Leavenworth Braves

The Leavenworth Braves was the final moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Leavenworth, Kansas. The Leavenworth Braves played from 1946–1949 as a member of the Class C Western Association. The Leavenworth Braves were an affiliate of the Boston Braves (1946–1948).

Leavenworth Braves
1886–1949
(1886–1888, 1895, 1903–1907, 1946–1949)
Leavenworth, Kansas
Minor league affiliations
Previous classes
  • Class C (1904–1907, 1946–1949)
  • Class D (1903)
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
  • Boston Braves (1946–1948)
Minor league titles
League titles 1946
Team data
Previous names
  • Leavenworth Soldiers (1886–1888, 1895)
  • Leavenworth White Sox (1903)
  • Leavenworth Orioles(1904–1905)
  • Leavenworth Old Soldiers (1906)
  • Leavenworth Convicts (1907)
  • Leavenworth Braves (1946–1949)
Previous parks
  • Central Ball Park (1904–1907)
  • Wadsworth Park (1946–1949)

Leavenworth teams played as members of the Western League (1886–1888), Kansas State League (1895), Missouri Valley League (1903–1904) and Western Association (1905–1907).

Baseball Hall of Fame member Jake Beckley played for the Leavenworth Soldiers in 1886–1887.

History

Minor league baseball began in Leavenworth with the 1886 Leavenworth Soldiers, who played in the Western League from 1886–1888. Baseball Hall of Fame member Jake Beckley played for the Soldiers.[1][2]

The Leavenworth Soldiers next played in the 1895 Kansas State League. The franchise folded on July 22, 1895 with a 7–10 record.[3][4]

The Leavenworth White Sox began play as members of the 1903 Missouri Valley League. The Leavenworth White Sox folded on July 16, 1903 with a 15–53 record.[5][6][7]

Leavenworth returned to the Missouri Valley League in 1904. The Leavenworth Orioles finished 48–74, 6th in the eight–team league.[7][8][7][9]

In 1905, the Missouri Valley League reformed as the Western Association. The Leavenworth Orioles joined fellow members Guthrie Senators, Joplin Miners, Oklahoma City Mets, Sedalia Gold Bugs, Springfield Highlanders, Topeka White Sox and Wichita Jobbers in the 1905 Western Association.[10][11]

The 1905 Leavenworth Orioles finished 75–59 (3rd) in the Western Association.[12]

Leavenworth continued play in the 1906 Western Association as the Leavenworth Old Soldiers. The Old Soldiers finished 68–72, 6th in the 1906 Western Association. The moniker reference is likely to Leavenworth being home to the Wadsworth Old Soldiers home.[13][10][14][15][16]

Leavenworth played in the 1907 Western Association as the Leavenworth Convicts. The moniker was reference to Leavenworth being home of the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, which opened in 1903. The 1907 Leavenworth Convicts finished 29–108, 8th in the Western Association, 71 games out of first place. The team folded following the 1907 season.[17][18][10][19]

The 1946 Leavenworth Braves began play in the Class C Western Association as an affiliate of the Boston Braves. The Western League reformed in 1946, after missing the 1943, 1944 and 1945 seasons due to World War II. Leavenworth joined the eight-team league, along with fellow members Fort Smith Giants, Hutchinson Cubs, Joplin Miners, Muskogee Reds, Salina Blue Jays, St. Joseph Cardinals and Topeka Owls. [10][10]

The first home game for the Leavenworth Braves was on May 2, 1946. Before the game there was parade to the ballpark. Students were released from school to attend. The game drew 2,800, despite the fact that seating hadn’t even been installed yet at Wadsworth Park.[20]

The 1946 Leavenworth Braves won the Western Association Pennant. Leavenworth finished 76–57 in the regular season. Leavenworth finished 1.0 game ahead of the Hutchinson Cubs. The season attendance was 56,176, an average of 845 per game.[21][21][10]

Playing as a Boston Braves affiliate, the Leavenworth Braves had a record of 50–88, finishing 8th in 1947, drawing 28,419 fans. The Braves finished 62–75, 6th in 1948, with season attendance of 40,639.[22][23][24]

The 1949 season was the final season for the Leavenworth Braves, who were without an affiliate. The 1949 Leavenworth Braves finished with a record of 25–112, 8th and last in the Western Association, 70.5 games out of first. The Braves' attendance of 33,132 was 8th in the league, with the 7th place attendance at 50,145. Leavenworth folded after the 1949 season and was replaced in the Western Association by the Springfield Cubs. Leavenworth has not hosted another minor league team.[10][25][25][26]

The ballparks

From 1904–1907, Leavenworth played at Central Ball Park. The ballpark was located at Shawnee Street & North 10th Street, Leavenworth, Kansas. Today, the site is "Wollman Park" and is a public park with an aquatic center. Today's address of Wollman Park is 1300 Shawnee Street, Leavenworth, Kansas.[27][28]

The Leavenworth Braves played at Wadsworth Park. The ballpark seated 4,000. At the time, the ballpark was on Federal property that was part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Veteran's Affairs Medical Center. Today, the park is called "Ray Miller Park." The address for Ray Miller Park is 4103 South 4th Street, Leavenworth, Kansas. [29][20]

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable alumni

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References
  1. Madden, W. C. (2002). The Western League : a baseball history, 1885 through 1999. Stewart, Patrick J. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co. ISBN 0-7864-1003-5. OCLC 48944371.
  2. "Leavenworth Soldiers/Whiting-Holton Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  3. "Kansas State League - BR Bullpen". Baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  4. "1895 Leavenworth Soldiers/Whiting-Holton Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. "Leavenworth White Sox - BR Bullpen". Baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  6. "1903 Leavenworth White Sox Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. "Missouri Valley League - BR Bullpen". Baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  8. "Leavenworth Orioles - BR Bullpen". Baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  9. "1904 Leavenworth Orioles Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. "Western Association - BR Bullpen". Baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  11. "1905 Western Association (WA) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. "1905 Leavenworth Orioles Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. "Leavenworth Old Soldiers Statistics and Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  14. "1906 Western Association (WA) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  15. "1906 Leavenworth Old Soldiers Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  16. "Wadsworth Old Soldiers' Home and the VA | Leavenworth, Kansas". Visitleavenworthks.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  17. "1907 Western Association (WA) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  18. "1907 Leavenworth Convicts Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  19. "Leavenworth United States Penitentiary Visiting hours, inmate phones, mail". Prisonpro.com. 1938-08-12. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  20. Scott Lavelock. "The boys of summers past - News - The Leavenworth Times - Leavenworth, KS - Leavenworth, KS". The Leavenworth Times. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  21. "1946 Leavenworth Braves Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  22. "Leavenworth Braves - BR Bullpen". Baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  23. "1948 Leavenworth Braves Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  24. "1947 Leavenworth Braves Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  25. "1949 Leavenworth Braves Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  26. "Leavenworth, KS - BR Bullpen". Baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  27. "Central Ball Park in Leavenworth, KS history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  28. "Wollman Park | Leavenworth, Kansas". Leavenworthks.org. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  29. "Atlanta Braves / Milwaukee Braves / Boston Braves Index of Major League Baseball Stadiums and Minor League Ballparks Images Photos and Photographs". Digitalballparks.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.

External references

Baseball Reference

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