Central Association

From BR Bullpen

In 1908 the class D Iowa State League changed its name to the Central Association. The Central Association lasted for a decade before completing its life with the 1917 campaign.

During the ten year run there were 22 cities represented in the league. Fourteen hailed from Iowa, six from Illinois, one from Wisconsin and the remaining team called Missouri home.

The Ottumwa Speedboys were the leader in league championships, winning the Crown three years in a row, 1911, 1912, and 1913.

The Burlington Pathfinders, Marshalltown Ansons and Waterloo Lulus teams, all from Iowa, each had two titles to their credit. The Quincy Vets of Illinois was the only team outside of Iowa to win a league crown. The Burlington, IA representative suited up nine out of the ten years the league was in action (1908-1916).

Another Central Association covering similar territory formed in 1947 at the class C level and lasted for three years. In this league's three year run there were eight cities represented. Six of the eight had participated in the Central Association's previous incarnation. The Clinton Cubs won two titles, back to back, in 1947 and 1948. The Burlington (IA) Indians finished out the league with a victory in 1949. This was to be the Swan song for the league as it made no effort to regroup the following year.


Cities Represented[edit]

1908-1917[edit]

Teams & Statistics[edit]

1908-1917[edit]

1908 Central Association
President: M. E. Justice

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Waterloo Lulus 88 37 .704 0 Frank Boyle
Burlington Pathfinders 83 41 .669 4.5 Ned Egan
Quincy Gems 73 55 .570 16.5 Harry Hofer
Keokuk Indians 57 68 .456 31 Frank Belt
Jacksonville Lunatics 56 69 .448 32 Harry Berte
Oskaloosa Quakers 51 75 .398 37.5 Snapper Kennedy / Taylor Kensel
Kewanee Boilermakers 48 79 .378 41 Harry Busse / Andy Steveson / William Connors
Ottumwa Packers 48 80 .375 41.5 Billy Earle / Chuck Fleming
Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
John House Burlington BA .306 Harry Gaspar Waterloo W 32
Charles Rose Burlington Hits 146 Harry Gaspar Waterloo SO 2.17
Al Linderbeck Quincy Runs 75 Harry Gaspar Waterloo Pct .889; 32-4
Al Linderbeck Quincy HR 10


1909 Central Association
President: M. E. Justice

Team Standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Burlington Pathfinders 83 51 .620 0 36,884 Ned Egan
Hannibal Cannibals 83 53 .610 1 30,130 Bert Hough /Ben Prout
Keokuk Indians 80 57 .584 4.5 42,029 Frank Belt
Kewanee Boilermakers 73 61 .544 10 31,228 William Connors
Waterloo Lulus 64 69 .481 18.5 33,756 Frank Boyle
Quincy Vets 62 73 .459 21.5 45,527 Louis Cook / Harry Hofer / Fred Bennett
Jacksonville Braves 46 84 .354 35 26,908 Harry Berte
Ottumwa Packers 48 91 .345 37.5 35,576 Hugh Shannon / Arthur Owens
Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Fred Fenney Ottum/Burl BA .300 Collis Spencer Burlington W 27
George Manush Burlington Hits 149 Joe Vyskocil Hannibal SO 209
George Manush Burlington Runs 91 Burleigh Grimes Ottum/Kew Pct .742; 23-8
Al Linderbeck Quincy HR 10 H.W. Gray Jacksonville HR 10


1910 Central Association - schedule
President: M. E. Justice

Team Standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Quincy Vets 88 50 .638 0 37,213 Bade Myers
Ottumwa Packers 80 57 .584 7.5 37,000 Ned Egan
Hannibal Cannibals 77 60 .562 10.5 28,547 Bill Prout / Bill Forney
Galesburg Pavers 69 67 .507 18 35,031 Bert Hough
Keokuk Indians 67 70 .493 20.5 28,160 Frank Belt
Monmouth Browns 62 72 .459 24 25,000 Lew Drill
Burlington Pathfinders 56 81 .409 31.5 25,043 Phil Geier
Kewanee Boilermakers 49 91 .350 40 26,307 William Connors / Ted Price
Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Dan Kerwin Hannibal BA .331 Charles Fanning Galesburg W 30
Thomas Owens Quincy Hits 148 Charles Fanning Galesburg SO 320
Don Senno Ottumwa Runs 84 Charles Fanning Galesburg Pct .714; 30-12
Thomas Owens Quincy HR 9 Bill Donahue Quincy HR 9


