Clinton Pilots 1914–1917
The Clinton Pilots were a minor league baseball team based in Clinton, Iowa. The Pilots played as members of the Class D level Central Association from 1914 to 1917.
The Pilots were preceded by Clinton teams that played as members of the Independent Class D Eastern Iowa League, Iowa State League, Northern Association and Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League.
The 1915 Clinton Pilots had 40 victories taken away by the Central Association. In another controversial 1895 season, the Clinton Bridegrooms were expelled from the Eastern Iowa League twice during the season. After first their expulsion, Clinton was allowed back into the league weeks later, only to be quickly expelled from the Eastern Iowa League for a second time during the season.
The Clinton Pilots and the earlier Clinton teams played home minor league games at Ringwood Park in Clinton, which hosted minor league games through 1937.
From 1966 to 1976, the Clinton Midwest League franchise of the era was also known as the Clinton Pilots.
History
1895: Controversial Eastern Iowa League season
Clinton began hosting minor league play in 1895, when the Clinton "Bridegrooms" were formed. The new Clinton team became charter members of the eight-team, independent Eastern Iowa League. The Burlington Colts, Cedar Rapids Rabbits, Dubuque Colts, Galesburg Trotters, Ottumwa Brownies, Rock Island Tri-Cities and Waterloo Indians teams in league play. The Eastern Iowa League began play on May 10, 1895, as an eight–team league. Playing in the day game era, the local businesses of the home team regularly closed when their team hosted home games.The 1895 Eastern Iowa league had a tumultuous season in their only season of play and the Clinton team was a contributor to the storyline. After the season began, three teams were "expelled" from the league. One of the teams was expelled twice and another team folded. On June 14, 1895, both the Clinton Bridegrooms and the Rock Island Tri-Cities teams were expelled from the Eastern Iowa League. The Galesburg Trotters franchise folded on June 25, 1895.
After their expulsion from the league, on July 4, 1895 the Clinton Bridegrooms were allowed to rejoin the Eastern Iowa League. However, on July 8, 1895, just four days after being reinstated, the Clinton Bridegrooms were expelled from the league for a second time, along with the Waterloo Indians, who were expelled from the Eastern Iowa League the same day.
The Clinton Bridegrooms ended their volatile 1895 season with compiling a record of 11–26 in before their expulsion. The Bridegroom managers were George Shugart and Edward Corbett. In the final standings, the Dubuque Colts won the championship with a 66–31 record as the Eastern Iowa League finished the season playing with four teams. Dubuque captured the Eastern Iowa League championship by winning both halves of the league's split season schedule, so no playoff was held.
The Eastern Iowa League did not return to minor league play in 1896 and permanently disbanded after the 1895 season was completed on August 25, 1895.
1906: Partial Iowa State League season
After an eleven-year hiatus, Clinton next hosted minor league play in 1906, when Clinton resumed play during the season as members of the eight-team Class D level Iowa State League. The Iowa State League began their 1906 season without Clinton as a member. The Boone Coal Miners, Burlington River Rats, Fort Dodge Gypsum Eaters, Keokuk Indians, Marshalltown Grays, Oskaloosa Quakers, Ottumwa Snappers and Waterloo Microbes were the member teams that started league play on May 6, 1908. The Iowa State League had the formal name as the "Iowa League of Professional Baseball Clubs."Clinton's membership in the Iowa State League began on July 14, 1906, when the Boone Coal Miners franchise moved from Boone, Iowa to Clinton. Boone had compiled a record of 25–33 at the time of the move to Clinton. After the relocation, the team finished the season known as the Clinton "Miners." After compiling a 21–37 record while based in Clinton, the Miners ended the season with an overall record of 46–70. Clinton ended the 1906 Iowa State League season in sixth place in the eight-team league, while playing the season under managers William Wooley, Harold Johnson and Patrick Ryan in the two locations. No playoffs held in the Iowa State League, as the Burlington River Rats ended the season in first place in the final Iowa State League standings, as the rest of the eight-team league franchises remained intact. In the final standings, Clinton finished 34.0 games behind first place Burlington, who had an 83–39 record and finished a full 9.0 games ahead of the second place Oskaloosa Quakers and 38.5 games ahead of the eighth place Ottumwa Champs who went from first place as indicated by their nickname to last place.
Despite joining the league the season prior, the Clinton franchise did not return to membership the 1907 Iowa State League and were replaced by the Quincy Gems. Instead of continuing in the Iowa State League, the Clinton franchise continued play in 1907 in a new league.
1907 & 1908 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League
Leaving the Iowa State League, Clinton continued minor league play in 1907, as the Clinton "Infants" became members of the eight team Class B level Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. The Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League was known commonly as the Three-I League. Clinton replaced the Davenport Knickerbockers team in the league, after Davenport finished in last place the season prior and then folded. The new Clinton team joined with the Bloomington Bloomers, Cedar Rapids Rabbits, Decatur Commodores, Dubuque Dubs, Peoria Distillers, Rock Island Islanders and Springfield Senators teams in beginning the league schedule on May 1, 1907.Monte McFarland was hired to manage Clinton in 1907. McFarland had pitched in 6 total games for the major league Chicago Colts in 1895 and 1896. As player-manager for Clinton at age 34, McFarland did not pitch and batted.190 in 26 games and 95 at-bats for Clinton. Leaving Clinton during the season, McFarland ended the 1907 season playing 101 games for the Oklahoma City Mets of the Class C level Western Association, hitting.168 in 376 at-bats for the Mets.
