| Sioux City Corn Huskers | |
|---|---|
| |
| Minor league affiliations | |
| Class | Independent (1888–1891) Class A (1894, 1900) Class D (1902) |
| League | Western Association (1888–1891) Western League (1894) Western League II (1900) Iowa-South Dakota League (1902) |
| Major league affiliations | |
| Team | None |
| Minor league titles | |
| League titles(2) |
|
| Team data | |
| Name | Sioux City Corn Huskers (1888–1891) Sioux City Cornhuskers (1894, 1900, 1902) |
| Ballpark | Evans Driving Park Baseball Grounds (1888–1891, 1894 ) Riverside Baseball Grounds (1900, 1902) |
TheSioux City Corn Huskers (and the interchangeable "Cornhuskers") were an earlyminor league baseball team based inSioux City, Iowa, United States. The Corn Huskers teams played as members of theWestern Association (1888–1891) andWestern League (1894), winning 1891 and 1894 league championships.
Following the 1891 regular season, the Sioux City Corn Huskers were victorious in both post-season series against the major leagueChicago Orphans andSt. Louis Browns teams, hosting both series at home.
The team became theSt. Paul Saints in 1895 afterCharles Comiskey purchased the franchise and moved the team toSt. Paul, Minnesota. In 1900 Comiskey relocated the team from St. Paul to become theChicago White Sox of theAmerican League.
Following their Western League tenure, Sioux City Cornhusker teams played as a member of the 1900Western League II and 1902Iowa-South Dakota League, evolving to become theSioux City Soos beginning in 1903.
The Sioux City Corn Husker teams hosted home minor league home games at the Evans Driving Park Baseball Grounds until 1900, when the team began play at the Riverside Baseball Grounds.
In their first season of minor league play, Sioux City joined a newly formed minor league during the 1888 season. The Sioux City Corn Huskers became charter members of theClass A levelWestern Association during the season.[1][2] In forming the ten–team Western Association Sioux City joined with theChicago Maroons,Davenport Onion Weeders,Des Moines Prohibitionists,Kansas City Blues,Milwaukee Brewers,Minneapolis Millers,Omaha Omahogs,Saint Paul Apostles andSt. Louis Whites franchises in the newly formed league.[3][4][5]
In the era before formal team nicknames, the "Corn Huskers" nickname derived from local newspapers as was common in the early minor league era.[6] The newspapers dubbed the Sioux City team as "the Corn Huskers from the Corn Palace City."[7] In the era, Sioux City was the home to elaborate 200 foot tall Corn Palaces that were constructed annually between 1887 and 1891 to celebrate the fall harvest.[8][9] The structures were made using corn husks, stalks and silks.[10]
After the St. Louis Whites disbanded on June 20, the Sioux City Corn Huskers joined the league on July 4, 1888, playing their first game on that date at Des Moines. After beginning play, the Sioux City team folded in the 1888 season, playing in the ten-team Western Association season, finishing the season with a 21–38 record playing the season under managers Will Bryan andJim Powell.[1] The first place Kansas City Blues led in the final league standings.[4] The champion Kansas City team featuredBaseball Hall of Fame pitcherKid Nichols, who led the Western Association pitchers with both 16–2 record and 1.14 ERA at 18 years of age.[11][12]
After player/manager Will Bryan left Sioux City and finished the 1888 season with Hutchinson in theWestern League,[13] first baseman Jim Powell began a three-season tenure as the Sioux City player/manager at age 28. Powell had been the player/manager of theCharleston Seagulls to begin the 1888 season, having also managed Charleston the prior two seasons. After joining Sioux City, Powell batted .256 with one home run while appearing in 58 games for the Corn Huskers.[14] Prior to his tenure with the Corn Huskers, Powell had previously played in the major leagues with the1884Richmond Virginians and1885Philadelphia Athletics, appearing in 60 total games and batting .217.[15]
Known as a strong fielder, infielderDavy Force was 38 years old when he played for the Huskers in 1888, his final professional season as a player, batting .210 in 66 games.[16] Playing seven seasons with theNational League'sBuffalo Bisons, between 1871 and 1886 Force played at the major league level with nine different teams in total, collecting 1,060 career hits and one career home run in 1,029 career games, batting .249.[17] He later was implicated in the newspapers, but not charged in an 1896 murder that occurred inSan Francisco, California.[18][19]
