Grand Rapids (baseball team)
The Grand Rapids Baseball Club was a minor league baseball team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA that played under several different names at various times between 1883 and 1951. They played mostly in the Central League but also in various other Michigan-based leagues.
Grand Rapids 1883–1951 (1883–1884, 1889–1891, 1894–1917, 1920–1924, 1926, 1934, 1940–1941, 1948–1951) Grand Rapids, Michigan | |
Minor league affiliations | |
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Previous classes |
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League | Central League (1948–1951) |
Previous leagues |
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Major league affiliations | |
Previous teams |
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Team data | |
Previous names |
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Previous parks | Recreation Park, Angler Park, Bigelow Field |
After a long minor league hiatus in Grand Rapids, the West Michigan Whitecaps of the Midwest League began play Comstock Park, Michigan, just outside Grand Rapids, in 1994.
The Ballparks
Early Grand Rapids teams played at Recreation Park for weekdays games and at Alger Park on Reeds Lake for the weekends. Later, the teams played at Bigelow Field on South Division Avenue.[1]
Bigelow Field was located at 3873 Division Avenue South Grand Rapids, MI 49548. A fast food restaurant occupies a portion of the site today. [2]
Notable alumni
Baseball Hall of Fame alumni
- Burleigh Grimes (1940, MGR) Inducted, 1964
- Rube Waddell (1899) Inducted, 1946
- Sam Crawford (1899) Inducted, 1957
Notable alumni
- Nick Altrock (1899)
- Theodore Breitenstein (1891) ERA Leader
- Hal Carlson (1915)
- Bud Clancy (1923)
- Josh Devore (1920-1921, 1923-1924)
- Red Donahue (1895)
- Red Dooin (1899)
- Pat Duncan (1916)
- Pretzels Getzien (1883-1884)
- Charlie Hemphill (1899)
- Joe Heving (1924)
- Dave Hoskins (1948)
- Bert Humphries (1909)
- Frank Killen (1901)
- Bobby Lowe (1908)
- Jeff Pfeffer (1913)
- Dusty Rhodes (1950)
- Lance Richbourg (1920)
- Milt Shoffner (1926)
- Sherry Smith (1913)
- Ed Summers (1906)
- Lee Tannehill (1917)
- Jack Taylor (1909) ERA Leader
- Maurice Van Robays (1934)
- Stan Wasiak (1941)
- Al Wickland (1911)