Mississippi Valley League


The Mississippi Valley League was a baseball Class D level minor league that operated from 1922 through 1933. Playing its last year as a Class B level league, the league franchises were based in Iowa and Illinois. Like many leagues at the time, the Great Depression led to its demise. The Mississippi Valley League was founded by Michael H. Sexton, of Rock Island, Illinois, who was then president of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues.
WWW midwestleague.com

History

The league began play in 1922 with six teams: the Cedar Rapids Bunnies, Marshalltown Ansons, Rock Island Islanders, Waterloo Hawks, Ottumwa Cardinals and the Dubuque Climbers. There were no formal playoffs, and the Bunnies finished in first place. All teams from 1922 returned for 1923 with the Climbers finishing first in the league. Again, there were no formal playoffs.
In 1924, the league expanded to eight teams, adding the Moline Plowboys and Burlington Bees. The Dubuque Climbers became the Dubuque Dubs, though the other teams remained the same. The Hawks finished first in the league.
All teams from 1924 returned for 1925, with the Dubs becoming the Dubuque Ironmen. The Bunnies finished first in the league for the second time four years. In 1926, the Ottumwa Cardinals became the Ottumwa Packers and the Dubuque Dubs became the Dubuque Speasmen, named after their manager Bill Speas. The Packers finished in first place.
In 1927, the Speasmen returned to their former name the Dubuque Dubs. All other teams returned intact from the year before. Dubuque finished first in the league. The same teams played in 1928, with the Hawks finishing in first place. 1929 saw multiple league changes. The Dubs became the Dubuque Tigers. The Marshalltown Ansons and Ottumwa Packers left the league and were replaced by the Keokuk Indians and Davenport Blue Sox. The Tigers finished first in the league.
All teams from 1929 returned for 1930, with the Bunnies finishing in first place for the third time in league history. The teams remained intact for 1931 as well, with the Keokuk Indians finishing in first place. 1932 featured no new teams, though it did have a new feature - a playoff system. All teams returned from 1931, and the Blue Sox finishing in first place. They however lost in the league playoffs four games to two to the Islanders, so the Islanders were the league champions.
In 1933, the league featured only six teams for the first time since 1923. It also moved up in rank from Class-D to Class-B, and saw three new arrivals as well as multiple departures. The Blue Sox finished in first place and defeated the Islanders four games to one in the playoffs to become league champions.
The 1933 Davenport Blue Sox are ranked #58 in the All-time Top 100 teams by MiLB.com. The Blue Sox finished the season 82-32, as Como Cotelle hit.407 and Ed Hall drove in 151 runs.
The Rock Island Islanders were the only team to play in the league through its entire 12-year existence.

Cities represented: 1922–1933

Mississippi Valley League standings and statistics

1922 to 1927

1922 Mississippi Valley League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Cedar Rapids Bunnies9237.713--Bill Speas
Marshalltown Ansons7355.57018½Frank Boyle
Rock Island Islanders6663.51226Jimmy Conzelman
Waterloo Hawks5968.46532Pat Ragan
Ottumwa Cardinals4976.39241Jim Drohan / Carl Bond
Dubuque Climbers4484.34447½Larry Mullen /
Harry Henge / Joe McGinnity

PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Fred LeachWaterlooBA.383Frank JohnsonCedar RapW24
Bill SpeasCedar RapidsRuns128Charles SchwieteMarshallSO180
Bill SpeasCedar RapidsHits182Frank JohnsonCedar RapPct.828; 24-5
Fred LeachWaterlooHR13----

1923 Mississippi Valley League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Dubuque Climbers7850.609--Joe McGinnity
Ottumwa Cardinals7353.5794Wally Mattick
Cedar Rapids Bunnies6956.5527½Bill Speas
Waterloo Hawks5869.45719½Bert Weeden
Rock Island Islanders5373.42124Tommy Thompson
Marshalltown Ansons4878.38129Frank Boyle
Playoffs: None held
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Bill Speas Cedar RapidsBA.363John DillOttumwaW22
John ArmstrongDubuqueRuns93George BrownWaterlooSO175
Bill SpeasCedar RapidsHits182Emil LevsonCedar RapidsPct.826; 19-4
Andrew McEwanWaterlooHR8J. JohnsonCedar RapidsIP317

