Central Association
Encyclopedia
The Central Association was an American
minor league baseball
league. It began operations in 1908, and ran continuously through 1917.
, Jacksonville, Illinois
, Keokuk, Iowa
, Oskaloosa, Iowa
, Ottumwa, Iowa
, Quincy, Illinois
, and Waterloo, Iowa
joined after having left the Iowa State League
. A new team in Kewanee, Illinois
joined as well.
team moved from the Illinois-Missouri League
.
. Teams from Galesburg, Illinois
and Monmouth, Illinois
joined after having left the Illinois-Missouri League
.
. A new team in Muscatine, Iowa
formed and joined the league.
, and Waterloo, Iowa
formed and joined the league.
and Marshalltown, Iowa
formed and joined the league. Ottumwa moved to Rock Island, Illinois
, then again to Galesburg, Illinois
. Its record was 23-47 at Ottuma, 6-1 at Rock Island, and 20-31 at Galesburg.
formed and joined the league. The Clinton team folded during the season. The league also threw out several wins by Keokuk (1), Marshalltown (5), Waterloo (1), and Clinton (40) after the fact. Listed below are the final, adjusted, official standings with those games removed.
and Fort Dodge, Iowa
formed and joined the league. Burlington, with a record of 41-29, moved to Ottumwa on July 20, where they got a record of 21-35. Muscatine also forfeited 34 wins this year. Its official record, without those wins, is listed below.
and LaCrosse, Wisconsin formed and joined the league. The Dubuque team, with a record of 23-40, moved to Charles City, Iowa
on July 4, where their record was 17-14. Cedar Rapids, with a record of 38-48, moved to Clear Lake, Iowa
on July 27, where they were 1-4. Clinton and LaCrosse both folded before the end of the season on July 17.
The league, and all teams in it, folded.
, Hannibal, Missouri
, Rockford, Illinois
, Keokuk, Iowa
, Burlington, Illinois
, and Moline, Illinois
formed and created the new league.
Clinton defeated Rockford 3 games to 2, and Hannibal defeated Keokuk 3 games to 1 in the first round of the playoffs.
Clinton defeated Hannibal 4 games to 1 for the championship.
, where they had a 36-49 record.
Clinton beat Burlingto 4 games to 2, and Keokuk beat Hannibal 4 games to 1 in the first round of the playoffs. Clinton beat Keokuk for the title 4 games to none.
and joined the league.
Cedar Rapids beat Burlington 3 games to none, and Kewanee beat Keokuk 3 games to none, in the first round of the playoffs. Kewanee defeated Cedar Rapids 4 games to 2 for the title.
Cedar Rapids joined the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League
, and the rest of the teams, and the league itself, folded.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
league. It began operations in 1908, and ran continuously through 1917.
1908
The teams from Burlington, IowaBurlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
, Jacksonville, Illinois
Jacksonville, Illinois
Jacksonville is a city in Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,940 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Morgan County....
, Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
, Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa is the county seat of Mahaska County, Iowa, United States. The population was 11,463 in the 2010 census, an increase from 10,938 in the 2000 census. -History:...
, Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census. It is located in the southeastern part of Iowa, and the city is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River....
, Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, known as Illinois' "Gem City," is a river city along the Mississippi River and the county seat of Adams County. As of the 2010 census the city held a population of 40,633. The city anchors its own micropolitan area and is the economic and regional hub of West-central Illinois, catering a...
, and Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
joined after having left the Iowa State League
Iowa State League
The Iowa State League began in 1904 as an eight-team Class D minor league in and around Iowa, United States. The league played four seasons and ceased operations following the 1907 season.-List of teams :...