Despite folding in 1888, Sioux City returned to play as members of the 1889 Western Association. Defending champion Kansas City Blues did not return to play, replaced by theSt. Joseph Clay Eaters in the eight-team league.[20]
Sioux City ended the 1889 season in fourth place in the eight-team league.[21] Jim Powell returned as manager as the Corn Huskers finished with a 59–61 record.[22] The Omaha Omahogs won the league title with a 83–38 record, finishing 20.5 games ahead of Sioux City and 8 games ahead of the second place St. Paul Apostles. Corn HuskerMonk Cline won the league batting title in 1889, hitting .364. He also scored 172 runs to lead the league and had 15 home runs and 93 RBIs.[23] Omaha was led to their championship by their manager, Baseball Hall of fame memberFrank Selee and pitcher Kid Nichols who won 39 games and struck out 369 batters while pitching 438 innings in 49 games. Nichols started 47 games and completed all 47, compiling a 1.74 ERA on the season.[24]
On August 23, 1889, Omaha and Sioux City played a memorable game on Ladies Day in a game at Omaha, as Kid Nichols led Omaha to a 3–2 victory in front of a large crowd in Omana.[25]
A colorful, journeyman minor league pitcher,Bob Black joined Sioux City in the middle of the 1889 season. Black would continue to play for Sioux City teams though his age 40 season in 1903 and he remained a resident of the city for the remainer of his life.[26] Later, in 1902, Black became manager of the nearbyLe Mars Blackbirds of theIowa-South Dakota League, where the team nickname derived from Black and his son Bob Black Jr, who played for the team.[27][28] As a retired major league player, Black was recruited to become the manager after being spotted watching a game from the stands early in the season.[29][30] In 1903, while returning as the Le Mars president, Black signed futureBaseball Hall of Fame memberBranch Rickey, to a contract after Rickey graduated from high school. Rickey is best known for signingJackie Robinson to theBrooklyn Dodgers while serving as Brooklyn's General Manager.[29][31][32]
His pitching arm damaged,George Bradley pitched briefly and played third base for Sioux City in 1889, his final professional season at age 36.[33][34] In his major league career, Bradley compiled a record of 172–151 with a 2.43 career ERA while pitching for thePhiladelphia Quakers (1883),Baltimore Orioles (1883–1886),Brooklyn Grays (1886–1887) andPittsburgh Alleghenys (1888).[35]
Sioux City continued Western Association membership in the 1890 season[36] The Corn Huskers ended the season in fifth place in the eight-team league. Sioux city had a record of 55–64 in Jim Powell's final season with the team as the Corn Huskers finished 24.0 games behind the Kansas City Blues, who rejoined the league. Ending the season with a record of 78–39, Kansas City finished first in the standings of the eight-team league.[37][38]
Hardie Henderson played for Sioux City in 1890, his final professional season at age 27.[39] 81-121 3.51 ERA in his major league career.[39] Henderson died at the age of 40 in 1903. Henderson was fatally struck by a train trolley in Philadelphia.[40]
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The Sioux City Corn Huskers captured the 1891 Western Association championship, led by managerAl Buckenberger.[41] The league continued play as an eight-team league, but after a tumultuous season, it ended the season playing with four teams.[42] On June 8, 1891, the St. Paul Apostles moved to become theDuluth Whalebacks. Then, On August 18, 1891, the first placeMilwaukee Brewers (1886–1892) left the league and joined the major leagueAmerican Association. This was followed immediately by the Duluth,Minneapolis Millers andLincoln Rustlers teams folding August 20, 1891. The remaining Sioux City Cornhuskers, Kansas City Blues,Omaha Lambs andDenver Mountaineers teams did not fold, and the Western Association finished the season playing as a four-team league.[5]
