Mountain State League

The Mountain State League (not to be confused with the Mountain States League) was a class D league from 1937 through 1941. In 1942 it was a class C circuit, but then shut down for World War II. The league had surprising stability for its class, as 5 of the 6 teams competed every year, and only one team moving. A West Virginia-based league, it bore little similarity to the Mountain States League that started after World War II.

Cities Represented

1937-1942

• Ashland, KY: Ashland Colonels 1939-1942
• Beckley, WV: Beckley Bengals 1937-1938
• Bluefield, WV: Bluefield Blue-Grays 1937-1942
• Huntington, WV: Huntington Boosters 1937; Huntington Bees 1938; Huntington Boosters 1939; Huntington Aces 1940-1941; Huntington Jewels 1942
• Logan, WV: Logan Indians 1937-1942
• Welch, WV: Welch Miners 1937-1942
• Williamson, WV: Williamson Colts 1937-1938; Williamson Red Birds 1939-1942

Teams & Statistics

1937

President: Ray Ryan

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Beckley Bengals	68	36	.654	-	Eli Harris
Welch Miners	59	43	.578	8	Eddie Krajnik
Williamson Colts	54	46	.540	12	Nat Hickey
Bluefield Blue-Grays	49	46	.516	14.5	Ernie Powell
Logan Indians	37	61	.378	28	Bert Grimm
Huntington Boosters #	23	58	.284	NA	Joe Watson / Paul Ryan / Mike Broski/Doc Pricer

# Huntington withdrew August 1.
The split season format was abandoned August 24.
Welch withdrew September 3 during the playoff series with Williamson.
Williamson withdrew September 6 during the finals.
Playoffs: Beckley, bye; Welch 2 games, Bluefield 0; Williamson 2 games, Logan 0; Williamson 1 game, Welch 0;
Finals:Beckley 2 games, Williamson 0;

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Earl Martin	Beckley	BA	.400		Charlie Bowles	Beckley	W	16
Raleigh Singleton	Beckley	Runs	113		Dixie Howell	Logan	SO	153
Stan Arnzen	Welch	Hits	150		Ed Schumacher	Beckley	ERA	2.70
Earl Martin	Beckley	RBI	96		Joseph Petrich	Welch	PCT	.731 19-7
Larry Steinbeck	Beckley	HR	20

1938

President: Ray Ryan

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Logan Indians	72	46	.610	-	Eddie Hock
Beckley Bengals	61	52	.540	8.5	Eli Harris
Williamson Colts	58	60	.492	14	Nat Hickey
Welch Miners	56	64	.467	17	Eddie Krajnik / Charles Bowie / Carlos Ratliff
Bluefield Blue-Grays	55	64	.462	17.5	Earl Smith
Huntington Bees	50	66	.431	21	Dickie Kerr

Attendance: Logan 50,000
Playoffs: Logan 3 games, Williamson 2; Beckley 2 games, Welch 0;
Finals: Beckley 3 games, Logan 2;

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Moe Franklin	Beckley	BA	.439		Earl Brinegar	Welch	W	18
Raleigh Singleton	Beckley	Runs	128		John Gorszyca	Beckley	W	18
Garfield Ganoe	Bluefield	Hits	170		Vern Kohler	Logan	SO	216
Walter Sessi	Williamson	RBI	126		Vern Kohler	Logan	ERA	2.24
Moe Franklin	Beckley	HR	26		Frank Mahon	Huntington	CG	25
					Vern Kohler	Logan	PCT	.900 18-2

1939

President: Ray Ryan

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Williamson Red Birds	76	51	.598	-	Harrison Wickel
Welch Miners	72	57	.558	5	Sam Gray
Huntington Boosters	66	61	.520	10	Mike Powers
Bluefield Blue-Grays	65	64	.504	12	Vic Sorrell
Logan Indians	55	75	.423	22.5	Eddie Hock
Ashland Colonels	52	78	.400	25.5	Harold Conn / Ray French

Attendance: Bluefield 70,000.
Playoffs: Williamson 2 games, Huntington 1; Bluefield 2 games, Welch 0;
Finals: Bluefield 3 games, Williamson 1;

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Bill Shewey	Williamson	BA	.376		Howard Smith	Williamson	W	19
John Streza	Williamson	Runs	127		Russ Meers	Huntington	SO	297
John Streza	Williamson	Hits	185		Sam Gray	Welch	ERA	3.03
Harrison Wickel	Williamson	RBI	142		Howard Smith	Williamson	PCT	.731 19-7
Edison Guinther	Logan	HR	26