1924 Mississippi Valley League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Waterloo Hawks8440.678--Cletus Dixon
Dubuque Dubs7051.57912½John Armstrong
Rock Island Islanders6457.52918½Preston Gray
Ottumwa Cardinals5861.48723½Wally Mattick
Moline Plowboys5965.47825Jim Shollenberger
Burlington Bees5467.44628½Henry Wingfield
Cedar Rapids Bunnies5467.44628½Bill Speas
Marshalltown Ansons4378.35539½Jack Lacey / Frank Boyle
Playoffs: None held
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Fred SchulteWaterlooBA.368Ovid McCrackenWaterlooW23
Hal AndersonOttumwaRuns126Richard DidierOttumwaSO145
Fred SchulteWaterlooHits167Claude WilloughbyWaterlooPct.750; 21-7
Fred SchulteWaterloo3B25-----
Stan KeyesRock IslandHR20-----

1925 Mississippi Valley League

Team standingsWLPCTGBAttendManagers
Cedar Rapids Bunnies7451.592--43,429Bill Speas
Moline Plowboys7352.584139,738Jim Schollenberger
Rock Island Islanders6560.520943,157Preston Gray
Ottumwa Cardinals6164.4881330,572Wally Mattick
Dubuque Ironmen6065.4801446,175Joe McGinnity / John Armstrong
Waterloo Hawks5966.4721554,702Cletus Dixon
Marshalltown Ansons5570.4401930,442Frank Boyle
Burlington Bees5372.4242242,179Dick Speer /
Whitey Mann / Ed Reichle
Playoffs: None held
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Al GroskiOttumwaBA.360George ValentineCedar RapidsW26
John ArmstrongDubuqueRuns104Archie KelseyWaterlooSO174
Ed FarberRock IslandHits174George ValentineCedar RapidsPct.765; 26-8
Chester GuppyMolineHR17-----
Ed FarberRock Island2B52-----

1926 Mississippi Valley League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Ottumwa Packers7545.625--Pat Harkins
Moline Plowboys7150.5874½Jim Shollenberger
Waterloo Hawks6752.5637½Cletus Dixon
Burlington Bees6853.5627½Ed Reichle
Rock Island Islanders6555.54210Preston Gray
Dubuque Speasmen5663.47118½Bill Speas
Marshalltown Ansons4179.34234Elmer Lane / Casey Coffin /
Dick Brannigan / Dan O'Leary
Cedar Rapids Bunnies3884.31138Fred Beck /
Jack Lacy / Dutch White
Playoffs: None held
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Red WorthingtonWaterlooBA.389Alvin BauerOttumwaW25
Les SmithOttumwaRuns99Robert ShanklinRock IslandSO188
Red WorthingtonWaterlooHits185Alvin BauerOttumwaPct.862; 25-4
Les SmithOttumwaHR20-----
Nick ConradMarshalltownSAC36-----

1927 Mississippi Valley League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Dubuque Dubs6641.617--Bill Speas
Waterloo Hawks7547.615½Cletus Dixon
Burlington Bees7152.5774½Ed Reichle
Marshalltown Ansons6554.5468½Jim Shollenberger
Moline Plowboys6355.53410Fritz Mollwitz
Cedar Rapids Bunnies5070.41724Pete Hughes/ Spoke Emery
Rock Island Islanders4075.34831½Joe Kernan
Ottumwa Packers4177.34732Pat Harkins
Playoffs: None held
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Jim StronerRock IslandBA.380Duncan GrantWaterlooW22
James WorthDubuqueRuns127Harold McKainWaterlooSO147
James WorthDubuqueHits171Duncan GrantWaterlooSO147
Len KoeneckeMolineHR20Elbert FischDubuquePct.800; 20-5

1928 to 1933

1928 Mississippi Valley League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Waterloo Hawks8141.664--Cletus Dixon
Moline Plowboys6954.56112½Richard Manchester
Rock Island Islanders6759.53216Lester Patterson
Dubuque Dubs6360.51218½Bill Speas / John Armstrong
Burlington Bees5961.49221Ed Reichle
Marshalltown Ansons5865.47222½Jim Shollenberger /
George Tomer / Ben Diamond
Ottumwa Packers4872.40032Preston Gray / Bill Speas
Cedar Rapids Bunnies4578.36636½Spoke Emery / Bob Hasbrook
Playoffs: None held
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Len KoeneckeMolineBA.389Duncan GrantWaterlooW21
Walter GeninRock IslandRuns115Ray WolfMolineW21
Len KoeneckeMolineHits182Bob WeilandMolineSO209
Len KoeneckeMolineHR22Duncan GrantWaterlooPct.808; 21-5

