Arkansas State League


The Arkansas State League was an American minor league baseball league that played in various seasons between 1894 and 1935, forming three different times. The first version was in operation in 1894, followed by an 1897 league. The Class D level league operated from 1908 to 1909 in Arkansas and Louisiana and also in 1934 to 1935 in Arkansas and Missouri. In 1936, the league evolved to become the Arkansas-Missouri League. Little Rock and Rogers each won two league championships.

Cities represented

Standings & statistics

1894 & 1897

1894 Arkansas State League
Team standingsWLPCTGBManager
Little Rock Rose Buds115.688-NA
Morrilton Cotton Pickers105.667½Massey
Camden Rainmakers710.412NA
Hot Springs Bathers311.2147.0NA
Fort Smith IndiansNANANANARogers
TexarkanaNANANANANA

Season ended June 23

1897 Arkansas State League
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Little Rock Senators217.750-Harry Edwards
Hot Springs Bathers1715.5316.0Dudley Payne
Fort Smith Indians1523.39510.0Hardin
Texarkana Nobles923.28114.0Thomas Browner
After the league disbanded August 18, Little Rock and Hot Springs played a 21-game series for the championship of Arkansas.

1908 & 1909

1908 Arkansas State League
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Hot Springs Giants7838.672-Arthur Riggs / W. Forbes
Newport Pearl Diggers6544.596Robert Shelton
Helena Ponies6748.58310½Rudolph Kling
Pine Bluff Pine Knotts5161.45524.0Walter Deaver / Al Sullivan
Argenta Shamrocks4968.41928½James Kerwin / Roy Geyer
Charles Reece / Arthur Riggs
Poplar Bluff Tigers /
Brinkley Infants
2879.26245½Al Sullivan / Lee Dawkins
Poplar Bluff was replaced by Brinkley June 8. No Playoffs were scheduled.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Elmer CoyleHot SpringsBA.376Lucky WrightHot SpringsW27
Elmer CoyleHot SpringsRuns134Hippo VaughnHot SpringsPct.900; 9-1
Elmer CoyleHot SpringsHits178Herbert BenhamHelenaSB65

1909 Arkansas State League
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Jonesboro Zebras4227.609-Senter Rainey / Harry Welch
Helena Hellions3925.609½C. A. Vandergriff
Texarkana3435.4938.0Robert Shelton
Hot Springs Vaporites3337.471Arthur Riggs / Elmer Coyle
Monroe Municipals /
Newport-Batesville Pearl Diggers
2538.39714.0W. Dobard
Ft. Smith Soldiers2742.39115.0Hugo Bezdek / Dad Ritter
Argenta Shamrocks2619.578NADad Ritter
Alexandria Hoo Hoos2023.465NAJohn Auslet

Argenta & Alexandria disbanded June 7; Monroe moved to Newport-Batesville July 1.
League disbanded July 7.

1934 & 1935

1934 Arkansas State League

The Arkansas State League reformed with four teams. Franchises based in Bentonville, Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, Rogers, Arkansas, and Siloam Springs, Arkansas joined. The winners of the first and second halves of the season played for the league championship at the end of the year.
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Bentonville Officeholders4035.533-Red Wilson /
Tom McGill / Ed Hawk
Siloam Springs Buffaloes3734.5211.0Clyde Glass
Rogers Rustlers3635.5072.0Ed Hawk / Pete Casey
Fayetteville Educators3342.4407.0Fred Hawn / Frank Matthews
Playoff: Rogers defeated Siloam Springs 5–2 in a one-game playoff for the first half title. Bentonville was declared second half winner when Fayetteville and Siloam Springs folded August 19.
Finals: Rogers defeated Bentonville 4 games to 3 for the championship.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
John GravesSiloam SpringsBA.387Maurice WollardBentonvilleW12
Bill BeamsBentonvilleRuns61Everette HillSiloam SpringsPct.889; 8-1
Parker RushingFayettevilleHits96Bill BeamsBentonvilleHR12
Clyde GlassSiloam SpringsRBI67----

1935 Arkansas State League

The league expanded, adding the franchises in Cassville, Missouri and Huntsville, Arkansas to expand from four teams to six teams.
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Siloam Springs Travelers6643.606-Ray Powell
Rogers Cardinals5950.5417.0Fred Cato / Frank Stapleton
Cassville Tigers5448.529Ed Hawk
Bentonville Officeholders5156.47714.0Bud Davis
Fayetteville Bears4556.44617.0Lyle Casey / Fred Cato
Huntsville Red Birds4163.39422½Jim Nicely / Charles Wilson
Bill Werner
Playoff: Rogers defeated Siloam Springs 4 games to 3 for the championship.
All teams continued play in the renamed 1936 Arkansas–Missouri League. The Arkansas State League folded.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Duane KratzerCassvilleBA.397Jumbo BrownBentonvilleW20
Howard RobertsCassvilleRuns89George GibsonBentonvilleW20
Wilbur DavisBentonvilleHits146Johnny JohnCassvilleSO147
Wilbur DavisBentonvilleRBI93Jumbo BrownBentonvilleERA2.97
Howard RobertsCassvilleHR21----