Upper Peninsula League
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Classification | Independent (1890–1891) |
|---|---|
| Sport | Minor League Baseball |
| First season | 1890 |
| Ceased | 1891 |
| Replaced by | Wisconsin-Michigan League |
| President | J.P. Mason (1890–1891) |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Most titles | 1 Houghton (1890) Calumet Red Jackets (1891) |
The Upper Peninsula League was a minor league baseball league that played in the 1890 and 1891 seasons. The six–team Independent level Upper Peninsula League consisted of franchises based exclusively in Michigan.
The Upper Peninsula League formed and began play in the 1890 season as a non–signatory, Independent level league. The Calumet Red Jackets, Hancock, Houghton, Ishpeming, Marquette Undertakers and Negaunee teams were the charter members.[1]
In their first season of play, the league began the schedule on May 31, 1890. Houghton won the 1890 Upper Peninsula League championship with a 23–12 overall record in the six–team league, as the Hancock and Negaunee franchises folded during the season.[1][2][3]
The Upper Peninsula League played with four teams in 1891. The Calumet Red Jackets won the championship with a 36–24 record. The Upper Peninsula League permanently folded following the 1891 season, evolving into the Wisconsin–Michigan League in 1892.[1][4][5]
The UPL is a part of the short story “Horseshoes”, written by baseball writer and author Ring Lardner.
Upper Peninsula League teams
| Team name | City represented | Ballpark | Year(s) active |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calumet Red Jackets | Calumet, Michigan | Athletic Park[6] | 1890 to 1891 |
| Hancock | Hancock, Michigan | Unknown | 1890 |
| Houghton | Houghton, Michigan | East Houghton Grounds[7] | 1890 to 1891 |
| Ishpeming | Ishpeming, Michigan | Union Park[8] | 1890 to 1891 |
| Marquette Undertakers | Marquette, Michigan | Fair Avenue Grounds[9] | 1890 to 1891 |
| Negaunee | Negaunee, Michigan | Unknown | 1890 |