Wisconsin–Michigan League
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The Wisconsin–Michigan League (also referred to as the Michigan–Wisconsin League by some sources) was a minor league baseball league that played in the 1892 season. The six–team Independent level Wisconsin–Michigan League evolved from the Upper Peninsula League and consisted of franchises based in Michigan and Wisconsin.
| Formerly | Upper Peninsula League |
|---|---|
| Classification | Independent (1892) |
| Sport | Minor League Baseball |
| First season | 1892 |
| Ceased | 1892 |
| President | A.E. Mountain (1892) Frank Murphy (1892) |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Most titles | 1 Green Bay (1892) |
History
The Wisconsin–Michigan League first played as a semi–professional league in the 1891 season, with the Appleton, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Marinette, Oconto and Oshkosh teams comprising the six–team league.[1]
The Wisconsin–Michigan League became a minor league and continued play in the 1892 season as a non–signatory, Independent level league. The Green Bay Bays, Ishpeming-Negaunee Unions, Marinette Badgers, Marquette Undertakers, Menominee Wolverines and Oshkosh Indians were the charter members.[2][3]
In their first season of play, the Wisconsin–Michigan League began games on May 27, 1892. Green Bay won the 1892 Wisconsin–Michigan League championship with a 48–39 overall record in the six–team league, as the Marinette and Ishpeming-Negaunee Unions franchises folded during the season. The final records were led by Green Bay, followed by the second place Menominee Wolverines (44–40), Marinette Badgers (45–44) and Oshkosh Indians (41–50), with the Marquette Undertakers (20–29) and Ishpeming-Negaunee Unions (24–20) before folding.[4][5]
During the season, it was reported that Green Bay president Frank W. Murphy, who also served as president of the league, supplemented his roster with players obtained from the Terre Haute Hottentots and other teams en route to winning the championship. New manager Sam LaRocque had earlier played with Terre Haute in 1892.[1][6]
The Wisconsin–Michigan League permanently folded following the 1892 season.[5]
Wisconsin–Michigan League teams
| Team name | City represented | Ballpark | Year(s) active |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Bays | Green Bay, Wisconsin | Unknown | 1892 |
| Ishpeming-Negaunee Unions | Ishpeming, Michigan | Union Park[7] | 1892 |
| Marinette Badgers | Marinette, Wisconsin | Fairgrounds Driving Park[8] | 1892 |
| Marquette Undertakers | Marquette, Michigan | Fair Avenue Grounds[9] | 1892 |
| Menominee Wolverines | Menominee, Michigan | Unknown | 1892 |
| Oshkosh Indians | Oshkosh, Wisconsin | Unknown | 1892 |
Standings and statistics
1892 Wisconsin–Michigan League
| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay Bays | 48 | 39 | .552 | – | Louis Shoeneck / Sam LaRocque |
| Menominee | 44 | 40 | .524 | 2½ | William Lucas |
| Marinette Badgers | 17 | 18 | .486 | 4 | Joe Cantillon / Mike Morrison / Jim Donahue |
| Oshkosh Indians | 13 | 20 | .394 | 9 | Charles Faatz |
| Ishpeming-Negaunee Unions | 24 | 20 | .545 | NA | Joe Quest |
| Marquette Undertakers | 29 | 29 | .408 | NA | George Wilbur |
Marquette and Ishpeming-Negaunee disbanded in August
| Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willie McGill | Menominee | W | 14 |
| Robert Gayle | Green Bay | W | 14 |
| Robert Gayle | Green Bay | ShO | 7 |
| Robert Gayle | Green Bay | PCT | .824 14-3 |
Notable alumni
Baseball Hall of Fame member Hank O'Day played for the 1892 Marinette Badgers.[10]