In the final standings with the four remaining teams, Sioux City won the title while finishing just 1.0 game ahead of the second place Kansas City Blues in a close pennant race. The Cornhuskers finished with a final record of 66-57 (.537) and Kansas City finished with a record of 66-59 (.528). No playoff was held following the season.[43][5]
Frank Genins played for Sioux City from 1889 to 1891, primarily in centerfield. He would return to play for Sioux City in 1894.[44] Genins also played shortstop and third base for Sioux City in 1891, committing 46 total errors while batting .231 with 23 stolen bases at age 24.[45] Genins made his major league debut in 1892, playing with both theCincinnati Reds andSt. Louis Browns during the season.[45]
Cornhuskers pitcherBill Hart had a league leading 25-win season. Hard compiled his 25 wins while throwing 397 innings for Sioux City in 1891, with a 1.74 ERA at age 25. Hart would return to Sioux City for the 1894 season.[46] Hart had pitched for theSt. Louis Browns in the 1890 season, compiling a 12–8 record in his only major league season. Hart had one home run as a hitter for St. Louis.[47]
ShortstopFrank Scheibeck played for Sioux City in 1891 at age 26, batting .250 in 122 games with the Corn Huskers.[48] Scheibeck had a lengthy major league career. He had played with theCleveland Blues (1887),Detroit Wolverines (1888) andToledo Maumees (1890) prior to his season with the Corn Huskers. The then returned to the majors following his Sioux City season, playing with thePittsburgh Pirates (1894),Washington Senators (1894–1895, 1899),Cleveland Blues (1901) andDetroit Tigers (1906).[49]
At age 32, outfielderEd Swartwood played for Sioux City in 1891, batting .286 with 5 home runs in 111 games.[50] Swartwood joined Sioux City in 1891 after having been released by the Toledo Maumees, where he had been teammates with Frank Scheibeck.[51] Swartwood was a career .300 career hitter in the major leagues. Prior to joining Sioux City, Swartwood played for theBuffalo Bisons (1881),Pittsburgh Alleghenys (1882–84),Brooklyn Grays (1885–87) and Toledo Maumees (1890) and won thebatting championship ofAmerican Association in 1883, hitting .357. Following his 1891 season with Sioux City, Swartwood played for thePittsburgh Pirates in 1892, where he played again for manager Al Buckenberger.[52] After his playing career ended, Swartwood became anumpire. He first umpired in the major leagues in 1894 and then again from 1898 through 1900, working a total of 429 games. Swartwood ejected Cincinnati Reds manager Charles Comiskey from a game on June 5, 1894.[53] Large in stature, Swartwood became the deputy sheriff ofAllegheny County, working in theHill District ofPittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With his law enforcement position, he also assisted in legal executions in the region in the era.[51]
Immediately following the completion of their 1891 Western Association championship season, Sioux City hosted two exhibition series against major league teams. The Corn Huskers won both of the series. The first was against theChicago Orphans (Today'sChicago Cubs), as Sioux City won four of six games against Chicago and player managerCap Anson.[54] On Monday October 5, 1891, Sioux City defeated Chicago 8–1. On October 6, 1891, Chicago defeated Sioux City 7–4. On Wednesday October 7, 1891, Chicago won their second game of the series in defeating Sioux City 9–6. Sioux City then won the next three games beginning with a 4–3 win over Chicago on Thursday October 8, 1891. On Friday October 9, 1891, Sioux City shut out Chicago 3–0. Sioux City won the series on Saturday October 10, 1891, with a 6–4 victory over the Chicago Orphans.[55]
Shortly after the exhibition series against Chicago, Sioux City next hosted a series against theSt. Louis Browns and Sioux City swept the series in four games.[55] On Wednesday October 14, 1891, the series began with a 10–1 Sioux City victory over St. Louis. On Thursday October 15, 1891, Sioux City won the second game over St. Louis 9–4. The final two games were very high scoring. On Saturday October 17, 1891, Sioux City won the third game in beating St. Louis 19–12. In the final game of the series on Sunday October 18, 1891, Sioux City won by the score of 11–0 to complete the sweep of the St. Louis Browns.[55]
Following his 1891 championship season with Sioux City, Corn Huskers managerAl Buckenberger became manager of thePittsburgh Pirates in 1892. Folling his Sioux City tenure, he managed in the major leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1892–1894),St. Louis Browns (1895) andBoston Beaneaters (1902–1904).[56]