1911 Central Association - schedule
President: M. E. Justice

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Ottumwa Speedboys 87 41 .680 0 Ned Egan
Burlington Pathfinders 81 44 .648 4.5 Richard Rohn
Galesburg Pavers 66 63 .512 21.5 Bert Hough
Keokuk Indians 64 64 .500 23 Frank Belt
Kewanee Boilermakers 59 67 .468 27 Jay Andrews
Monmouth Browns 59 69 .461 28 Claude Starke
Muscatine Camels 48 80 .375 39 Harry C. Blake / Lou Walters / Pearl Holycross
Hannibal Cannibals 45 81 .357 41 Jake Beckley
Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Pearl Holycross Muscatine BA .361 Ray Boyd Ottumwa W 30
Taylor Kensel Ottumwa Hits 163 Ray Boyd Ottumwa Pct .811; 30-7
George Watson Burlington Runs 108 A. J. Ahring Muscatine SB 79
Don Senno Ottumwa HR 14


1912 Central Association
President: M. E. Justice

Team Standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Ottumwa Speedboys 79 50 .612 0 23,000 Ned Egan
Kewanee Boilermakers 74 51 .592 3 19,000 George Pennington / Art Queisser
Burlington Pathfinders 73 53 .579 4.5 25,000 Richard Rohn
Monmouth Browns 71 55 .563 6.5 18,000 Bert Hough /Jack Corbett / R.L. Noven
Hannibal Cannibals 67 61 .523 11.5 NA Eddie Herr /Ed Painter
Galesburg Pavers 61 67 .477 17.5 18,000 Ducky Eberts
Keokuk Indians 49 76 .392 28 17,000 Art Queisser / Bill Proutt
Muscatine Wallopers 33 94 .260 45 22,000 Coleman / Kreig / Wall / Clayton
Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
George Manush Ottumwa BA .375 Bert Dunn Ottumwa W 26
Harry Shanley Muscatine Hits 176 Joe Sloan Keokuk SO 197
Harry Ellis Burlington Runs 100 Tom Drohan Kewanee Pct .800; 24-6
John Sullivan Ottumwa HR 21


1913 Central Association
President: M. E. Justice

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Ottumwa Packers 72 54 .571 0 Ned Egan
Muscatine Wallopers 68 54 .557 2 Frank Boyle
Monmouth Browns 64 62 .508 8 Bert Hough
Keokuk Indians 62 63 .496 9.5 George Manush
Burlington Pathfinders 63 66 .488 10.5 Richard Rohn
Cedar Rapids Rabbits 59 65 .476 12 Belden Hill
Kewanee Boilermakers 59 65 .476 12 George Pennington / Frank Richardson
Waterloo Jays 53 71 .427 18 Jay Andrews

No full team or League attendance figures available.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Dave Milligan Cedar Rapids BA .320 George Zackert Muscatine W 22
Harry Ellis Burlington Hits 156 George Zackert Muscatine SO 230
Harry Ellis Burlington Runs 100 George Zackert Muscatine Pct .759; 22-7
William Jacobs Burlington SO 230


1914 Central Association
President: M. E. Justice

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Waterloo Jays 78 51 .605 0 Jay Andrews
Burlington Pathfinders 75 53 .586 2.5 Tom Hayden /George Manush
Muscatine Buttonmakers 72 53 .576 4 Frank Boyle
Clinton Pilots 67 61 .523 10.5 Bert Hough
Cedar Rapids Bunnies 64 60 .516 11.5 Belden Hill
Keokuk Indians 52 76 .406 25.5 Spencer Abbott / Harry Sweet
Marshalltown Ansons 52 76 .406 25.5 Frank Richardson
Ottumwa #/ Rock Island / Galesburg 49 79 .373 28.5 Ned Egan

# Ottumwa moved to Rock Island July 17. However, the National Association would not let the Central Association invade the territory of the three-I league, so Rock Island moved to Galesburg July 24.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Paddy Siglin Waterloo BA .322 Fred Miller Burlington W 23
John Singleton Burlington Hits 158 George Zackert Muscatine SO 305
Walt Meinert Burlington Runs 94 W. Halper Cedar Rapids Pct .722; 13-5


1915 Central Association
President: M. E. Justice

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Burlington Pathfinders 81 38 .681 0 Richard Rohn
Muscatine Muskies 63 57 .525 18.5 Ned Egan /Jess Runser
Keokuk Indians 51 52 .495 22 Frank Boyle
Mason City Claydiggers 58 63 .479 24 Harry Bay
Cedar Rapids Rabbits 54 62 .466 25.5 James Hamilton /Jack Herbert
Marshalltown Ansons 46 67 .407 32 Frank Richardson / Bob Lynch
Waterloo Jays 52 74 .413 32.5 Jay Andrews / Eddie Brennan
Clinton Pilots # 13 69 .159 NA George Manush

