Joplin Miners

• Location: Joplin, MO
• League: Missouri Valley League 1902-1904; Western Association 1905-1909, 1910-1911; Western League 1917-1921; Western Association 1922-1924, 1927-1932; Western League 1933; Western Association 1934-1942, 1946-1953
• Affiliation: St. Louis Browns 1933; Boston Red Sox 1934; New York Yankees 1935-1953
• Ballpark: Cox Park 1902-1906; Miners Park 1907-1914; Joe Becker Stadium 1917-1924, 1927-1942, 1946-1953

1950 Miners team, apparently 2nd from the right is Mickey Mantle (doesn't look like him).

Team history

The Joplin Miners were based in Joplin, Missouri. The Miners played for 49 seasons between 1902 and 1954.

The Miners began play in 1902 and played in the Missouri Valley League (1902-04), the Western Association (1934–1954, 1922–1932, 1905–1911, 1914), and the Western League (1917–21, 1933).

The Miners were affiliates of the New York Yankees (1935-1942; 1946–1953), the St. Louis Browns (1933), Boston Red Sox (1934) and the St. Louis Cardinals (1954).

In April 1920, Ty Cobb and the Detroit Tigers played an exhibition game against the Miners in Joplin.

The 1952 Miners finished 87-52. The 1950 squad finished 90-46, with 18-year-old Mickey Mantle hitting .383 with 199 hits, 30 doubles, 12 triples and 26 homers for the Miners.

Ballparks

The team played at Cox Park from 1902–1906. Cox Park it was located at 16th & Main Streets. From 1907–1916 the franchise played at Miners Park, located between 2nd and 4th streets off Main Street. In 1917, the team began play in a new Miners Park, now Joe Becker Stadium, located at 1301 East Third Street.

Alumni

Hall of Fame Alumni

• Whitey Herzog (1951) MLB manager: 1982 World Series Champion – St. Louis Cardinals; 1985 National League Manager of the Year; Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010
• Mickey Mantle (1950) 536 career Home Runs; Gold Glove; 16-time MLB All-Star; 7-time World Series Champion; 5-time American League RBI Leader (1955, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1962); 4-time AL Home Run Leader (1955, 1956, 1958, 1960); 3-time AL Most Valuable Player (1956, 1957, 1963); Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972

Notable Alumni

• Gene Green (1954)
• Jim Coates (1953) MLB All-Star
• Johnny Blanchard (1952)
• Jerry Lumpe (1952) MLB All-Star
• Norm Siebern (1952) Gold Glove; 3-time MLB All-Star
• John Gabler (1951)
• Mel Wright (1951)
• Harry Craft (1950, manager)
• Lou Skizas (1950)
• Bob Wiesler (1950)
• Cal Neeman (1949–1950)
• Al Pilarcik (1949)
• Jim Finigan (1948–49) 2-time MLB All-Star
• Jerry Snyder (1947)
• Eddie Bockman (1940–41)
• Ralph Houk (1940) MLB manager: 1,691 wins; Manager: 1961 & 1962 World Series Champion – New York Yankees
• Al Lyons (1940)
• Ferrell Anderson (1939)
• Russ Derry (1938)
• Al Gerheauser (1938)
• Benny Bengough (1936-1937 Manager)
• Johnny Lindell (1936) MLB All-Star
• Wally Schang (1934 Player/Manager)
• Cy Blanton (1932) 2-time MLB All-Star; 1935 National League ERA Leader
• Tommy Thevenow (1923) 15 MLB Seasons;
• Pea Ridge Day (1923)
• Gabby Street (1922, Manager); Manager: 1931 World Series Champion – St. Louis Cardinals
• Gene Robertson (1920)
• Paul Strand (1919)
• Dick Crutcher (1918–1919)
• Rudy Hulswitt (1918–1919)
• George Boehler (1918–1920)
• Bill Burwell (1917–1919)
• Josh Devore (1917)
• Pat Collins (1917–1919) 2-time World Series Champion, 1927-1928 New York Yankees
• Earl Hamilton (1910) 14 MLB Seasons
• Joe Kelly (1910)
• Marc Hall (1910)
• Mike Balenti (1909)
• Cy Slapnicka (1908) MLB: Player, General Manager and Scout

Year-by-Year Record

Year	Record	Finish	Manager	Playoffs	Notes
1902	56-64	5th	Claude Marcum (6/15) / Wichizer	none
1903	69-62	4th	Dave Joseph	none
1904	77-49	3rd	John Fillman	none
1905	65-73	6th	John Fillman / John Baerwald	none
1906	75-62	2nd	John Baerwald / Lou Armsrong	none
1907	71-64	5th	Ted Price / Lou Armstrong	none
1908	71-65	4th	John Fillman	none
1909	20-43 (36-89 overall)	--	Thomas Hayden / Bailey Vinson / Jack McConnell / William Burns	--	Joplin moved to El Reno July 4
1910	90-34	1st	Dick Rohn	none League Champs
1911	3-2	--	Tony Anderson	--	Team disbanded May 10
1917	79-68	4th	Jack Dalton / Yank Davis / John Savage	Lost playoff for 2nd half title
1918	34-31	4th	Rudy Hulswitt	League suspended operations July 7
1919	57-78	7th	Rudy Hulswitt
1920	73-81	6th	James Hamilton
1921	76-91	6th	James Hamilton	none
1922	93-42	2nd	Gabby Street	League Champs
1923	83-60	1st	Gabby Street
1924	25-24 (69-87 overall)	--	Tom Toland / Al Williams (minors)	--	Joplin moved to Bartlesville June 16
1927	35-28	3rd	Marty Purtell	none	St. Joseph (38-32) moved to Joplin July 7
1928	70-65	3rd	Marty Purtell	League Champs
1929	68-82	5th	George Cochran / Roy Corgan
1930	76-59	2nd	James "Cat" Tierney	Lost League Finals
1931	80-62	2nd	Lyman Lamb	none
1932	2-1	--	Grover Wilson	--	Team moved to Topeka May 6
	7-10	--	Marty Purtell	--	Independence (12-10) moved to Joplin May 23, then back to Independence June 10
1933	55-69	6th	Runt Marr
1934	66-68	3rd	Wally Schang
1935	48-81	6th	Runt Marr / Stanley Hino
1936	83-58	2nd	Benny Bengough	Lost League Finals
1937	76-66	3rd	Benny Bengough	Lost League Finals
1938	63-74	6th	Ted Mayer
1939	81-56	2nd	Claude Jonnard	Lost in 1st round
1940	68-64	5th	Paul O'Malley
1941	93-41	1st	Doc Bennett	League Champs
1942	59-75	5th	Doc Bennett
1946	61-73	6th	James Acton
1947	67-73	5th	Jimmy McLeod
1948	75-57	3rd	Johnny Sturm	Lost in 1st round
1949	80-58	3rd	Johnny Sturm	League Champs
1950	90-46	1st	Harry Craft	Lost in 1st round
1951	77-48	2nd	Billy Holm	none
1952	87-52	1st	Vern Hoscheit	League Champs
1953	71-68	4th	Malcolm "Bunny" Mick	Lost in 1st round