The Western Association did not return to play in 1892 due to financial shortcomings.[55] There was also a major flood in Sioux City in May 1892, and the team did not return to play in any league that season. TheFloyd River Flood killed 25 people and left 3,000 homeless.[57][58]
On November 20, 1893, at a meeting inIndianapolis, Indiana, theWestern League was reformed.Baseball Hall of Fame memberBan Johnson was named president of the league, beginning a tenure of leadership that saw the league evolve into a major league, eventually becoming the 1900American League.Cincinnati, Ohio, where Johnson had been a local sports editor was briefly the league headquarters before the league became based inChicago, Illinois.[59] Johnson was selected as league president strengthened with public support ofCharles Comiskey, then manager of theCincinnati Reds.[60]
The Sioux City Cornhuskers became charter members, joined by theDetroit Creams,Grand Rapids Rippers,Indianapolis Hoosiers,Kansas City Blues,Milwaukee Brewers,Minneapolis Millers, andToledo White Stockings teams forming theClass A level league.[61][62]
Sioux City won the 1894 Western League championship.[63] The team was managed to their title byBill Watkins, who was strictly a manager at age 37.[64][65] The Cornhuskers ended the season with a 74–52 record in the final standings, finishing 8.5 games ahead of the second place Toledo White Stockings.[66] Two Cornhusker pitchers combined for 63 wins asBert Cunningham had a record of 35-20 and his teammateBill Hart finished 28–15.George Hogreiver had 27 triples on the season to lead the Western League.[67]
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After his strong 1894 season with Sioux City at age 28 in which he compiled 455 innings and allowed 632 hits in 55 games, Bert Cunningham began a five-season tenure with the major leagueLouisville Colonels in 1895. Cunningham had previously pitched five major league seasons prior to his season with the Cornhuskers. In his major league career pitching for theBrooklyn Grays (1887),Baltimore Orioles (1888–1889),Philadelphia Athletics (1890),Buffalo Bisons (1890),Baltimore Orioles (1891), Louisville Colonels (1895–1899) andChicago Orphans (1900–1901), Cunningham won 142 games. Cunningham also hit 9 home runs with 124 RBIs in the major leagues.[68]
Pitcher Bill Hart had a 28-win season throwing 398 innings for Sioux Falls in 1894 at age 28.[46] He began his major league career the next season. Hart won 66 major league games pitching for thePhiladelphia Athletics (1886–1887),Brooklyn Grooms (1892),Pittsburgh Pirates (1895,St. Louis Browns (1896–1897), Pittsburgh Pirates (1898) andCleveland Blues (1901).[69] Having begun his minor league career in 1885, Hart continued pitching professionally through 1910, when pitched in 12 games for theChattanooga Lookouts at 44 years of age.[46]
Frank Genins returned to play for Sioux City in 1894, batting .374 with 15 triples and 86 stolen bases. The media said of Genins, "one of the most reliable and conscientious men who ever wore a uniform. He is… a brilliant outfielder."[70] Including Genins, the 1894 Corn Huskers team had 11 players who batted .300 or better on the season, each receiving over 100 at-bats.[44]
After the 1894 season, the Sioux City Cornhuskers were unable to defend their Western League championship in Sioux City. Charles Comiskey left his position as the manager of the Cincinnati Reds, purchased theSioux City, Iowa franchise and transferred it toSt. Paul, Minnesota, with St. Paul joining the Western League. The relationship between Comiskey and Western League president Ban Johnson was a foundation of the forming of theAmerican League five years after the Sioux City move to St. Paul.[71]
Charles Comiskey was a native ofChicago, Illinois, who began his major league playing career with the 1882St. Louis Brown Stockings (today's St. Louis Cardinals).[72] Comiskey was a player/manager for St. Louis during parts of his first three seasons before he became the Brown Stockings' full-time manager in 1885.[72] From 1885 to 1888, Comiskey led the Brown Stockings to four consecutiveAmerican Association championships in his managerial tenure.[73] Comisky left St. Louis and became the manager of the Cincinnati Reds beginning in 1891.[74]