. A new team in Kewanee, Illinois
Kewanee, Illinois
Kewanee is a city in Henry County, Illinois, United States. "Kewanee" is the Winnebago word for prairie chicken, which lekked there. The population was 12,916 at the 2010 census, down from 12,944 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
joined as well.
| Team Name | Record |
| Waterloo Lulus | 88-37 |
| Burlington Pathfinders | 83-41 |
| Quincy Gems Quincy Gems (minor league team) The Quincy Gems were a minor league baseball team that existed on and off from 1907 to 1964. Based in Quincy, Illinois, they played in the Iowa State League in 1907, the Central Association in 1908, the Three-I League from 1913 to 1917 and from 1946 to 1956, and the Midwest League in 1964... |
73-55 |
| Keokuk Indians | 57-68 |
| Jacksonville Lunatics | 56-69 |
| Oskaloosa Quakers | 51-75 |
| Kewanee Boilermakers | 48-79 |
| Ottumwa Packers | 48-80 |
1909
Oskaloosa folded. The Hannibal, MissouriHannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
team moved from the Illinois-Missouri League
Illinois-Missouri League
The Illinois-Missouri League was an American minor league baseball league. It began operations in 1908, and continued through 1914.-1908:The league was formed. Newly formed teams in Canton, Illinois, Galesburg, Illinois, Hannibal, Missouri, Havana, Illinois, Macomb, Illinois, and Monmouth,...
.
| Burlington Pathfinders | 83-51 |
| Hannibal Cannibals | 83-53 |
| Keokuk Indians | 80-57 |
| Kewanee Boilermakers | 73-61 |
| Waterloo Lulus | 64-69 |
| Quincy Vets | 62-73 |
| Jacksonville Braves | 46-84 |
| Ottumwa Packers | 48-91 |
1910
Jacksonville moved to the Northern Association. Waterloo moved to the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa LeagueIllinois-Indiana-Iowa League
The Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League was a minor league baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 years, mostly in those three states. It was popularly known as the Three-I League and also sometimes jokingly as the Three-Eye League....
. Teams from Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
and Monmouth, Illinois
Monmouth, Illinois
Monmouth is a city in and the county seat of Warren County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the home of Monmouth College and contains Monmouth Park, Harmon Park, North Park, Warfield Park, West Park, South Park, Garwood Park, Buster White Park and the Citizens Lake & Campground. It is the host...
joined after having left the Illinois-Missouri League
Illinois-Missouri League
The Illinois-Missouri League was an American minor league baseball league. It began operations in 1908, and continued through 1914.-1908:The league was formed. Newly formed teams in Canton, Illinois, Galesburg, Illinois, Hannibal, Missouri, Havana, Illinois, Macomb, Illinois, and Monmouth,...
.
| Quincy Vets | 85-50 |
| Ottumwa Packers | 86-57 |
| Hannibal Cannibals | 77-60 |
| Galesburg Pavers | 69-67 |
| Keokuk Indians | 67-70 |
| Monmouth Browns | 62-72 |
| Burlington Pathfinders | 56-81 |
| Kewanee Boilermakers | 49-91 |
1911
Quincy moved to the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa LeagueIllinois-Indiana-Iowa League
The Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League was a minor league baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 years, mostly in those three states. It was popularly known as the Three-I League and also sometimes jokingly as the Three-Eye League....
. A new team in Muscatine, Iowa
Muscatine, Iowa
Muscatine is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 22,886 in the 2010 census, an increase from 22,697 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Muscatine County...
formed and joined the league.
| Ottumwa Speedboys | 87-41 |
| Burlington Cowboys | 81-44 |
| Galesburg Pavers | 66-63 |
| Keokuk Indians | 64-64 |
| Kewanee Boilermakers | 59-67 |
| Monmouth Browns | 59-69 |
| Muscatine Camels | 48-80 |
| Hannibal Cannibals | 45-81 |
1912
| Ottumwa Speedboys | 79-50 |
| Kewanee Boilermakers | 74-51 |
| Burlington Pathfinders | 73-53 |
| Monmouth Browns | 71-55 |
| Hannibal Cannibals | 67-61 |
| Galesburg Pavers | 61-67 |
| Keokuk Indians | 49-76 |
| Muscatine Wallopers | 33-94 |
1913
Galesburg and Hannibal folded. New teams in Cedar Rapids, IowaCedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, and Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
formed and joined the league.
