The Lincoln Links were an American

minor league baseball Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...

franchise that represented

Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The city covers and had a population of 291,082 as of the 2020 census. It is the state's List of cities in Nebraska, second-most populous city a ...

, for 18 seasons over a 23-year period (1917–39) during the 20th century. They played in the Class A Western League (1917; 1924–27), the Class D

Nebraska State League The Nebraska State League (NSL) was an American professional minor league baseball league with five incarnations between 1892 and 1959. The Nebraska State League formed five times: in 1892, from 1910 to 1915, from 1922 to 1923, from 1928 to 1938 a ...

(1922–23; 1928–36; 1938) and the Class D Western League of 1939–41 (1939). Lincoln was first represented in

organized baseball Organized baseball is an outdated term that collectively describes what is now known as Major League Baseball (MLB) and its various affiliated minor leagues, under the authority of the commissioner of baseball. Historically, these leagues were bo ...

in 1886 as the ''Tree Planters'' in the reorganized original Western League. Lincoln's 19th-century teams played in various leagues between 1886 and 1895. In 1906, Lincoln joined the Class A Western League as the ''Ducklings'' (1906), ''Treeplanters'' (1907), ''Railsplitters'' (1908–13) and ''Tigers'' (1914–16).BR Minors
/ref> During this time, team nicknames were often unofficially assigned by sportswriters, and ''The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball'', published by

Baseball America ''Baseball America'' (BA) is a sports publication company that covers baseball at every level, including Major League Baseball (MLB), with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) college, high school, and inte ...

in 2007, lists other nicknames for the Lincoln franchise of the time, including ''Greenbackers'' and ''Antelopes.'' Adopted in 1917, ''Links'' was the most widely used of the several nicknames associated with Lincoln teams during the 20th century. They played home games at Antelope Park (through 1917) and Landis Field (after 1922)Nebraska Baseball History web site
/ref> and won Nebraska State League championships in 1923 (under

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...

O.A. Beltzer), and 1934 (under Cy Lingle and

Pug Griffin Francis Arthur "Pug" Griffin (April 24, 1896 – October 12, 1951) was a Major League Baseball player. He debuted in for the Philadelphia Athletics, playing mostly as a pinch hitter but also appearing in three games as a first baseman. After spe ...

). Upon the introduction of the

farm system In sports, a farm team (also referred to as farm system, developmental system, feeder team, or nursery club) is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful pl ...

, the Links were linked with

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

(1933–34),

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

(1936, as the ''Red Links''), and

St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they ...

(1938–39).

After World War II: A new league, team, name and ballpark

The Class A Western League had folded during the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

in 1937, but with the boom in baseball attendance following World War II, it was revived in 1947 by

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

Edwin C. Johnson of

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

. Lincoln was one of six cities represented in the 1947 Western League as the ''A's'', reflecting its affiliation with the

Philadelphia Athletics The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, they became the Oakland ...

. The Lincoln A's moved into a new ballpark, Sherman Field, named for franchise owner Charles "Cy" Sherman,Cy Sherman Dies; Dean of American Sports Writers, The Lincoln Star (Lincoln, Nebraska) May 23, 1951, page 1 and 2, accessed October 17, 2016 at https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7061146// and https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7061235// and played for six seasons (1947–52), making the playoffs twice.

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 a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...

second baseman In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the Infielder, infield, between Baseball field#Second base, second and Baseball field#First base, first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and f ...

Nellie Fox Jacob Nelson Fox (December 25, 1927 – December 1, 1975) was an American professional baseball player. Fox was one of the best second basemen of all time, and the third-most difficult hitter to strike out in Major League Baseball (MLB) history. ...

batted .311 for the 1948 Lincoln A's in his last season as a minor leaguer. However, in 1953 the Athletics abandoned Lincoln and were replaced by the

Milwaukee Braves The Milwaukee Braves were a Major League Baseball club that played in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from 1953 to 1965, having previously played in Boston, Massachusetts, as the Boston Braves. After relocating to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1966 they were rename ...

, who fielded a club identified by its final nickname, the ''Lincoln Chiefs.'' The Chiefs struggled on the field for their first three seasons, but in 1956, in the team's second year as an affiliate of the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

, they won the Western League's first half and playoff championships. The 1956 Chiefs, managed by

Larry Shepard Lawrence William Shepard (April 3, 1919April 5, 2011) was an American professional baseball player, manager, and pitching coach. He managed the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball to a 164–155 win–loss record in and . Biography ...

, were paced by two standout performances.

First baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

Dick Stuart Richard Lee Stuart (November 7, 1932 – December 15, 2002), nicknamed "Dr. Strangeglove", was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman from 1958 to 1966 then, played in the Nippon Pro ...

clubbed 66

home runs In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run ...

— still the fourth-most in minor league history — and also led the league with 158

runs batted in A run batted in or runs batted in (RBI) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if th ...

Pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

Bennie Daniels Bennie Daniels Jr. (born June 17, 1932), is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates (–) and Washington Senators (–). During his playing days, Daniels stood , we ...

, meanwhile, compiled a 15–3

win–loss record Win–loss may refer to: * Win–loss analytics, analysis of the reasons why a visitor to a website was or wasn't persuaded to engage in a desired action * Win–loss record, also winning percentage * Win–loss record (pitching), the number of ...