With his tenure as the Cincinnati Reds ended following the 1894 season, Charles Comiskey bought the Sioux City Cornhuskers franchise and relocated the team to become theSt. Paul Saints for the 1895 Western League season. Comiskey both owned and managed the team, eventually building a new ballpark inSt. Paul, Minnesota, which he also owned.[75][72] Sioux City was left without a team despite having just won the championship of the 1894 Western League.[76][77]
Once Sioux City was relocated and became based in St. Paul, the St. Paul Saints remained in the eight-team Western League.[72][78][75] The relocated St. Paul Saints joined with theDetroit Tigers,Grand Rapids Gold Bugs,Indianapolis Hoosiers,Kansas City Blues,Milwaukee Brewers,Minneapolis Millers andToledo Swamp Angels teams in forming the 1895 Western League.[79] The other seven league members were all returning members of the 1894 league.[62] The Indianapolis Hoosiers team finished in first place in 1895, managed by 1894 Sioux City manager Bill Watkins, who won his second consecutive league championship.[80]
After a five-season hiatus, Sioux City resumed minor league play in 1900.
In 1900, Sioux City's former league, the Western League, changed its name to theAmerican League. The league was attempting receive major league status under presidentBan Johnson.[81] The 1900 American League was unsuccessful in this attempt and played the 1900 season as a minor league.[82] In 1900, with the approval of Western League president Ban Johnson and without resistance from the National League, Charles Comiskey moved the St. Paul Saints to theArmour Square area of Chicago where they became theChicago White Stockings. The White Stockings won the 1900 American League pennant as the league played a final season as a minor league.[83][84]
A new Western League formed as aClass B level league in 1900, with the Sioux City Cornhuskers joining the league.[85][86] Charter members of the new Western League were theDenver Grizzlies,Des Moines Hawkeyes,Omaha Omahogs,Pueblo Indians, the new Sioux City Cornhuskers team and theSt. Joseph Saints.[87]
ShortstopJack Glasscock managed the Sioux City Cornhuskers in their return to play in 1900.[88] As a player, Glasscock won the1890batting title with a .336 average for theNew York Giants and he led the major leagues inhits twice. He was the sixth major league player ever to accumulate 2,000 career hits. Glasscock ended his career holding major league records for games played (1,628), putouts (2,821), assists (5,630),total chances (9,283), double plays (620) and fielding percentage (.910) at shortstop and he ranked fifth overall in major league history ingames with 1,736.[89] Glasscock has been credited as the originator of theCharley horse terminology.[90]
The Sioux City Cornhuskers ended the season with a record of 49-18 playing under managers Jack Glasscock,Ernie Beam, A.B. Deal andHi Ebright.[91] Despite the numerous managerial changes during the season, Sioux City ended the season in a respectable third place, finishing 8.0 games behind the first place Denver Grizzlies in the final standings of the six-team league.[87]
Sioux City was replaced in the 1901 Western League, which expanded to become an eight-team league. The league continued play as the Pueblo Indians and Sioux City Cornhuskers teams both folded and were replaced by theColorado Springs Millionaires andSt. Paul Saints teams the league. TheKansas City Blues andMinneapolis Millers teams moved from theAmerican League after those franchises were removed from the league in transition of becoming a major league.[5]
The Chicago White Stockings became one of the American League's eight charter franchises when the league gained major league status in 1901 creating a franchise link between Sioux City and the major league team that continues play today.[78]
Sioux City returned to minor league play in 1902, becoming charter members of a newly formed league.[92] TheIowa–South Dakota League began the season as a five-team league in its first season. The Sioux City Cornhuskers joined with theLe Mars Blackbirds,Rock Rapids Browns,Sheldon, andSioux Falls Canaries teams.[93] Sioux Falls became the first professional team in South Dakota and aFlandreau, South Dakota based team followed.
