Maine State League

An Independent league called the Maine State League briefly played in the 1897 season as a six–team league, beginning play on May 20, 1897.^[1] After the Augusta team disbanded on June 26, 1897 and the Rockland team disbanded on July 1, 1897, the league folded on July 5, 1897.^[2] The six teams were the Augusta Kennebecs (14–8), Bangor Millionaires (12–19), Belfast Pastimes (10–16), Lewiston (15–14), Portland (21–6) and Rockland (10–19).^[3][4]

The Maine State League was formed for the 1907 season as an eight–team Class D level minor league under the direction of president Fred K. Owen.^[4] The Maine State League began play in the 1907 season, hosting franchises from Augusta, Maine (Augusta Senators),^[5] Bangor, Maine (Bangor Cubs),^[6] Biddeford, Maine (Biddeford Orphans),^[7] Lewiston, Maine (Lewiston),^[8] Manchester, New Hampshire (Manchester),^[9] Portland, Maine (Pine Tree Capers),^[10] a second team in Portland (Portland Blue Sox)^[11] and Waterville, Maine (Waterville).^[12][13][14]

The 1907 Maine State League began play on May 24, 1907. The league lost several franchises before the season concluded. Both Manchester and Waterville folded in June, Manchester with a 1–7 record and Waterville with an 8–14 record.^[15][16] The Augusta franchise disbanded on July 29, 1907, with a 27–28 record. Lewiston was 24–24 when that franchise folded on August 3, 1907.^[17][18]

With four teams remaining, the Bangor Cubs won the 1907 Maine State League Championship, finishing with a 47–31 final record, as the league held no playoffs. The Bangor Cubs were followed in the standings by the Biddeford Orphans (30–27), Portland Blue Sox (39-41) and Pine Tree Capers (27–32) in the 1907 standings. The Augusta Senators (27–28), Lewiston (24–23), Manchester (1–7) and Waterville (8–14) all folded before the completion of the season.^[17][18][4]

Returning to play in what ultimately was their final season of 1908, the Maine State League was a six–team league, maintaining the Class D level.^[19] Augusta, the Bangor White Sox, Biddeford, and the Portland Blue Sox comprised the 1908 league members who finished the 1908 season, as Pine Tree and York Beach disbanded during the season.^[20]

The Maine State League began play on June 10, 1908. Lewiston moved to Augusta after twelve games. Pine Tree (15–13) and York Beach (10–15) both disbanded on July 19, 1908.^[2] When Portland withdrew on August 28, 1908, the Maine State League permanently folded. The Portland Blue Sox were in 1st place with a 32–20 record when disbanding. Portland finished ahead of the Bangor White Sox (31–22), Lewiston/Augusta (20–26) and Biddeford (18–30) in the standings. However, since Portland folded, Bangor was awarded the 1908 Maine State League championship.^{[20][21][22][4]}