# Clinton disbanded in mid-season.
Wins thrown out: Clinton 40, Keokuk 18, Marshalltown 5, Waterloo 1.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Bill Collins Cedar Rapids BA .337 Grover Baichley Burlington W 23
Walt Meinert Burlington Hits 137 Dick Blunk Burlington W 23
Walt Meinert Burlington Runs 97 Grover Baichley Burlington Pct .697; 23-10
Harmon Hagmon Burlington Hits 137 Grover Baichley Burlington SO 310
Cliff Lee Muscatine HR 9 Lyle Sours Muscatine HR 9


1916 Central Association
President: M. E. Justice

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Marshalltown Ansons 77 50 .606 0 Frank Boyle
Clinton Pilots 73 51 .589 2.5 Jim Drohan /Larry Brown
Cedar Rapids Rabbits 62 64 .492 14.5 Jack Herbert /Billy Collins
Burlington# / Ottumwa 62 64 .492 14.5 Richard Rohn / George Boelzle
Waterloo Shamrocks 58 67 .464 18 Eddie Brennan
Mason City Claydiggers 50 76 .397 26.5 Harry Bay
Ft. Dodge Dodgers 41 86 .323 36 Paul Turgeon / Babe Towne
Muscatine Muskies ## 45 44 .506 NA Ned Egan

# Burlington moved to Ottumwa July 20.
## Muscatine forfeited 34 wins.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Babe Ellison Muscatine BA .361 Dick Blunk Ottumwa W 24
Babe Ellison Muscatine Hits 178 H. W. Flanagan Muscatine SO 266
Charles Reinhart Muscatine Runs 104 Ken Penner Marshalltown ERA 1.41
Albert "Bull" Durham Musca/Marsh HR 18


1917 Central Association
President: John F. Ford

Team Standings W L PCT GB Managers
Marshalltown Ansons 64 34 .653 0 Frank Boyle
Mason City Claydiggers 54 38 .587 7 Dan O'Leary
Waterloo Loons 50 42 .543 11 Ned Egan
Cedar Rapids ### / Clear Lake 39 52 .429 21.5 W. Collins /Jay Andrews / Harry Shanley
Dubuque Dubs #/ Charles City 40 54 .426 22 George Hughes
Ft. Dodge Dodgers 37 57 .394 25 Charley Stis
Clinton Pilots ## 40 33 .548 NA Larry Brown
La Crosse Infants ## 29 43 .403 NA Mike Malloy /Jay Andrews

# Dubuque moved to Charles City July 4.
## Clinton & La Crosse disbanded July 17.
### Cedar Rapids moved to Clear Lake July 27.
The season was shortened to August 7 with National Association permission.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Bing Miller Clinton BA .337 Red Torkelson Marshalltown W 20
Bing Miller Clinton Hits 106 Frank Ulch La Cros/Cedar ERA 1.25
Joe Wilkes Clin/Charl Runs 69 John Mokan Ft. Dodge HR 9

League Records 1908-1917[edit]

Batting
Player Team Stat Tot Yr Player Team Stat Tot Yr
John Corriden Keokuk GA 143 09 George Manush Ottumwa BA .375 12
Ed Reichle Keokuk GA 143 09 George Watson Burlington RUNS 108 11
Babe Ellison Muscatine HITS 178 16 Charles Hartman Quincy AB 567 10
Babe Ellison Muscatine 2B 46 16 C.B. Lewis Kewanee 3B 17 09
John Sullivan Ottumwa HR 21 12 Babe Ellison Muscatine EBH 76 16
Babe Ellison Muscatine TB 268 16 Jim McAuley Waterloo SAC 56 14
A.J. Ahring Muscatine SB 79 11 Joseph Wilkes Clinton BB 87 16
Ernie Menne Clinton SO 90 15


Pitching
Player Team Stat Tot Yr Player Team Stat Tot Yr
Charles Fanning Galesburg GA 51 10 C.R. Garrett Mason City CG 43 15
Harry Gaspar Waterloo W 32 08 R.E. McCullough Keokuk L 25 14
Harry Gaspar Waterloo PCT .889 08 Frank Ulch La Cro/Ced Ra ERA 1.25 17
Charles Fanning Galesburg IP 387 10 Charles Fanning Galesburg SO 320 10
Dan Adams Galesb/Musca BB 155 12 Phil Slattery Marshalltown HB 36 16
Guy Beard Marshalltown WP 15 15


Cities Represented[edit]

1947-1949[edit]

Teams & Statistics[edit]

1947-1949[edit]

1947 Central Association - schedule
President: Frank Hern

Team Standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Clinton Cubs 73 51 .589 0 59,553 Robert Peterson
Hannibal Pilots 69 56 .552 4.5 40,490 Herb Nordquist
Rockford Rox 68 57 .544 5.5 67,938 Cyril Pfeifer
Keokuk Pirates 61 64 .488 12.5 44,332 Frank Oceak
Burlington (IA) Indians 52 72 .419 21 37,138 Paul O'Dea
Moline A's 51 74 .408 22.5 27,479 Elwood Wheaton

