Ohio–Pennsylvania League


The Ohio–Pennsylvania League was a Class C and Class D level minor league baseball league that featured franchises based in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The league was founded by Charlie Morton and operated for eight seasons, with the Akron Champs winning four league championships.

History

The Ohio–Pennsylvania League had its beginnings in March 1905, when league president Charlie Morton invited six prospective members to a meeting in Akron, Ohio. In May 1905, eleven teams joined the Protective Association of Independent Clubs, which formed the basis of the Class C Division Ohio–Pennsylvania League. Ultimately, the league trimmed down to eight teams from the following cities: Akron, Newark, Niles, Youngstown, and Zanesville in Ohio, and Homestead, Lancaster, and Sharon in Pennsylvania.
That September, the Youngstown Ohio Works won the league championship, although sources disagree on the team's final record. As one researcher writes: "The Reach Guide credits Youngstown with an 84-32 won-lost record where the Spalding Guide of the same year lists a 90-35 record. The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball tells a third story, giving Youngstown an 88-35 mark."
In 1912, the league rescinded its membership in the National Association when it placed a franchise in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
By the end of its seven-year lifespan, in 1912, the Ohio–Pennsylvania League had enlisted the membership of no less than 40 ball clubs based in over 20 cities. While the league was disorganized, it provided regional sports teams with an alternative to the established minor-league system. Baseball luminaries who were once connected to the league include Billy Evans, Lee Fohl, Bill Phyle, and Everett Scott. Future Hall-of-Fame infielder George Sisler signed his first professional contract with an Akron club associated with the O-P League, although he never actually played for the team.

Cities represented

League champions

Standings and statistics

1905 to 1908

1905 Ohio–Pennsylvania League
Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Youngstown Ohio Works8835.715–Marty Hogan
Akron Buckeyes6642.61114½Frank Motz / Walter East
Zanesville Moguls5136.586NAFred Drumm
Niles Crowites5237.584NACharles Crowe
Braddock Infants2322.511NADon McKim
Lancaster Lanks3637.493NAFred Killen
Homestead Steel Workers2932.475NAHoward Fisher
Newark Idlewilds3746.446NAJack Doyle
Sharon Steels2939.426NAFrank Killen
McKeesport Colts2027.426NAEd Crawford / Frank Motz
Mount Vernon Clippers1624.400NABill Goodrich
Massillon Farmers2641.388NAWalter Lipps
Canton Protectives1940.322NAWilliam Delaney
Washington Patriots33.500NADan Kline
Lima Lees26.333NAEddie Bailey
Bucyrus Bucks512.294NANA
Butler Bucks17.125NAWard Buckminister
Steubenville Factory Men17.125NAJack Kelley
Wooster Trailers02.000NAJess Bowers
Barberton Magic Cities03.000NABill Feignley
Kent Kings06.000NAHenry Metz
League was admitted to the National Association July 21
Canton withdrew July 10; Kent withdrew July 31; Butler withdrew Aug 2; Steubenville withdrew Aug 2; Mt. Vernon withdrew Aug 12; Massillon withdrew Aug 24.
1906 Ohio–Pennsylvania League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Youngstown Ohio Works8453.613–Marty Hogan
Akron Rubbernecks8355.6011½Walter East
Lancaster Lanks7366.52512Frederick Gray / Curt Elston
New Castle Outlaws7367.52112½Percy Stetler / Ralph Lindaman
William Smith
Zanesville Moguls / Marion Moguls7169.50714½Ferdinand Drumm
Newark Cotton Tops6574.46820Gene Bates / Bill Bottenus /
Pete Sommers / Walter Snodgrass
Mansfield Giants5977.43424½Carl McVey
Sharon Steels4693.33139Frank Yoho / Charles Crowe
Dick Glassburner
Zanesville moved to Marion August 28.
No playoffs were scheduled.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Bill ThomasYoungstownBA.303Fred EhmanAkronW29
Fred AbbottLancasterRuns83Fred EhmanAkronPCT.707 29–12
Bill ThomasYoungstownHits158-----

1907 Ohio–Pennsylvania League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Youngstown Champs8652.623–Sam Wright
Newark Newks8653.619½Bob Berryhill
Akron Champs8353.6102Walter East
Lancaster Lanks7262.53712James Breen / Curt Elston
Frank Locke
New Castle Nocks6474.46422Bill Smith
Mansfield Pioneers5584.39631½Carl McVey
Sharon Giants5584.39631½Rudy Kling / Van Patterson
Marion Drummers4887.35636½Ferdinand Drumm / Robert Quinn
Thomas Mylett
No playoffs were scheduled.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Curt ElstonLancasterBA.318Buck ThomasYoungstownW28
Charlie StarrYoungstownRuns75Ed AsherNewarkPCT.714 25–10
Delos DrakeMarionHits164-----