. The 1957 Chiefs repeated as Western League champions, edging out the

Amarillo Gold Sox The Amarillo Gold Sox was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise that represented the city of Amarillo, Texas, in the Class D West Texas–New Mexico League, the Class A Western League and the Double-A Texas League at various ...

by a single game. But the Western League was in its twilight years; plagued by declining attendance and the defection of teams such as the

Omaha Cardinals The Omaha Cardinals were a minor league baseball team based in Omaha, Nebraska, from 1947 through 1959. They played in the Class A Western League (1900–1958), Western League through 1954 and in the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A American Associat ...

and

Denver Bears Denver ( ) is a consolidated city and county, the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the Western United States, in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains east of th ...

to higher-level circuits, it folded after the 1958 campaign, one in which the Chiefs placed third in the league and in home attendance.

A Nebraska team in the Three-I League

The Chiefs played for three more seasons in organized baseball as a member of the Class B

Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League was a Class B level Minor League Baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 seasons, with teams based in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymo ...

and an affiliate of the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

. But the Three-I League was also suffering from the woes that plagued the Western circuit, and it disbanded after the 1961 season. Lincoln would be without professional baseball until the advent of the independent league

Lincoln Saltdogs The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are in the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. Since the 2001 se ...

in 2001.

Notable alumni of the Lincoln A's and Chiefs (1947–61)

Hall of Fame alumni *

Inducted, 1997 Notable alumni *

Don Buford Donald Alvin Buford (born February 2, 1937) is an American former professional baseball player scout, coach and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from through , most notably as the leadoff hitter for the Baltimore Orio ...

Joe Christopher Joseph O'Neal Christopher (December 13, 1935 – October 3, 2023) was an American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, and Boston Red Sox from 1959 through 1966. He ...

Jim Duffalo James Francis Duffalo (born November 25, 1935) is a former American professional baseball player. A right-handed relief pitcher, Duffalo played all or part of five seasons (1961–65) in Major League Baseball, and 18 years in organized baseball a ...

Joe Gibbon Joseph Charles Gibbon (April 10, 1935 – February 20, 2019) was an American professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, he spent all or parts of 13 seasons (1960–72) in Major League Baseball as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Sa ...

* Dick Hall * Ken Hamlin *

Mike Hershberger Norman Michael Hershberger (October 9, 1939 – July 1, 2012) was an American professional baseball player and outfielder for the Chicago White Sox (1961–1964, 1971), Kansas City / Oakland Athletics (1965–1969) and Milwaukee Brewers (1970) d ...

Joe Hoerner Joseph Walter Hoerner (November 12, 1936 – October 4, 1996) was an American professional baseball relief pitcher, who played 14 years in Major League Baseball (MLB), for seven different teams. A native of Dubuque, Iowa, he grew up in nearby Ke ...

Joe Horlen Joel Edward Horlen (August 14, 1937 – April 10, 2022) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1961 to 1972 for the Chicago White Sox and Oakland Athletics. In references, he is called Joe Ho ...

Al Jackson Alvin Neill Jackson (December 26, 1935 – August 19, 2019), affectionately referred to as "Little" Al Jackson, was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1959 to 1969. His 43 wins with the New York Mets were t ...

Julián Javier Manuel Julián Javier Liranzo (; born August 9, 1936), is a Dominican former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1960 to 1972, most prominently as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals where, he beca ...

* Jack Lamabe *

Bob Locker Robert Awtry Locker (March 15, 1938 – August 15, 2022) was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965 to 1975 for five different teams. The sinker-balling Locker never made a start in his big-league career. ...

Jerry McNertney Gerald Edward McNertney (born August 7, 1936) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher in 1964 and then from 1966 to 1973. Career Born in Boone, Iowa, McNertney signed with t ...

Dan Osinski Daniel Osinski (November 17, 1933 – September 13, 2013), nicknamed "The Silencer", was an American Major League Baseball relief pitcher. The , right-hander was signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent before the 1952 season. ...

Arnie Portocarrero Arnold Mario Portocarrero (July 5, 1931 – June 21, 1986) was an American professional baseball player and right-handed pitcher who appeared in 166 games pitched in the major leagues over all or parts of seven seasons for the Philadelphia / K ...

Bobby Shantz Robert Clayton Shantz (born September 26, 1925) is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from through , and won the 1952 American League Most Valuable Player Award as a member of ...

Al Weis Albert John Weis (born April 2, 1938) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an infielder from 1962 to 1971 for the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets. A light-hitting batter with only seve ...

Dave Wickersham David Clifford Wickersham (September 27, 1935 – June 18, 2022) was an American baseball pitcher who played ten seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Kansas City Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Kansa ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lincoln Links Chicago White Sox minor league affiliates Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliates Defunct minor league baseball teams Milwaukee Braves minor league affiliates Philadelphia Athletics minor league affiliates Pittsburgh Pirates minor league affiliates Defunct baseball teams in Nebraska St. Louis Browns minor league affiliates St. Louis Cardinals minor league affiliates Baseball teams established in 1906 Baseball teams disestablished in 1961 1961 disestablishments in Nebraska Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League teams 1906 establishments in Nebraska Sports in Lincoln, Nebraska Defunct Western League teams Nebraska State League teams