South Bend Benders

The South Bend Benders was a primary name of the early minor league baseball teams based in South Bend, Indiana. Early South Bend teams played as members of the Indiana State League (1888), Central League (1903–1912), Southern Michigan League (1914–1915) and the Central League (1916–1917, 1932) under numerous monikers. These South Bend teams directly preceded South Bend joining the Midwest League in 1988, where they play today as the South Bend Cubs.

South Bend Benders
1888–1932
(1888, 1903–1912, 1914–1917, 1932)
South Bend, Indiana
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesClass B (1903–1912, 1916–1917, 1932)
Class C (1914–1915)
Previous leagues
Indiana State League (1888)
Central League (1903–1912)
Southern Michigan League (1914–1915)
Central League (1916–1917, 1932)
Major league affiliations
Previous teamsNone
Minor league titles
League titles 2 1910, 1915
Team data
Previous names
South Bend Green Stockings (1888, 1903)
South Bend Greens (1904–1909)
South Bend Bronchos (1910)
South Bend Benders (1911–1912)
South Bend Bux (1911)
South Bend Benders (1914)
South Bend Factors (1915)
South Bend Benders (1916–1917)
South Bend Twins (1932)
Previous parks
Greenstocking Park (1888)
Springbroook Park (1903–1912, 1914–1917, 1932)

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Max Carey began his professional career playing for South Bend in 1909–1910.

History

Early semi–pro teams named the South Bend Green Stockings began playing in 1878. The Greenstocking Park was built in 1878 to host the early South Bend teams.[1][2]

The 1888 South Bend Green Stockings were the first minor league baseball team in South Bend, Indiana, playing as members of the Independent Indiana State League under manager Bootsey Johnson. South Bend played at Greenstocking Park in 1888.[3][4][5][6]

The South Bend Green Stockings were Charter members of the Class B Central League in 1903. With a record of 88–50, the Green Stockings finished 2nd in the Central League. The Green Stockings' choice as manager was Angus Grant, who had managed the semi–professional team of the same name that preceded the 1903 Green Stockings. Grant would begin an eight-year tenure as South Bend manager, with 504 total wins. South Bend finished 1.0 games behind the 1st place Fort Wayne Railroaders and ahead of the Anderson/Grand Rapids Orphans (48–92), Dayton Veterans (61–76) Evansville River Rats (64–68), Marion Oilworkers (71–65), Terre Haute Hottentots (58–80) and Wheeling Stogies (69–68). The Green Stockings began play at Springbrook Park.[7][8][9][10][11][12]

Becoming the South Bend Greens in the 1904 Central League, South Bend finished 75–65. The Greens were 3rd in the Central League under Manager Angus Grant.[13][14][15]

The 1905 South Bend Greens continued in the Class B Central League play. Managed by Angus Grant, the Greens were 3rd in the league, with a 77–62 regular season record. South Bend finished 5.5 games behind the 1st place Wheeling Stogies.[16][13][17][8][18]

The South Bend Greens finished 7th in the eight–team 1906 Central League. South Bend finished 62–88, under Angus Grant, 36.5 games behind the Champion Grand Rapids Wolverines.[19][13][20][8][21]

Continuing play in the 1907 Central League, the South Bend Greens, managed by Angus Grant, finished with a 53–86 record. South Bend was 8th in the Central League standings, 35.0 games behind the 1st place Springfield Babes.[22][13][23][8][24]

In 1908, the South Bend Greens finished 2nd in the Central League. With a record of 80–60, under Manager Angus Grant, South Bend was 4.0 games behind the Evansville River Rats and 3.0 games ahead of the Dayton Veterans.[25][13][26][8][27]

The 1909 South Bend Greens finished 6th in the Central League, managed by Angus Grant. The Greens had a record of 64–72. South Bend finished 20.5 games behind the league champion Wheeling Stooges. Baseball Hall of Fame member Max Carey made his professional debut for South Bend as a 19-year-old. Carey hit .158, playing in 48 games.[28][13][29][8][30][31]

The South Bend Bronchos won the 1910 Central League Championship. With a regular season record of 88–50, South Bend finished 1st in the under Managers Ed Wheeler and Midge Craven. South Bend was 8.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Fort Wayne Billikens. Baseball Hall of Famer Max Carey hit .293, with 36 stolen bases for the 1910 Bronchos championship team.[32][33][34][8][35][12][31]

South Bend hosted two separate teams in the 1911 Central League. The South Bend team began the 1911 season as the South Bend Benders. The South Bend Benders then moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan on July 13, 1911, where they became the Grand Rapids Grads. The South Bend/Grand Rapids team was 42–36 in South Bend and finished 73–61 overall, 4th in the Central League. Their Manager in both locations was Ed Smith.[36][8][37][38][39]