| Ottumwa Packers | 72-54 |
| Muscatine Wallopers | 68-54 |
| Monmouth Browns | 64-62 |
| Keokuk Indians | 62-63 |
| Burlington Pathfinders | 63-66 |
| Cedar Rapids Rabbits | 59-65 |
| Kewanee Boilermakers | 59-65 |
| Waterloo Jays | 53-71 |
1914
Kewanee and Monmouth folded. New teams in Clinton, IowaClinton, Iowa
Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26231as of 2010. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa , was named in honor of the seventh governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the principal city of the Clinton Micropolitan Statistical...
and Marshalltown, Iowa
Marshalltown, Iowa
Marshalltown is a city in and the county seat of Marshall County, Iowa, United States. The population was 27,552 in the 2010 census, an increase from the 26,009 population in the 2000 census. -History:...
formed and joined the league. Ottumwa moved to Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
, then again to Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
. Its record was 23-47 at Ottuma, 6-1 at Rock Island, and 20-31 at Galesburg.
| Waterloo Jays | 78-51 |
| Burlington Pathfinders | 75-53 |
| Muscatine Boilermakers | 72-53 |
| Clinton Pilots | 67-61 |
| Cedar Rapids Bunnies | 64-60 |
| Keokuk Indians | 52-76 |
| Marshalltown Ansons Marshalltown Ansons The Marshalltown Ansons were a minor league baseball team that played in the Central Association from 1914 to 1917 and in the Mississippi Valley League from 1922 to 1928. They were located in Marshalltown, Iowa.... |
52-76 |
| Ottumwa Rockers/ Rock Island Islanders/ Galesburg Pavers | 49-79 |
1915
Galesburg folded. A new team in Mason City, IowaMason City, Iowa
Mason City is the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 28,079 in the 2010 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties....
formed and joined the league. The Clinton team folded during the season. The league also threw out several wins by Keokuk (1), Marshalltown (5), Waterloo (1), and Clinton (40) after the fact. Listed below are the final, adjusted, official standings with those games removed.
| Burlington Pathfinders | 81-38 |
| Muscatine Muskies | 63-57 |
| Keokuk Indians | 51-52 |
| Mason City Claydiggers | 58-63 |
| Cedar Rapids Rabbits | 54-62 |
| Marshalltown Ansons Marshalltown Ansons The Marshalltown Ansons were a minor league baseball team that played in the Central Association from 1914 to 1917 and in the Mississippi Valley League from 1922 to 1928. They were located in Marshalltown, Iowa.... |
46-67 |
| Waterloo Jays | 52-74 |
| Clinton Pilots | 13-69 |
1916
Keokuk folded. New teams in Clinton, IowaClinton, Iowa
Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26231as of 2010. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa , was named in honor of the seventh governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the principal city of the Clinton Micropolitan Statistical...
and Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city and county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 25,206 in the 2010 census, an increase from 25,136 in the 2000 census. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S...
formed and joined the league. Burlington, with a record of 41-29, moved to Ottumwa on July 20, where they got a record of 21-35. Muscatine also forfeited 34 wins this year. Its official record, without those wins, is listed below.
| Marshalltown Ansons Marshalltown Ansons The Marshalltown Ansons were a minor league baseball team that played in the Central Association from 1914 to 1917 and in the Mississippi Valley League from 1922 to 1928. They were located in Marshalltown, Iowa.... |
77-50 |
| Clinton Pilots | 73-51 |
| Cedar Rapids Rabbits | 62-64 |
| Burlington Pathfinders/ Ottumwa Packers | 62-64 |
| Waterloo Shamrocks | 58-67 |
| Mason City Claydiggers | 50-76 |
| Fort Dodge Dodgers | 41-86 |
| Muscatine Muskies | 45-34 |
1917
Muscatine and Ottumwa folded. New teams in Dubuque, IowaDubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
and LaCrosse, Wisconsin formed and joined the league. The Dubuque team, with a record of 23-40, moved to Charles City, Iowa
Charles City, Iowa
Charles City is a city in Floyd County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,652 at the 2010 census a decrease of 160, or 2%, from 7,812 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Floyd County. Charles City is a significant commercial and transportation center for the area, located on U.S...
