Northwestern League

For the incarnation of the league that played from 1905 to 1917, see Northwestern League (1905-1917).

The Northwestern League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1883–1884, and again from 1886-1887.^[1] It was founded by Elias Matter in 1883.

History

1883-1884

The original teams in the Northwestern League were the Peoria Reds, the Toledo Blue Stockings, the Fort Wayne Hoosiers, the Saginaw Greys, and teams from Bay City, Michigan; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Quincy, Illinois; and Springfield, Illinois. The Blue Stockings won the championship.

In 1884, teams from Evansville, Indiana; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Muskegon, Michigan; St. Paul, Minnesota; Stillwater, Minnesota; Terre Haute, Indiana; and Winona, Minnesota joined the league. The new teams included the original Minneapolis Millers. Springfield and Toledo had left the league after the 1883 season.

Bay City disbanded from the league on July 22, and started a chain reaction. Evansville left on July 30, and Grand Rapids and Muskegon followed suit on August 2. The season ended when the Millers disbanded on September 3. St. Paul and Milwaukee left for the Union Association on September 27.

1886-1887

In 1886, the league was recreated when teams from Duluth, Minnesota; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Milwaukee, Minnesota, St. Paul, and Oshkosh, Wisconsin were added to the league.

In 1887, teams from Des Moines, Iowa; La Crosse, Wisconsin; and St. Paul joined the Northwestern League. Only 2 teams had left the league. Oshkosh won the championship.

The Northwestern league was disbanded after the 1887 season, and replaced by the Western Association.^[1]

Other classifications

The Northwestern League also operated in other classifications between 1879 and 1917:

Years/Teams

• 1879 - Davenport Brown Stockings, Dubuque Red Stockings, Omaha Green Stockings, Rockford White Stockings
• 1881 - N/A
• 1885 - N/A
• 1886 - Duluth Jayhawks, Eau Claire Lumbermen, Milwaukee Brewers, Minneapolis Millers, Oshkosh, St. Paul Freezers
• 1891 - Bay City, Dayton, Detroit Wolverines, Evansville Hoosiers, Evansville Hoosiers, Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, Grand Rapids Shamrocks, Grand Rapids Shamrocks, Peoria Distillers, Terre Haute Hottentots, Terre Haute Hottentots
• 1895 - N/A
• 1905 - Bellingham Gillnetters, Everett Smokestackers, Vancouver Veterans, Victoria Legislators/Spokane Indians
• 1906 - Butte Miners, Grays Harbor Lumbermen, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers
• 1907 - Aberdeen Black Cats, Butte Miners, Seattle Siwashes, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers, Vancouver Canucks
• 1908 - Aberdeen/Grays Harbor Grays, Butte Miners, Seattle Siwashes, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers, Vancouver Beavers
• 1909 - Grays Harbor Grays, Portland Colts, Seattle Turks, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers, Vancouver Beavers
• 1910 - Seattle Giants, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers, Vancouver Beavers
• 1911 - Portland Pippins, Seattle Giants, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers, Vancouver Beavers, Victoria Bees
• 1912 - Portland Colts, Seattle Giants, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers, Vancouver Beavers, Victoria Bees
• 1913 - Portland Colts, Seattle Giants, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers, Vancouver Beavers, Victoria Bees
• 1914 - Portland Colts/Ballard Pippins, Seattle Giants, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers, Vancouver Beavers, Victoria Bees
• 1915 - Aberdeen Black Cats, Seattle Giants, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers, Vancouver Beavers, Victoria Bees
• 1916 - Butte Miners, Great Falls Electrics, Seattle Giants, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers, Vancouver Beavers
• 1917 - Butte Miners, Great Falls Electrics, Seattle Giants, Spokane Indians, Tacoma Tigers, Vancouver Beavers

^[2]

References

• Northwestern League - BR Bullpen
• Bay City Ball Club History

1. ^ ^{a b} Thornly, Stew (2006). Baseball in Minnesota: The Definitive History. ISBN 0873515511. 
2. ^ Baseball Reference – Northwestern League (B) Encyclopedia and History