Middle States League

The Middle States League was a 1889 circuit which was not part of the National Agreement with the National League and American Association. They were an integrated league. Teams included the New York Big Gorhams and Cuban Giants. Players included Frank Grant and George Stovey.

Cities Represented

• Gorhams, Lancaster, PA
• Harrisburg, PA: Harrisburg Ponies
• Hazleton, PA: Hazleton
• Lancaster, PA: Lancaster Dutch
• Lebanon, PA: Lebanon Dutch Grays
• Norristown, PA: Norristown
• Norwalk, CT: Norwalk
• Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia Giants
• Reading, PA: Reading Actives
• Shenandoah, PA: Shenandoah
• Trenton, NJ: Cuban Giants
• Wilmington, DE: Wilmington Quicksteps
• York, PA: York Hayseeds

Teams & Statistics

1889

1889 Middle States League - schedule
President: Charles P. Mason /William H. Voltz

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Harrisburg Ponies	64	19	.771	-	James Farrington
Cuban Giants	55	17	.764	3.5	Cos Govern
York Hayseeds @@	45	28	.616	14	Henry Myers/Joseph Devine/J. W. Hedrick/W. E. Whorl/Smyser
Norristown ^	18	22	.450	NA	15 different managers/Barney Stevenson/J. C. Smith
Gorhams !	14	20	.412	NA	Benjamin Butler
Lancaster Dutch %	10	15	.400	NA	Terrence Connell
Norwalk &	12	19	.387	NA	James Donnelly
Wilmington Quicksteps ##	4	9	.308	NA	Thomas Kane
Lebanon Dutch Grays @	6	16	.273	NA	Joseph Buck
Hazleton	10	27	.270	NA	Harry Foote
Reading Actives #	6	17	.261	NA	Edgar Cuthbert
Philadelphia Giants $	2	24	.077	NA	Charles Mason
Shenandoah $$	1	14	.071	NA	J. J. Monaghan

& Norwalk entered the league June 12 and disbanded July 3
% Lancaster disbanded June 15
# Reading disbanded June 18
^ Norristown entered the league June 20 and disbanded August 21
$ Philadelphia disbanded June 25
! franchise based at Lancaster, PA; disbanded August 20
$$ Shenandoah entered the league July 17 and disbanded August 6
@ Lebanon entered the league August 9
## Wilmington entered the league August 22 from the disbanded Delaware State League and disbanded August 30
@@ York disbanded September 3
The Cuban Giants played in Trenton and Hoboken. The New York Gorhams played in Hoboken and Easton.

Source

The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Third Edition