Clinton pitcher Harry Stauffer replaced McFarland as manager and compiled a 12–14 record on the season.
In their first season of Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League play, the 1907 Clinton Infants ended the season in sixth place. With a final record of 53–78 record under Monte McFarland, the Infants finished 27.5 games behind the first place Rock Island Islanders in the final standings. No league playoffs were held, which was common in the era.
File:Charlie Buelow.jpg|thumb| Charlie Buelow, New York Giants. Buelow was the player-manager for Clinton in 1908
The 1908 Clinton Infants continued play in the eight-team Class B level Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League and finished in last place. The 1908 team was also known as the "Adults." Clinton ended the season with a 55–78 record and in eighth place under managers Harry Stauffer and Charlie Buelow. With their last place finish, Clinton ended the season 25.5 games behind the first place Springfield Senators in the final Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League standings.
Harry Stauffer returned to Clinton, beginning the season as player-manager. Stauffer compiled a 2-10 pitching record for Clinton in 14 games before being replaced as manager.
Clinton's 1908 player-manager Charlie Buelow had played in the major leagues with the 1901 New York Giants. Buelow had been a player in 1908 with the Evansville River Rats of the Central League. With Clinton at age 31, Buelow played first base and hit.256 in 135 games with 27 stolen bases. in 1909, Buelow remained in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League as he became player-manager of the Dubuque Dubs.
Despite pitching for the last place team, Clinton pitcher Bill Fleet was the 1908 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League co-league leader with 23 wins on the season. Born in the United Kingdom and pitching for Clinton at age 30, Bill Fleet compiled a 23–12 record in 38 games for the Infants in 1908, on the heels of a 9–20 season while pitching for Clinton the season prior. Fleet pitched his final minor league season with Davenport in 1909.
After their last place finish, Clinton did not return to the 1909 Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. The Clinton franchise was replaced by the Davenport Prodigals in the eight-team league. Clinton had replaced Davenport in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League two seasons earlier.
1910: Clinton Teddies / Northern Association
After not fielding a team in the 1909 season, Clinton resumed minor league play in 1910, when the Clinton "Teddies" became charter members of the eight-team Class D level Northern Association. When the Northern Association was formed in the winter of 1909-1910, E.M. Kehoe representing Clinton was named as the vice president of the league and Ted Sullivan was listed as the "magnate" for Clinton. The newly formed Clinton teams joined with the Decatur Commodores, Elgin Kittens, Freeport Pretzels, Jacksonville Jacks, Joliet Jolly-ites, Kankakee Kays and Muscatine Pearl Finders teams as fellow charter members, beginning league play on May 10, 1910.Besides reflecting the name of their manager, the Clinton Teddies nickname also corresponds to President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt who served as the U.S. President through 1909. Roosevelt inspired his namesake Teddie bears stuffed animal, which became prominent in the era.
Born in Ireland, Ted Sullivan was a former major league player with the 1884 Kansas City Cowboys. Sullivan served as a major league manager for the 1883 St. Louis Cardinals, 1884 St. Louis Maroons/Indianapolis Hoosiers and Kansas City Cowboys and 1888 Washington Nationals. Sullivan then became major league scout and a longtime minor league president, team owner and manager. After his 1910 season with Clinton, Sullivan was hired by the New York Giants to establish their 1911 Spring training site, and then coached the baseball team at St. Louis University in 1911. At age 59, the 1910 season with Clinton was his final season serving as a minor league manager.
On the opening day for the Northern Association on May 10, 1910, Clinton hosted the Elgin Kittens for their home opener. The Kittens were the namesake of their manager Mal Kittridge, who had a 16-season career as a major league catcher. Elgin started the season strongly after the opening game at Clinton.
A longtime minor league player, Hunkey Hines played for Clinton in 1910, in his final minor league season. Hines had played in the major leagues for the 1895 Brooklyn Grooms. In a minor league playing career that started in 1887 with the Milwaukee Cream Citys at age 19, Hines played and managed in his final season in 1910 at age 42. Hines began the 1910 season as the manager of the Joliet team before it relocated. His final playing appearance was a partial game at second base and an 0-1 appearance as a batter.
Playing under manager Ted Sullivan and John Mammen, Clinton folded before the end of the Northern Association, as did the entire league. The 1910 season was Mannens only season as a minor league professional. 10–39 record The team folded on June 28, 1910. Besides Clinton folding, the Joliet Jolly-ites moved to Sterling on June 21, Freeport disbanded with Clinton on June 28 and the Elgin and Kankakee franchises both disbanded on July 11, 1910. With four remaining teams, the Northern Association folded on July 19, 1910, with the Muscatine Pearl Finders in first place of the remaining league teams after Elgin had folded with a better record.
Baseball Hall of Fame member Casey Stengel played with the 1910 Kankakee Kays against Clinton in his first professional season. Clinton hosted Kankakee in Northern Association games from May 25 to May 27 and Clinton played at Kankakee June 16 to June 18, 1910.
The Northern Association never reformed following their partial 1910 season. Clinton did not field a minor league for the next three seasons,