Eastern Association

The earliest incarnation of the Eastern Association, more formally the Eastern Championship Association, was as a Non-Signatory 19th Century League from 1881 to 1883.

The name was resurrected in 1891 by the ancestor of what is now known as the International League, a circuit that has gone through a few name changes. It changed its name to the Eastern League, from 1892 to 1911, and finally the International League beginning in 1912.

In 1909 there was a short-lived independent league in New York known as the Eastern Association.

In 1913 the Connecticut League changed its name to the Eastern Association. The Class B league operated in New England. The 1915 Spalding Guide said that "life appears to be perennial with the circuit." The loop did not make it to opening of the 1915 season.

Cities Represented

1891

see International League

• Albany, NY: Albany Senators 1891
• Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Bisons 1891
• Lebanon, PA: Lebanon Cedars 1891
• New Haven, CT: New Haven Nutmegs 1891
• Providence, RI: Providence Clamdiggers 1891
• Rochester, NY: Rochester Hop Bitters 1891
• Syracuse, NY: Syracuse Stars 1891
• Troy, NY: Troy Trojans 1891

1909

• Amsterdam, NY: Amsterdam 1909
• Gloversville, NY: Gloversville 1909
• Johnstown, NY: Johnstown 1909
• Kingston, NY: Kingston Colonials 1909
• Middletown, NY: Middletown 1909
• Poughkeepsie, NY: Poughkeepsie 1909
• Newburgh, NY: Newburgh 1909
• Schenectady, NY: Schenectady 1909

1913-1914

• Bridgeport, CT: Bridgeport Crossmen 1913; Bridgeport Bolts 1914
• Hartford, CT: Hartford Senators 1913-1914, moved from Connecticut League 1902-1913
• Holyoke, MA: Holyoke Papermakers 1913, moved from Connecticut League 1907-1913
• Meriden, CT: Meriden Hopes 1913
• New Britain, CT: New Britain Sinks 1914, moved from Connecticut League 1902-1913
• New Haven, CT: New Haven White Wings 1913-1914
• New London, CT: New London Planters 1913-1914
• Pittsfield, MA: Pittsfield Electrics 1913-1914
• Springfield, MA: Springfield Ponies 1913-1914
• Waterbury, CT: Waterbury Contenders 1913; Waterbury Frolickers 1914

Teams & Statistics

1891

1891 Eastern Association - schedule
President: Charles D. White

Team	W	L	GB	Pct.	Manager
Buffalo Bisons	89	35	.718	0	Patrick Powers
Albany Senators	72	49	.595	15.5	Joe Gerhardt
Troy Trojans	51	77	.398	36.5	David Mahoney
Lebanon Cedars	48	73	.397	37	James Randall
Syracuse Stars ###	56	42	.571	NA	George Frazer
New Haven Nutmegs ##	48	39	.552	NA	Walt Burnham
Rochester Hop Bitters ###	36	60	.375	NA	Tom Power / Lew Kerstein
Providence Clamdiggers #	29	54	.349	NA	Bill McGunnigle

# Providence disbanded August 13.
## New Haven disbanded August 14.
### Syracuse & Rochester disbanded August 25.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Buck West	Syracuse	BA	.339		Les German	Buffalo	W	35
Ted Scheffler	Buffalo	Runs	156		Tony Von Fricken	Albany	SO	197
Harry Lyons	Buffalo	Hits	166		L.A. Gilliland	New Haven	ERA	0.89
Dan Lally	New Haven	HR	5		Les German	Buffalo	PCT	.761; 35-11
Pete Sweeney	Rochester	HR	5
Art Bader	Albany	SB	106

1909

1909 Eastern Association
President: Fred Paige

Team	W	L	GB	Pct.	Manager
Newburgh Colts	8	2	.800	-	William Landgraf
Amsterdam	5	3	.625	2
Johnstown	4	3	.571	2.5
Kingston Colonials	4	3	.571	2.5	Hugh MacKinnon
Gloversville	4	5	.444	3.5	Jacob Leist
Middletown Orange Blossoms	2	6	.250	5	William K. Murray
Poughkeepsie Students #					Fred Paige
Schenectady #					Joseph Andries

# Poughkeepsie and Schenectady disbanded June 1.
The league lasted eleven days.

1913

1913 Eastern Association - schedule
President: Jim O'Rourke

Team	W	L	GB	Pct.	Manager
Hartford Senators	83	48	.634	0	Simon McDonald
New Haven White Wings	79	52	.603	4	Jerry O'Connell
Waterbury Contenders	70	61	.534	13	Sam Kennedy
Bridgeport Crossmen	69	63	.523	14.5	Gene McCann / John Freeman / Monte Cross
New London Planters	65	66	.496	18	John Burns / Gene McCann
Springfield Ponies	60	70	.462	22.5	Frank Corridon / Jack O'Hara
Pittsfield Electrics	62	73	.459	23	John Zeller
Holyoke / Meridan #	40	95	.296	45	Jim Garry

#Holyoke (24-52) moved to Meriden July 11.

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Benny Kauff	Hartford	BA	.345		Bill Hopper	New Haven	W	31
Bill Morley	Hartford	Runs	103		Wib Smith	Pittsfield	SO	175
Benny Kauff	Hartford	Hits	176		Bill Hopper	New Haven	ERA	2.03
Tom Stankard	Holy/Mer/Sprin	HR	8		Bill Hopper	New Haven	PCT	.795 31-8

1914

1914 Eastern Association - schedule
President: Jim O'Rourke

Team	W	L	GB	Pct.	Manager
New London Planters	81	35	.698	0	Gene McCann
Waterbury Frolickers	69	51	.575	14	Lee Fohl
Bridgeport Bolts	67	56	.545	17.5	Jake Boultes
Hartford Senators	62	56	.525	20	Simon McDonald / Daniel O'Neill
Springfield Ponies	63	61	.508	22	Billy Hamilton / Simon McDonald
Pittsfield Electrics	60	63	.488	24.5	John Zeller
New Haven White Wings	54	64	.458	28	Jerry O'Connell
New Britain Sinks	27	97	.218	58	George Browne / Jim Garry

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Elmer Smith	Waterbury	BA	.332		Willie Jensen	New Haven	W	21
Marty Becker	New London	Runs	90		Bun Troy	Pittsfield	SO	212
Ed Barney	Hartford	Hits	140		Doc Powers	New Haven	ERA	2.03
Pete Shields	Waterbury	HR	7		Doc Powers	New Haven	PCT	.769 20-6

Further Reading

• Robert D. Warrington: "Philadelphia in the 1881 Eastern Championship Association", Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Vol. 48, Nr. 1, Spring 2019, pp. 78-85.