on July 4, where their record was 17-14. Cedar Rapids, with a record of 38-48, moved to Clear Lake, Iowa
Clear Lake, Iowa
Clear Lake is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,161 at the 2000 census. The city is named for the large lake on which it is located. It is the home of a number of marinas, state parks and tourism-related businesses. Clear Lake is also a major stop on Interstate...
on July 27, where they were 1-4. Clinton and LaCrosse both folded before the end of the season on July 17.
| Marshalltown Ansons Marshalltown Ansons The Marshalltown Ansons were a minor league baseball team that played in the Central Association from 1914 to 1917 and in the Mississippi Valley League from 1922 to 1928. They were located in Marshalltown, Iowa.... |
64-34 |
| Mason City Claydiggers | 54-38 |
| Waterloo Loons | 50-42 |
| Cedar Rapids Rabbits/ Clear Lake Rabbits | 39-52 |
| Dubuque Dubs/ Charles City Tractorites | 40-54 |
| Fort Dodge Dodgers | 37-57 |
| Clinton Pilots | 40-33 |
| LaCrosse Infants | 29-43 |
The league, and all teams in it, folded.
1947
Teams in Clinton, IowaClinton, Iowa
Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26231as of 2010. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa , was named in honor of the seventh governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the principal city of the Clinton Micropolitan Statistical...
, Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
, Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
, Burlington, Illinois
Burlington, Illinois
Burlington is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. The population was 618 at the 2010 census, up from 452 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Burlington is located at ....
, and Moline, Illinois
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
formed and created the new league.
| Team Name | Affiliation | |Record |
| Clinton Cubs | Chicago Cubs Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National... |
|73-51 |
| Hannibal Pilots | St. Louis Browns Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league... |
|69-56 |
| Rockford Rox | Chicago White Sox Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans... |
|68-57 |
| Keokuk Pirates | Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions... |
|61-64 |
| Burlington Indians | Cleveland Indians Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona... |
|52-72 |
| Moline A's | Philadelphia A's | |51-74 |
Clinton defeated Rockford 3 games to 2, and Hannibal defeated Keokuk 3 games to 1 in the first round of the playoffs.
Clinton defeated Hannibal 4 games to 1 for the championship.
1948
The Moline A's moved from Moline, where they had a 17-25 record, to Kewanee, IllinoisKewanee, Illinois
Kewanee is a city in Henry County, Illinois, United States. "Kewanee" is the Winnebago word for prairie chicken, which lekked there. The population was 12,916 at the 2010 census, down from 12,944 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, where they had a 36-49 record.
| Clinton Cubs | Chicago Cubs | |79-47 |
| Burlington Indians | Cleveland Indians | |68-62 |
| Hannibal Pilots | St. Louis Browns | | |
| Keokuk Pirates | Pittsburgh Pirates | |61-67 |
| Rockford Rox | Cincinnati Reds Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890.... |
|56-72 |
| Moline A's/Kewanee A's | Philadelphia A's | |53-74 |
Clinton beat Burlingto 4 games to 2, and Keokuk beat Hannibal 4 games to 1 in the first round of the playoffs. Clinton beat Keokuk for the title 4 games to none.
1949
The team from Hannibal folded. A new team formed in Cedar Rapids, IowaCedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
and joined the league.
| Burlington Indians | Cleveland Indians | |81-48 |
| Keokuk Pirates | Pittsburgh Pirates | |74-54 |
| Kewanee A's | Philadelphia A's | |68-60 |
| Cedar Rapids Rockets | |63-67 | |
| Clinton Steers | Chicago Cubs | |61-65 |
| Rockford Rox | Cincinnati Reds | |38-91 |
Cedar Rapids beat Burlington 3 games to none, and Kewanee beat Keokuk 3 games to none, in the first round of the playoffs. Kewanee defeated Cedar Rapids 4 games to 2 for the title.
Cedar Rapids joined the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League
Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League
The Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League was a minor league baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 years, mostly in those three states. It was popularly known as the Three-I League and also sometimes jokingly as the Three-Eye League....
, and the rest of the teams, and the league itself, folded.