The Iowa–South Dakota League was formed with some controversy. In the meeting to officially form the league, W.E. Lockhart of Sioux City was nominated as president of the league as was Frank Koob ofLeMars, Iowa. Flandreau cast a deciding vote for Koob. After the vote was taken, the Sioux City representatives left the meeting, threatening to leave the league and the Sioux Falls representatives followed. Flandreau also walked out. The remaining cities left in the meeting discussed organize a league themselves. At a later date, the six cities reconvened and Lockhart was elected president. TheNational Association sent Lockhart an invitation for the league to join them. The association classified the Iowa–South Dakota League as aClass D level league. Under the guidelines of the association, Class D level leagues were capped at a total salary of $900 per month. After the league schedule was set, the Flandreau franchise stated that they could not begin play until June 20. The other members allowed Flandreau the delay and it was agreed to give the team a .500 record when they began play on June 20.[30]
TheClass D level league began play on May 27, 1902.[94] After the season began, theFlandreau Indians team joined the league as planned on June 20, and the team was given a record of 9–9 to begin play. The league played the remainder of the season as a six team league.[5] During the 1902 season, Sioux City angered other league members when the franchise discussed rejoining theWestern League.[30]
First baseman Jack Messerly became the Sioux City player/manager at age 29. Messerly also played in 86 games for the Cornhuskers.[95] The Cornhuskers ended the season in third place in the overall standings. 56–40 record as Jack Messerly managed the team all season.[96] Flandreau won the second half of the split season scheduled but the Indians folded before a playoff against Sioux Falls could be held.[5] The Sioux Falls Canaries won the league title finishing 12.5 games ahead of Sioux City and 4.5 over second place Flandreau.[5]
Sioux City's left-handed hitterMoose Baxter led the Iowa–South Dakota League in home runs with 21. He also scored a league leading 63 runs on the season.[5] Baxter later played briefly in the major leagues with 21 at bats for the 1907St. Louis Cardinals.[97]
In 1903, manager Jack Messerly left Sioux City to play in thePacific National League with the Los Angeles team.[95] Sioux City continued membership in the final season of the Iowa-South Dakota League, as the team began a tenure of play becoming known as theSioux City Soos.[98]
The Sioux City Corn Huskers teams hosted minor league home games at the Evans Driving Park Baseball Grounds.[99] The ballpark was located in the center of the Evans Driving Park Racetrack.[100] The ballpark site was just south of today's Crescent Park area of Sioux City.[101][102]
In 1900, the Sioux City Cornhuskers began hosting minor league home games at the Riverside Baseball Grounds. The park was used for minor league games through 1918. The ballpark site was located at Riverside Boulevard & War Eagle Drive in Sioux City.[103] Today, the site is home to Riverside Park, which contains ballfields and other amenities. The site was first home to an amusement park and hosted the Interstate Fair from 1903 to 1926.[104] The Riverside Park address in 1301 Riverside Boulevard in Sioux City, Iowa.[105]
| Year(s) | # Yrs. | Team | Level | League | Ballpark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888–1891 | 4 | Sioux City Corn Huskers | Independent | Western Association | Evans Driving Park Baseball Grounds |
| 1894 | 1 | Sioux City Cornhuskers | Class A | Western League | |
| 1900 | 1 | Western League II | Riverside Baseball Grounds | ||
| 1092 | 1 | Class D | Iowa-South Dakota League |
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs / notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | 21–38 | -- | Will Bryan /Jim Powell | Team began play July 4. Disbanded |
| 1889 | 59–61 | 4th | Jim Powell | No playoffs held |
| 1890 | 55–64 | 5th | Jim Powell | No playoffs held |
| 1891 | 66–57 | 1st | Al Buckenberger | League champions No playoffs held |
| 1894 | 74–52 | 1st | Bill Watkins | League champions No playoffs held |
| 1900 | 49–48 | 3rd | Jack Glasscock /Ernie Beam A.B. Deal /Hi Ebright | No playoffs held |
| 1902 | 56–40 | 3rd | Jack Messerly | No playoffs held |