1929 Mississippi Valley League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Dubuque Tigers7551.595--Lester Patterson
Waterloo Hawks7254.5713Cletus Dixon
Davenport Blue Sox6957.5486Ed Reichle
Moline Plowboys6363.50012Richard Manchester
Burlington Bees6264.49213George Young
Keokuk Indians6065.48014½Ben Diamond
Cedar Rapids Bunnies5867.46416½Bill Speas / Tibb Serre
Rock Island Islanders4482.34931Walt Genin / Buck Wheat
Playoffs: None held
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Spot GrantCedar RapidsBA.368Albert EckertDubuqueW19
Paul SperawDubuqueRuns112H.H. MillerCedar RapidsW19
Ed HendeeDavenportHits183Fred WitteDavenportW19
Ken StormWaterlooHR23Lester NeisslieMolineSO141
Jack FrostWaterlooAB547Johnny NiggelingWaterlooPct.789;15-4

1930 Mississippi Valley League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Cedar Rapids Bunnies7155.564--Paul Speraw
Rock Island Islanders7056.5561Clarence Roper
Davenport Blue Sox6461.5126½Ed Reichle
Moline Plowboys6362.5047½Riley Parker
Waterloo Hawks6363.5008Cletus Dixon
Burlington Bees6165.48410George Young
Keokuk Indians5670.44515Sam Schwartz / Lester Patterson /
Henry Wingfield / John Schinski
Dubuque Tigers5571.43716Richard Manchester / Ed Woerber
Playoffs: None held
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Riley ParkerMolineBA.376Delano WetherellRock IslandW21
Dick EsreyMolineRuns114Delano WetherellRock IslandSo217
Dick EsreyMolineHits183Walter MurphyRock IslandPct.667; 10-5
Joe PrerostWaterlooHR15-----
John KerrCedar RapidsSB84-----

1931 Mississippi Valley League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Keokuk Indians7351.589--Bob Rice
Cedar Rapids Bunnies7452.587½Paul Speraw
Moline Plowboys6858.5406Riley Parker
Burlington Bees6460.5169Art Mueller
Rock Island Islanders6165.48413Clarence Roper
Waterloo Hawks5768.45616½Dick Manchester / Babe Thomas
Davenport Blue Sox5373.42121Ed Reichle / Cletus Dixon
Dubuque Tigers5174.40822½Preston Gray /
Ed Hendee / Elmer Peters
Playoffs: None held
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Riley ParkerMolineBA.374Gil PaulsenBurlingtonW19
Pep YoungKeokukRuns125John ZieglerCedar RapidsW19
Dick EsreyMolineHits176Al GizelbachBurlingtonSO185
Malcolm PickettMolineHR13Gil PaulsenBurlingtonERA2.21
Fred NewtonRock IslandPCT.750 12-4

1932 Mississippi Valley League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Davenport Blue Sox7847.624--Cletus Dixon
Rock Island Islanders7056.5568½George Young / Riley Parker
Burlington Bees6960.53511Art Mueller / Jack Tesar
Keokuk Indians6761.52312½Bob Rice
Cedar Rapids Bunnies6560.52013Paul Speraw
Moline Plowboys5566.45521Ernie Lorbeer
Waterloo Hawks5273.41626Doc Bennett
Dubuque Tigers4780.37032Clarence Roper / Dave Lamb
Playoffs: Rock Island 4 games, Davenport 2.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Brown BraleyKeokukBA.374Fred NewtonDavenportW20
Harold PatchettMolineRuns90Ed LinkeDavenportSO228
Thomas LeonardRock IslandHits163Fred NewtonDavenportPct.800; 20-5
Lawrence WilbanksMolineHR9-----
William MizeurCedar RapidsRBI86-----

1933 Mississippi Valley League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Davenport Blue Sox8232.719-Cletus Dixon
Rock Island Islanders6453.54719½Riley Parker
Peoria Tractors6253.53920½Paul Speraw / Frank Murphy
Quincy Indians5359.47328Joe Klugmann
Springfield Senators4370.38138½Clay Hopper
Keokuk Indians4077.34243½Ed Sicking / Ray Caldwell
Playoffs: Davenport 4 games, Rock Island 1
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Como CotelleDavenportBA.407Al PiechotaDavenportW19
George MeyerDavenportRuns130Ray HarrellQuincySO193
Simon RosenthalQuincyHits166Al HollingsworthRock IslandERA3.11
Ed HallDavenportHR28Torsten LengquistDavenportPCT.833 10-2
Ed HallDavenportRBI151-----