Central Kansas League

The Central Kansas League was a Class D level baseball league established in 1908, playing through 1912. Member teams were based exclusively in Kansas. The Central Kansas League evolved from and into the Kansas State League.^[1]

Central Kansas League

Formerly	Kansas State League
Classification	Class D (1908–1912)
Sport	Minor League Baseball
First season	1908
Ceased	1912
Replaced by	Kansas State League
President	Ralph W. Hoffman (1909–1910) H. Cramer(1910) C.A. Case (1911) Roy C. Gafford (1911–1912)
No. of teams	15
Country	United States of America
Most titles	2 Ellsworth Blues (1909–1910)

History

The original Kansas State League ceased independent operations in 1911, combined with the Central Kansas League. After five seasons of play, the Central Kansas League subsequently changed its name to back to the Kansas State League for the 1913 and 1914 seasons before disestablishing. The league champions in 1909 and 1910 were the Ellsworth Blues.^[2][3]

There is an ongoing debate about whether former US President Dwight Eisenhower played professional baseball in 1911 for the Junction City Soldiers prior to attending West Point.

Cities represented

This is a complete list of the teams which played under the Central Kansas League.^[4]

• Abilene, KS: Abilene Red Sox (1909); Abilene Reds (1910)
• Beloit, KS: Beloit (1909–1910)
• Chapman, KS: Chapman (1910)
• Clay Center, KS: Clay Center Cubs (1909–1911)
• Concordia, KS: Concordia Travelers (1910–1911)
• Ellsworth, KS: Ellsworth Worthies (1908–1910)
• Great Bend, KS: Great Bend Millers (1912)
• Junction City, KS: Junction City Soldiers (1909–1912)
• Little River, KS: Little River (1908)
• Lyons, KS: Lyons Lions (1912)
• Manhattan, KS: Manhattan Maroons (1909–1911); Manhattan Giants (1912)
• McPherson, KS: McPherson Merry Macks (1908)
• Minneapolis, KS: Minneapolis Minnies (1908–1909, 1912)
• Newton, KS: Newton Browns (1908); Newton Railroaders (1912)
• Salina, KS: Salina Trade Winners (1908–1910); Salina Insurgents (1912)

^[4]

Standings & statistics

1908 Central Kansas League - schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Minneapolis Minnies	31	19	.620	-	Ben Young
Newton Browns	25	22	.532	4½	Carl Becker
Ellsworth Blues	25	22	.532	4½	F.S. Foster
Salina Trade Winners	24	23	.511	5½	Frank Everhart
McPherson Merry Macks	20	27	.426	9½	Davis
Little River	18	30	.375	12	G.W. Hamilton / I.C. Meyer

1909 Central Kansas League

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Ellsworth Blues	44	23	.657	-	George Seigle
Salina Trade Winners	40	28	.588	4½	Ernie Quigley
Abilene Red Sox	37	30	.552	7	F.D. Parent / Affie Wilson
Minneapolis Minnies	36	32	.529	½	Roy Gafford / Harry Short
Junction City Soldiers	34	32	.515	9½	Lewis Armstrong / Tom Campbell
Beloit	33	36	.478	12	Hi Ebright
Clay Center Cubs	32	37	.464	13	Lee Gramley
Manhattan Maroons	16	54	.229	29½	Earle Bryant / Murphy

No Playoffs held

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Tom Campbell	Junction City	BA	.335		Ora Williams	Abilene	W	19
James Whalen	Junction City	Runs	49		Ora Williams	Abilene	SO	178
Claude Jennings	Minneapolis	Hits	72		Ora Williams	Abilene	Pct	.826; 19-4

1910 Central Kansas League - schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Ellsworth Blues	53	28	.654	-	Dick Ford
Clay Center Cubs	48	33	.593	5	Lee Gramley
Abilene Reds	44	33	.571	7	Affie Wilson
Salina Trade Winners	44	34	.564	7½	Elmer Meredith
Concordia Travelers	43	38	.531	10	Harry Short
Manhattan Maroons	35	43	.449	16½	Jim Gardiner
Junction City Soldiers	34	48	.415	19½	Ernie Quigley / Thomas Dugan / Cecil Bankhead
Beloit / Chapman	18	62	.225	34½	Ben Dimond / Jim Green

Beloit moved to Chapman July 20.

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
A.B. Conley	Abilene	BA	.348		Paul Stokesberry	Clay Center	W	19
Walter Wentz	Clay Center	Runs	53		Otis Peebles	Ellsworth	Pct	.769; 10-3
Mugsy Monroe	Abilene	Hits	110

1911 Central Kansas League

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Concordia Travelers	44	27	.620	-	Harry Short / Roy Gafford
Junction City Soldiers	40	31	.563	4	Cecil Bankhead
Clay Center Cubs	33	38	.465	11	Lee Gramley
Manhattan Maroons	25	46	.352	19	Dee Poindexter

:eague disbanded July 21.
Playoff: Concordia 4 games, Junction City 3.

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Gilbert Britton	Clay Center	BA	.347		G.H. Jepson	Junction City	W	21
Claude Jennings	Clay Center	Runs	53		G.H. Jepson	Junction City	Pct	.724; 21-8
Gilbert Britton	Clay Center	Hits	90
Claude Jennings	Clay Center	SB	30

1912 Central Kansas League - schedule

Team standings	W	L	PCT	GB	Managers
Great Bend Millers	54	36	.600	-	Affie Wilson
Manhattan Giants	52	38	.578	2	Robert Kahl / Fred Moore / Nick Kohl
Newton Railroaders/ Minneapolis Minnies	50	40	.555	4	A. Stillwell
Junction City Soldiers	47	43	.522	7	Cecil Bankhead
Lyons Lions	36	54	.400	18	Fred Wilson
Salina Insurgents	31	59	.344	23	Bert Lamb

Newton moved to Minneapolis July 12.
No Playoffs held

Player statistics

Player	Team	Stat	Tot		Player	Team	Stat	Tot
Muggsy Monroe	Newt/Minn	BA	.352		Fred Hagg	Manhattan	W	18
Burnham Smith	Manhattan	Runs	88		Elmer Brown	Great Bend	W	18
Muggsy Monroe	Newt/Minn	Hits	118		Fred Hagg	Manhattan	Pct	.750; 18-6

^[4]

Notable players

• Fred Blanding (played under a pseudonym)^[5]
• Harry Chapman^[6]
• John Misse^[7]
• Ross Reynolds^[8]
• Harry Short^[9]
• Chick Smith^[10]