Helena Senators
{{Short description|Baseball team}}
{{use mdy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox Minor League Baseball
| name =Helena Senators
| firstseason =1892
| lastseason =1914
| allyears =1892, 1900, 1902–1903, 1905, 1909, 1911–1914
| city =Helena, Montana
| logo =
| uniformlogo =
| class level =Class B (1892)
Independent (1900)
Class B (1902)
Class A (1903)
Independent (1905)
Class D (1909, 1911–1914)
| league =Montana State League (1892, 1900)
Pacific Northwest League (1902)
Pacific National League (1903)
Montana State League (1905)
Inter-Mountain League (1909)
Union Association (1911–1914)
| majorleague =None
| nickname =Helena (1892)
Helena Senators (1900, 1902–1903, 1909, 1911–1914)
| ballpark =Unknown
| classnum =
| classchamps =
| leaguenum =2
| leaguechamps ={{hlist|1892|1909}}
| confnum =
| conferencechamps =
| divnum =
| divisionchamps =
| wildcardnum =
| wildcardberths =
}}
The Helena Senators were a minor league baseball team based in Helena, Montana. Between 1892 and 1914, Helena minor league teams played as members of the Montana State League (1892, 1900), 1902 Pacific Northwest League, 1903 Pacific National League, 1904 Montana State League, 1909 Inter-Mountain League and Union Association (1911–1914). Helena won league championships in 1892 and 1909.
Baseball Hall of Fame member Joe Tinker played for the 1900 Helena Senators.
History
Minor league baseball began in Helena, Montana in 1892, when the Helena team played as members of the Montana State League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1892 Helena Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} Playing as charter members in the Independent league, Helena finished as the 1892 Montana State League Champions. The team had a 29–21 record under manager Con Strothers to capture the league championship, finishing 2.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Butte Miners in the six–team league.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-hh12002/y-1892|title=1892 Helena Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-MTSL/y-1892|title=1892 Montana State League (MSL) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} The Montana State League folded after the 1892 season.<{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball |editor1-first=Lloyd |editor1-last=Johnson |editor2-first=Miles |editor2-last=Wolff |edition=Third |publisher=Baseball America |date=2007 |isbn=978-1932391176}}
The Montana State League reformed in 1900, with the Helena "Senators" as a member.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1900 Helena Senators Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The 1900 Helena Senators had a record of 39–33, placing 2nd in the Montana State League, finishing 1.0 game behind the champion Great Falls Indians. The Helena managers were Carl Wood, Patrick "Paddy" Ryan and Jack Flannery.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-hs12010/y-1900|title=1900 Helena Senators Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Baseball Hall of Fame member Joe Tinker played for the 1900 Helena Senators at age 19. Tinker is part of the famed Tinker to Evers to Chance trio with the Chicago Cubs. Playing in his first professional season, Tinker came to Helena after being purchased from fellow Montana State League member Great Falls Indians for $200.00. Tinker hit .322 for the season, making $90.00 a month.{{Cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/joe-tinker/|title=Joe Tinker – Society for American Baseball Research}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=tinker001jos|title=Joe Tinker Minor Leagues Statistics & History | Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The Montana State League permanently folded after the 1900 season.{{Cite web|url=https://helenair.com/lifestyles/crosscut/montanas-rich-baseball-history-hard-to-ignore/article_7f1b49d7-ca1f-52d8-808a-ade8f3b0ddc8.html|title=Montana's rich baseball history hard to ignore|first=LYNDEL MEIKLE Open|last=Range|website=Helena Independent Record}}
The Helena Senators became members of the Class B level Pacific Northwest League in 1902.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=80a181e7|title=1902 Helena Senators Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The Pacific Northwest League's president was William Henry Lucas, who had previously been president of the Montana State League. The 1902 Helena Senators ended the season with a record of 65–54, placing 3rd in the six–team Pacific Northwest League, playing under manager Jack Flannery.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-hs12010/y-1902|title=1902 Helena Senators Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Finishing 7.5 games behind the 1st place Butte Miners, Helena drew a season home attendance of 25,000, an average of 420 per game.
In 1903, the Helena Senators folded before the end of the season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-NWES4/y-1903|title=1903 Pacific National League (PNL) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Helena had continued play as the Pacific Northwest League became a Class A league, was renamed the Pacific National League and expanded to eight teams. Helena placed 8th in 1903 behind the Butte Miners (85–62), Los Angeles Angels (65–42) Portland Green Gages/Salt Lake City Elders (56–91), San Francisco Pirates (56–52), Seattle Chinooks (78–71), Spokane Indians (82–68) and Tacoma Tigers (46–60). Helena had a 40–62 record when the team was disbanded on August 16, 1903, along with Tacoma.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-hs12010/y-1903|title=1903 Helena Senators Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=15ee6215|title=1903 Helena Senators Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}
Helena played again in the 1905 Montana State League, which operated as an Independent league that season. No official records of the 1905 Montana League season are known.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=37ed1d46|title=1905 Montana State League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}
After a 3–year hiatus, the 1909 Helena Senators again began play, as the Senators became member of the Class D level Inter-Mountain League, under league president William Henry Lucas. The Helena Senators won the 1909 Inter-Mountain League Championship in a shortened season. On July 25, 1903, Helena was in 1st place with a 43–19 record when the four–team Inter–Mountain League disbanded.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-IMTL/y-1909|title=1909 Inter-Mountain League (IIL) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} The Helena manager in 1909 was Jack Huston as the team was 4.5 games ahead of the 2nd place Salt Lake City Mormons/Livingston when the league folded. The Butte Miners placed 3rd and the Boise Irrigators/Bozeman Irrigators finished 4th.
