as of the 2020 Cens ...

Fort Wayne Railroaders A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere' ...

1903, 1905; Fort Wayne Billikens 1908–1910; Fort Wayne Brakies 1911; Fort Wayne Railroaders 1912, Fort Wayne Champs 1913; Fort Wayne Railroaders 1914; Fort Wayne Cubs 1915; Fort Wayne Chiefs 1928–1930, 1932, 1934; Fort Wayne Generals 1948 * Grand Rapids, MI: Grand Rapids Orphans 1903–1905; Grand Rapids Wolverines 1906–1909; Grand Rapids Raiders 1910 Grand Rapids Furniture Makers 1911; Grand Rapids Grads 1911; Grand Rapids Bill-eds 1913; Grand Rapids Black Sox 1912, Grand Rapids Champs 1914 Grand Rapids Black Sox 1915–1917; Grand Rapids Joshers 1920–1921; Grand Rapids Billbobs 1922; Grand Rapids Black Sox 1926; Grand Rapids Tigers 1934; Grand Rapids Jets 1948–1951 * Ionia, MI: Ionia Mayors 1921–1922 * Jackson, MI: Jackson Mayors 1921 * Jacksonville, IL: Jacksonville Reds 1900 *

Kalamazoo, MI 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 Metropoli ...

: Kalamazoo Celery Pickers 1920–1922, 1926 * Lansing, MI:

Lansing Senators Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County, Michigan, Eaton County and north into Clinton County, Michigan, Clinto ...

1921–1922 *

Lima, OH 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 approximately north of Dayton, southwest of Toledo, and southeast of Fort Wayne, Indiana. A ...

: Lima Buckeyes 1934 * Lansing, MI:

Ludington Mariners The Ludington Mariners (official name: Ludington Mariner Base Ball Club) were a professional Class D minor league baseball team from Ludington, Michigan. Their home field was located in Culver Park. The team was formed in 1912 as part of the Mi ...

1920–1922 * Ludington, MI: Ludington Tars 1926 * Marion, OH: Marion Oilworkers 1903–1904 * Muskegon, MI: Muskegon Reds 1916; Muskegon Muskies 1920–1922; Muskegon Reds 1926, 1934; Muskegon Clippers 1948–1950; Muskegon Reds 1951 *

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 O ...

: Newark Skeeters 1911 * Peoria, IL:

Peoria Distillers The Peoria Distillers were a minor league baseball team that existed on-and-off from 1894 to 1917. They played in the Western Association from 1894 to 1896; the Central League in 1900, 1904 and 1917; the Western League from 1902 to 1903; and the ...

1900, 1904, 1917;

Peoria Tractors Peoria can refer to: People * Peoria tribe, Native American tribe Places United States * Peoria, Arizona, largest city in the U.S. with that name; named after Peoria, Illinois. ** Peoria Unified School District ** Peoria Sports Complex ** Peor ...

1934 * Richmond, IN: Richmond Quakers 1917; Richmond Roses 1930 *

Saginaw, MI Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greate ...

: Saginaw Bears 1948-1950; Saginaw Jacks 1951 * South Bend, IN: South Bend Greens 1903–1909 South Bend Bronchos 1910; South Bend Bux 1911; South Bend Benders 1911, South Bend Benders 1912, 1916–1917; South Bend Twins 1932 *

Springfield, IL Springfield is the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat and largest city of Sangamon County. The city's population was 114,394 at the 2020 census, which makes it the state's seventh most-populous city, the second largest ...

: Springfield 1900; Springfield Red Birds 1934 *

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

Springfield Babes The Springfield Babes was an American soccer club based in Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is a city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, and the seat of Hampden County. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the C ...

1905-1907; Springfield Reapers 1912–1914, 1916–1917; Springfield Buckeyes 1928; Springfield Dunnmen 1929; Springfield Blue Sox 1930 *

Terre Haute, IN Terre Haute ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, about 5 miles east of the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a ...

Terre Haute Hottentots The Terre Haute Hottentots were a Minor League Baseball team from Terre Haute, Indiana, that played in the Northwestern League in 1891, Illinois–Iowa League in 1892, Western Interstate League in 1895, Western League in 1895, Class C Central ...

1900, 1903–1909; Terre Haute Stags 1910; Terre Haute Miners 1911; Terre Haute Terre-iers 1912–1914; Terre Haute Highlanders 1915–1916 * Wheeling, WV:

Wheeling Stogies The Wheeling Stogies was a minor league baseball team based in Wheeling, West Virginia, that played under several different names at various times between 1877 and 1934. They played mostly in the Central League and the Middle Atlantic League, as we ...

1903–1912, 1915–1916 *

Youngstown, Ohio 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, whi ...

Youngstown Steelmen The Youngstown Steelmen was a minor league baseball franchise that competed in three different leagues between 1910 and 1915. The club, based in Youngstown, Ohio, participated at various times in the Ohio–Pennsylvania League, the Tri-State League ...

1912; Youngstown Buckeyes 1932 *

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 Infants 1908–1909; Zanesville Potters 1910–1912

Standings & statistics

1948-1951

Playoffs: Fort Wayne 3 games, Flint 2; Dayton 3 games, Muskegon 1
Finals: Dayton 4 games, Fort Wayne 2 Playoffs: Charleston 3 games, Dayton 1; Grand Rapids 3 games, Flint 2
Finals: Grand Rapids 4 games, Charleston 2 Playoffs: Flint 3 games, Grand Rapids 1; Muskegon 3 games, Dayton 2
Finals: Flint 4 games, Muskegon 1

References

External links

*https://web.archive.org/web/20071022210728/http://www.ballparkdigest.com/leagues/central_league.htm {{Professional Baseball Defunct minor baseball leagues in the United States Baseball leagues in Ohio Baseball leagues in Indiana Baseball leagues in Illinois Baseball leagues in Michigan Baseball leagues in West Virginia Sports leagues established in 1900 Sports leagues disestablished in 1951