1940

President: Ray Ryan

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Williamson Red Birds	76	45	.628	-	Harrison Wickel
Logan Indians	75	51	.595	3.5	Eddie Hock
Bluefield Blue-Grays	65	51	.560	8.5	Vic Sorrell
Welch Miners	63	62	.504	15	Tex Stuart / Roy Hall
Ashland Colonels	55	71	.437	23.5	Tommy Thevenow / Ray French
Huntington Aces	33	87	.275	42.5	Pee Wee Wanninger / Russ Young /Ezra Midkiff

Attendance: Bluefield 70,000.
Playoffs: Logan 2 games, Welch 0; Williamson 2 games, Bluefield 0;
Finals: Williamson 3 games, Logan 1;

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Worthington Day	Ashland	BA	.363		Harold Sharp	Williamson	W	18
Bill Shewey	Williamson	Runs	134		Joe Pennington	Logan	W	18
Worthington Day	Ashland	Hits	178		Vern Bickford	Welch	So	1.63
Tennis Mounts	Logan	Hits	178		Tom Triner	Welch	ERA	2.76
Buck Etchison	Welch	RBI	132		Ernie Peters	Williamson	PCT	.773 17-5
Stan Wentzel	Logan	HR	26

1941

President: Ray Ryan

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Logan Indians	80	48	.625	-	Eddie Hock
Williamson Red Birds	77	50	.606	2.5	Harrison Wickel
Bluefield Blue-Grays	64	61	.512	14.5	Bill Averett
Welch Miners	64	62	.508	15	Fred Neisler
Ashland Colonels	53	76	.411	27.5	Ray French / Charley Carman
Huntington Aces	43	84	.339	36.5	Fred Blake / Robert Larsen

Playoffs: Logan 2 games, Bluefield 1; Welch 2 games, Williamson 0;
Finals: Logan 4 games, Welch 1;

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Don Smith	Huntington	BA	.406		Joe Pennington	Logan	W	21
Ray King (minors)	Williamson	Runs	132		Joe Pennington	Logan	SO	229
Don Smith	Huntington	Hits	191		Ed Burtschy	Ashland	ERA	2.46
Harrison Wickel	Williamson	RBI	147		Joe Pennington	Logan	PCT	.778 21-6
Tennis Mounts	Logan	HR	24

1942-Class C

President: Robert T. Caldwell

Team Standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Huntington Jewels	82	42	.661	-	Charles Lucas / Arthur Scharein
Welch Miners	67	55	.549	14	Don Manno
Williamson Red Birds	66	58	.532	16	Ollie Vanek / Jack Angle
Ashland Colonels	60	67	.472	23.5	Eddie Hock
Bluefield Blue-Grays	55	69	.443	27	Johnny Gooch / Charley Carman
Logan Indians	40	79	.335	39.5	Grover Hartley / Charles Hoffman / Ray Ryan

Playoffs: Ashland 2 games, Williamson 0; Huntington 2 games, Welch 1;
Finals: Ashland 4 games, Huntington 1;

Player Statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Don Manno	Welch	BA	.381		Robert Peterson (minors)	Huntington	W	17
Don Manno	Welch	Runs	136		Ribs Raney	Huntington	W	17
Don Manno	Welch	Hits	174		Ribs Raney	Huntington	SO	146
Kenneth Wood	Huntington	RBI	126		Robert Peterson (minors)	Huntington	Pct	.810 17-4
Don Manno	Welch	HR	34

League Records 1937-1942

Batting
Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr		Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr
John Sweetko	Logan	GA	130	39		Moe Franklin	Beckley	BA	.439	38
John Sweetko	Logan	AB	540	39		Don Manno	Welch	Runs	136	42
John Streza	Williamson	Hits	185	39		Harrison Wickel	Williamson	RBI	147	41
Harrison Wickel	Williamson	2B	53	41		Bill Shewey	Williamson	3B	21	40
Don Manno	Welch	HR	34	42		Don Manno	Welch	TB	336	42
Andrew Ogin	Welch	SAC	26	37		Edison Guinther	Ashland	SB	85	41
Edison Guinther	Logan	BB	113	39		Tony Kvedar	Logan	SO	97	39

Pitching
Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr		Player	Team	Stat	Tot	Yr
Steve Milnarsik	Logan	GA	40	39		Ernest Clark	Huntington	GA	40	41
Frank Mahon	Huntington	CG	25	38		Joe Pennington	Logan	W	21	41
Ralph Holland	Ashland	L	19	39		Earl Brinegar	Welch	Pct	.900,18-2	38
Vernon Kohler	Logan	ERA	2.24	38		Steve Milnarsik	Logan	IP	254	39
Russ Meers	Huntington	SO	297	39		Russ Meers	Huntington	BB	191	39

Hall of Fame Alumni

• Stan Musial, 1938 Williamson Colts; 1939 Williamson Red Birds

Source

The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Second and Third Editions