1908 Ohio–Pennsylvania League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Akron Champs8136.692–John Breckinridge
East Liverpool Potters7042.6258½Bill Phillips
Canton Watchmakers6554.54617Ed Murphy / Thomas Lindsay
Sharon Giants6256.52519½Van Patterson
Youngstown Champs5860.49223½Sam Wright
New Castle Nocks4770.40234Pete Porter / R. Hagan
McKeesport Tubers4472.37936½Bernie McCay / Pat Eastley
Girard Sailors /
Butler /
Erie Sailors		4279.34741Daniel Koster / Walter East
Dick Nallin
Girard moved to Butler May 9; Butler moved to Erie June 15.
The season shortened to September 7.
No playoffs were scheduled.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Wilbur GoodAkronBA.370Fred EhmanAkronW25
Teddy HintonYoungstownRuns82Bill PhillipsEast LiverpoolPCT.818 18–4
Jack McAleeseYoungstownHits150-----
Harry BaileyCantonHR8-----

1909 to 1912

1909 Ohio–Pennsylvania League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Akron Champs8140.670–Jim Breckinridge / Bill Schwartz
East Liverpool Potters8045.6403Arch Osborne / John Raley
McKeesport Tubers7353.57910½Bill Thomas
New Castle Nocks5965.47623½Jim Barton / Ferdinand Drumm
Canton Watchmakers5567.45126½Van Patterson
Erie Sailors4869.41031Milt Montgomery / Red Davis
Matt Broderick
Steubenville Stubs4873.39733John Hanlon / Jim Lynch
Frank Blair
Youngstown Indians4678.37136½Charles Crowe / William Terry
No playoffs were scheduled.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Burt ShottonSteubenvilleBA.347Harry CamnitzMcKeesportW27
Gene ElliottMcKeesportRuns75Arch OsborneEast LiverpoolPCT.760 19–6
Burt ShottonSteubenvilleHits154-----

1910 Ohio–Pennsylvania League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Akron Champs7353.579–Lee Fohl
Canton Deubers7254.5711Ferdinand Drumm
East Liverpool Potters6361.5089Guy Sample / Henry Lattimore
McKeesport Tubers6462.5089Duke Servatius / Edward Connors
Mansfield Reformers6066.47613Paddy Fox
New Castle Nocks5767.46015Frank Blair / Jim Barton
Youngstown Steelmen5567.45116Frank Eustace
Erie Sailors5569.44417Matt Broderick
No playoffs were scheduled.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Frank WarrenderEast LiverpoolBA.341Fred WilhelmCantonW23
Fred DawsonCantonRuns95Fred WilhelmCantonSO284
Fred CorbinAkronHits150Fred WilhelmCantonPCT.767 23–7
Duke ServatiusMcKeesportHR16-----

1911 Ohio–Pennsylvania League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Akron Champs9042.682–Jack McCallister / Lee Fohl
Youngstown Steelmen8250.6218Bill Phillips / W.R. Terry
Erie Sailors7754.58812½Billy Gilbert
Canton Deubers7559.56016Ferdinand Drumm
Mansfield Brownies5582.40137½Ed Hahn / Les Channell
Frank Reynolds
New Castle Nocks /
Sharon Travelers		35101.25757Joe Sugden / Steve Griffin /
Bill Thomas / Peter Porter
East Liverpool Potters6349.563NAAlexander Sweeney
Steubenville Stubs4080.333NAJohn Castle
New Castle moved to Sharon August 12; East Liverpool and Steubenville folded August 20.
No playoffs were scheduled.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Joe WilsonEast LiverpoolBA.365Elmer BrownAkronW22
Ezra MidkiffAkronRuns96Ralph McConnaugheyErieW22
Ray MillerAkronHits162Earl MoseleyYoungstownSo242
Hughie TateYoungstownHR23Elmer BrownAkronPCT.815 22–5

1912 Ohio–Pennsylvania League

Team standingsWLPCTGBManagers
Salem Quakers /
Fairmont Fairies		6444.593–Hugh Shannon / Jim Buchanan
Steubenville-Follansbee Stubs6250.5544Gene Curtis
Liverpool Potters /
Pittsburgh /
New Martinsville		4957.46214Tony Crane / Charles Donnelly
Sharon Giants /
Bridgeport Giants		4759.44316Charles Eichenberger / R.M. Paige
Ralph Rainson
McKeesport Tubers3922.639NAHack Adler / Matthew McGrath
Monte Pfeiffer
Alliance-Sebring Twins2633.441NALarry Maley
Connellsville Cokers1221.364NAW.C. Wilson / Earle Mack
New Castle Nocks922.290NACharles Smith / Jack Murray
Connelsville and New Castle folded June 18; Salem moved to Fairmont July 9; Alliance-Sebring folded July 15 after player strike; McKeesport folded July 17; Sharon moved to Bridgeport August 10; East Liverpool moved to Pittsburgh August 14; Pittsburgh moved to New Martinsville August 18.
League rescinded its membership to the National Association August 13 after it placed a franchise in Pittsburgh.
Playoff: Fairmont declared champion when Steubenville-Follansbee folded before the playoff.
PlayerTeamStatTotPlayerTeamStatTot
Baby FosterConnellsville / Alliance /
Steubenville-Follansbee		BA.377Ed SisleySteubenville-FollansbeeW20
William CarrollSalem/FairmontRuns68Ed SisleySteubenvilleSO217
Harry EdwardsSalem/FairmontHits127Eddie BauerMcKeesportPct.789; 15-4
Charles DonnellyEast LiverpoolHR7-----
Jim McKelveySteubenville-Follansbee /
Bridgeport		SB40-----

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