| Danville Baseball Team | |
|---|---|
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| Minor league affiliations | |
| Previous classes |
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| League | Midwest League (1970–1976, 1982) |
Previous leagues |
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| Major league affiliations | |
| Previous teams |
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| Minor league titles | |
| League titles | 6 (1927, 1930, 1951, 1954, 1972, 1974) |
| Team data | |
Previous names |
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Previous parks | Danville Stadium |
Several different minor league ballclubs have been based in the town ofDanville, Illinois, fielding teams in 38 seasons between 1888 and 1982 under various monikers. TheDanville Suns (1982), Danville Dodgers (1975–1976), Danville Warriors (1970–1974), Danville Dans (1951–1954), Danville Dodgers (1946–1950), Danville Veterans (1922–1932), Danville Speakers (1908, 1910–1914), Danville Old Soldiers (1906), Danville Champions (1900) and Danville Browns (1888, 1889) were the minor league teams. Danville teams played at Soldiers Home Park (1922–1932) andDanville Stadium (1946–1982).
In 1989, theDanville Dans of thecollegiate summer league began play in theProspect League.
The 1888Danville Browns were the first professional team in Danville, playing in theCentral Interstate League and theIllinois–Indiana League in 1889. TheDanville Champions played in theCentral League in 1900 and theDanville Old Soldiers in theKentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League in 1906.
TheDanville Speakers played in theEastern Illinois League in 1908 and in theIllinois–Indiana–Iowa League (Three-I League) from 1910 to 1914. Major leaguersMedric Boucher,Cecil Coombs,Bob Fisher,Buck Hopkins,Pete Hildebrand,Hosea Siner,Bert Graham,Rube Sellers,Connie Walsh,Otto Vogel,Walt Devoy andHod Eller played for the Speakers in its short time in existence under that moniker. They moved toMoline, Illinois and became theMoline Plowboys during the 1914 season.
TheDanville Veterans rejoined the Three-I League in 1922–1932, winning league championships in 1927 and 1930. Danville was an affiliate of theSt. Louis Cardinals from 1927–1932.
After World War II, theBrooklyn Dodgers came to town with theirDanville Dodgers affiliate in the Three-I League.
In 1946 the Dodgers looked to haveRoy Campanella andDon Newcombe play for theDanville Dodgers. Campanella and Newcombe signed contracts with Danville, but never played there after the idea of integrating received push back. Instead, the players went to theNashua Dodgers.[1][2]
After the Dodgers left, the team remained as theDanville Dans, joining theMississippi–Ohio Valley League and winning the1951 Championship and later capturing theMidwest League Championship in 1954, reflecting the new league name of the old Mississippi-Ohio Valley League. The Dans were affiliated with theBoston Braves (1952),Chicago White Sox (1953) andNew York Giants (1954).
After a period of fifteen seasons without a minor league team, the 1970Danville Warriors rejoined theMidwest League, playing atDanville Stadium. The Warriors were a co-op club in 1970, before becoming aMilwaukee Brewers affiliate in 1971 and remained a Brewers farm club through 1974. The Warriors experienced their share of success in their five years. They were Southern Division first half champions in 1971 (losing toQuad Cities in the playoffs); won the Southern Division in both halves in 1972, going on to win theMidwest league championship; again won the division first half championship in 1973, beating Decatur in the first round of the playoffs but losing in the championship round to Wisconsin Rapids; and winning the second half division championship in 1974, going on to win theleague title by defeating Quad Cities and Appleton in succession.[3]
TheDanville Dodgers name was reborn in 1975, when it became aLos Angeles Dodgers farm club for two seasons. The franchise folded after the 1976 season.[4]
The 1982Danville Suns rejoined the league for one season as an affiliate of theCalifornia Angels. The franchise relocated toPeoria, Illinois to become thePeoria Chiefs in 1983. TheDanville Dans of the summer collegiateProspect League have played since 1989, utilizing Danville Stadium.
Danville minor league teams played atSoldiers Home Park from 1922 to 1932. Teams between 1946 and 1982 played atDanville Stadium. Danville Stadium is still in use by today's Danville Dans and is located at 610 Highland Boulevard in Danville, Illinois.[5][6][7]