Playoffs: Clinton 3 games, Rockford 2; Hannibal 3 games, Keokuk 1.
Finals: Clinton 4 games, Hannibal 1.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Edward Wiltsee Clinton BA .387 Charles Funk Hannibal W 19
Roy Sievers Hannibal Hits 159 Charles Funk Hannibal SO 145
Roy Sievers Hannibal Runs 121 Stan Wnetrzak Clinton ERA 1.72
Roy Sievers Hannibal RBI 141 Roy Sievers Hannibal HR 34


1948 Central Association - schedule
President: Frank Hern

Team Standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Clinton Cubs 79 47 .627 0 53,133 Nelson Burbrink / Lee Eilbracht
Burlington (IA) Indians 68 62 .523 13 70,359 Paul O'Dea /Melillo / Bruno Haas
Hannibal Pilots 67 62 .519 13.5 41,124 Walter DeFreitas
Keokuk Pirates 61 67 .477 19 54,694 Phil Seghi
Rockford Rox 56 72 .438 24 43,133 Cyril Pfeifer /Paul O'Dea
Moline A's / Kewanee A's # 53 74 .417 26.5 38,088 Joe Glenn

# Moline moved to Kewanee June 18, first home game June29.
Playoffs: Clinton 4 games, Burlington 2; Keokuk 4 games, Hannibal 1.
Finals: Clinton 4 games, Keokuk 0.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Gus Bell Keokuk BA .319 Ronald McLeland Hannibal W 18
Billy Klaus Clintonl Hits 167 Calvin Howe Clinton W 18
Elzer Marx Clinton Runs 108 Wesley Carr Clinton SO 163
Dwight Maxhimer Clinton RBI 105 Merrill Merkle Hannibal SO 163
John Tanner Keokuk HR 23 Ronald McLeland Hannibal ERA 2.39


1949 Central Association - schedule
President: Lee A. Thomas

Team Standings W L PCT GB Attend Managers
Burlington (IA) Indians 81 48 .628 0 57,915 Lloyd Brown
Keokuk Pirates 74 54 .578 6.5 38,931 Charlie Hargreaves
Kewanee A's 68 60 .531 12.5 29,482 Harold Hoffman
Cedar Rapids Rockets 63 67 .485 18.5 84,185 Packy Rogers
Clinton Steers 61 65 .484 18.5 35,764 Adolph Matulis / Joe Blake
Rockford Rox 38 91 .295 43 19,304 Robert Dill / Fred Lietz

Playoffs: Cedar Rapids 3 games, Burlington 0; Kewanee 3 games, Keokuk 0.
Finals: Kewanee 4 games, Cedar Rapids 2.

Player Statistics
Player Team Stat Tot Player Team Stat Tot
Harry Minor Keokuk BA .350 Walter Rush Burlington W 16
John Miller Kewanee Hits 158 John Graney Clinton SO 164
George Sopko Keokuk Runs 120 Harry Pritz Keokuk ERA 1.32
John Tanner Cedar Rapids RBI 121 John Tanner Cedar Rapids HR 37

League Records 1947-1949[edit]

Batting
Player Team Stat Tot Yr Player Team Stat Tot Yr
Held by many Various GA 130 48 Ed Wiltsee Clinton BA .387 47
George Sopko Keokuk AB 544 49 Roy Sievers Hannibal RUNS 121 47
Billy Klaus Clinton HITS 167 48 Roy Sievers Hannibal RBI 147 47
Billy Klaus Clinton 2B 35 48 Gus Bell Keokuk 3B 20 48
Jack Tanner Cedar Rapids HR 37 49 Frank Pawlik Rockford EBH 61 47
Roy Sievers Hannibal TB 293 47 Bruno Poveromo Clinton SB 41 49
Jim King Keokuk BB 180 49 John Addison Kewanee SO 106 49


Pitching
Player Team Stat Tot Yr Player Team Stat Tot Yr
Deryle Harris Rockford GA 38 47 Bob Howe Rockford GA 38 47
Deryle Harris Rockford CG 25 48 Charles Funk Hannibal W 19 47
Held by many Various L 15 47 Calvin Howe Clinton PCT .818 48
Harry Pitts Keokuk ERA 1.32 49 Deryle Harris Rockford IP 230 48
Ron McLeland Hannibal ShO 5 48 Calvin Howe Clinton ShO 5 48
John Graney Clinton SO 164 49 Charles Funk Hannibal BB 150 47

Hall of Fame Alumni[edit]

Source[edit]

The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Second Edition

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