The second South Bend team of 1911 was the South Bend Bux, also playing in the Central League. On August 11, 1911, the Evansville Strikers were 54–54 when Evansville moved to South Bend, where the team finished the 1911 season as the season as the South Bend Bux. The Evansville/South Bend team finished 62–72. They finished in 5th place under Managers Harry Arndt and Angus Grant.[40][38][41][42]

South Bend remained in the 1912 Central League, returning to the South Bend Benders moniker. On the field, the team was 12th in the 12–team Central League, after the league had expanded. South Bend finished 41–88, 36.0 games behind the 1st Place Fort Wayne Railroaders. The South Bend franchise folded after the season and did not return to the 1913 Central League.[43][8][44][45]

South Bend did not field a team in 1913. In 1914, the South Bend Benders returned to play as members of the Class C Southern Michigan League, also called the Southern Michigan Association. In their first Southern Michigan League season, South Bend finished 4th in the ten–team league. The Benders finished with a record of 85–60. The 1914 managers were Ed Smith and Ben Koehler.[46][47][48][49][50][51]

The South Bend Factors won the 1915 Southern Michigan League Championship. The South Bend Factors were in 1st place in the league standings when the league folded mid-season. The Southern Michigan League permanently disbanded on July 7, 1915. With a 44–24 record, South Bend finished 1st under Manager Ed Smith.[52][53][46][49][54][55][56]

South Bend returned to play as members of the Class B Central League in 1916. South Bend also continued play at Springbrook Park. The 1916 South Bend Benders finished 7th in the eight–team Central League. With a record of 56–77,South Bend finished 31.5 games behind the champion Grand Rapids Black Sox. The 1916 Benders' managers were Ben Koehler and Lee Tannehill.[57][58][8][36][59]

The 1917 South Bend Benders moved to Peoria, Illinois during the Central League Season and the team made the playoffs. On July 8, 1917, South Bend was 40–20 under player/manager Bill Jackson, when the franchise moved to Peoria to finish the season as the Peoria Distillers. With an overall record of 66–55, South Bend/Peoria finished 3rd in the Central League. They were managed by Harry Smith (26–35) and Jackson. In the 1917 Playoffs, the Grand Rapids Black Sox defeated the South Bend Benders/Peoria Distillers 4 games to 3.[60][61][60][8][36][62][63]

South Bend was without a minor league team until the South Bend Twins played as members of the 1932 Central League. The Twins permanently folded on July 21, 1932, along with the Canton Terriers. The South Bend Twins had a record of 29–57 and were 5th in the six–team league when the franchise folded. The 1932 managers were Jesse Altenburg, Clarence Roper and Whitey Belber. The 1932 South Bend Twins were the last minor league team in South Bend until 1988.[8][64][65][66][67][68]

The South Bend Blue Sox women's team played as members of the AAGPBL from 1943 to 1954. The South Bend Blue Sox and the famed Rockford Peaches were the only two teams to play for the duration of the AAGBPL.[69][70][71]

Today, South Bend plays as members of the Midwest League as the South Bend Cubs, first joining the league in 1988.[72][73]

Ballparks

In 1888, South Bend played at Greenstocking Park. Built in 1878 for the semi–pro South Bend Green Stockings, Greenstocking Park had a capacity of 2,000–2,500. The ballpark was located at the corners of Napier, Thomas and McPherson streets in South Bend.[74][1]

Beginning in 1903, through 1932, South Bend teams played at Springbrook Park. The ballpark and surrounding area were later renamed Playland Park after the Northern Indiana Railway Company purchased the Springbrook Park grounds. The Northern Indiana Railway Company initially utilized the area as a picnic area for train riders. Later, a few rides were constructed and the Playland Park name occurred in 1925. The ballpark had a capacity of 3,500. Springboard Park was located south of the St. Joseph River near Ironwood Road and Lincoln Way East Drive in South Bend. Today, the Indiana University-South Bend student apartments are located at the site.[75][76]

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Let's play ball!". South Bend Tribune.
  2. https://historymuseumsb.org/greenstockings/
  3. "Indiana State League - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  4. "1888 South Bend Green Stockings Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  5. "1888 Indiana State League (ISL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  6. "1888 South Bend Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  7. "South Bend Green Stockings - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  8. "Central League (US) - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  9. "1903 South Bend Green Stockings Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  10. "1903 Central League (CL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  11. "1903 South Bend Greens Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. Lovach, John M. (2004). Baseball in South Bend. p. 31. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-3326-2
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  76. Childs, Travis. "A Look Back: When Playland Park was South Bend's amusement spot". South Bend Tribune.
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