The six–team Union Association was formed in 1911 under the leadership of William Henry Lucas.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?code=UA&class=D|title=Union Association (D) Encyclopedia and History|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The Helena Senators were charter members of the Class D level league.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-hs12010/y-1911|title=1911 Helena Senators Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} The 1911 Helena Senators finished in 5th place with a 60–78 record, ending the season 31.0 games behind the 1st place Great Falls team. The Senators were managed by Charles Irby.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-UA/y-1911|title=1911 Union Association (UA) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}
On June 1, 1911, Helena pitcher D.F. Byrd threw a no-hitter in a 2–1 victory over the Boise Irrigators.{{Cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1deBSHdsKaYa0BObQqY-f12dTaCv6k8vIxjhomWRrlLQ/edit?usp=embed_facebook|title=Minor League No Hitters|website=Google Docs}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-165244922|title=Searching for missing Minors no-hitters|website=Minor League Baseball}}
In 1912, the Helena Senators continued play as members of the Union Association.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-hs12010/y-1912|title=1912 Helena Senators Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-UA/y-1912|title=1912 Union Association (UA) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} The 1912 Senators placed 6th and last in the six–team Union Association with a record of 50–83, finishing 32.5 games behind the 1st place Missoula team. The Helena manager was again Charles Irby.
The Helena Senators finished 5th in the 1913 Union Association standings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-hs12010/y-1913|title=1913 Helena Senators Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-UA/y-1913|title=1913 Union Association (UA) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Helena ended the season with a 52–67 record, playing under manager Danny Shay, finishing 25.5 games behind the champion Great Falls Electrics.
The 1914 Union Association folded in mid–season. Helena placed 4th overall in the league standings with a 27–53 record, playing under managers Jess Garrett and Bill Quigley.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-hs12010/y-1914|title=1914 Helena Senators Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} The Union Association permanently disbanded on August 5, 1914.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-UA/y-1914|title=1914 Union Association (UA) on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} The top two teams in the Union Association standings, the Ogden Canners and Salt Lake City Skyscrapers, played out their 1914 seasons with 16 games against each other.
Helena was without minor league baseball until the Helena Phillies began play in the 1978 Pioneer League. Today, the Helena Senators moniker has been adopted by Helena youth baseball.{{Cite web|url=https://www.helenasenators.us/schedule/team_instance/4457402?subseason=591642|title=Game Schedule - 2019 Regular Season - Senators|website=www.helenasenators.us}}
The ballpark
The name of the Helena Senators' minor league ballpark is not directly referenced.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-1129|title=Unknown in Helena, MT history and teams on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}} Fort Harrison Park was noted to have hosted other organized baseball during the era.Black Baseball, 1858-1900: A Comprehensive Record of the Teams, Players, Managers, Owners and Umpires, By James E. Brunson III (2019) McFarland & Company, p.142. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-9417-0}}{{cite web |url=https://www.milb.com/content/page.jsp?ymd=20130222&content_id=41895288&sid=t433&vkey=team1 |title=Kindrick Legion Field History |website=Minor League Baseball |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405142259/http://www.milb.com/content/page.jsp?ymd=20130222&content_id=41895288&sid=t433&vkey=team1 |archive-date=2015-04-05}}
Timeline
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;"
! Year(s) !! # Yrs. !! Team !! Level !! League | ||||
| 1892 | 1 | Helena | Class B | rowspan=2| Montana State League |
| 1900 | 1 | rowspan=6|Helena Senators | Independent | |
| 1902 | 1 | Class B | rowspan=2| Pacific Northwest League | |
| 1903 | 1 | Class A | ||
| 1905 | 1 | Independent | Montana State League | |
| 1909 | 1 | rowspan=2| Class D | Inter-Mountain League | |
| 1911–1914 | 4 | Union Association |
Year–by–year records
[https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-MTSL/y-1892 Stats Crew]
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||
| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs/notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892 | 29–21 | 1st | Con Strothers | League Champions |
| 1900 | 38–33 | 2nd | Carl Wood Paddy Ryan /Jack Flannery | No playoffs held |
| 1902 | 65–54 | 3rd | Jack Flannery | No playoffs held |
| 1903 | 40–62 | 8th | John Flannery / Fred Carish | Disbanded August 16 |
| 1905 | 00–00 | N/A | Jack Flannery | 1905 league records unknown |
| 1909 | 43–19 | 1st | John Huston | League disbanded July 25 League Champions |
| 1911 | 60–78 | 5th | Charles Irby | No playoffs held |
| 1912 | 50–83 | 6th | Charles Irby | No playoffs held |
| 1913 | 52–67 | 5th | Danny Shay | No playoffs held |
| 1914 | 27–53 | 4th | Jess Garrett / William Quimby | No playoffs held |
Notable alumni
{{Div col|colwidth=25em}}
- Joe Tinker (1900) Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1946
- Del Baker (1911–1912)
- Pat Bohen (1913)
- George Bristow (1903)
- Ed Bruyette (1902)
- Fred Carisch (1903)
- Dad Clark (1914)
- Walter Coleman (1900)
- George Darby (1892)
- Andy Dunning (1892)
- Ralph Frary (1903)
- Julie Freeman (1892)
- Bill George (1892)
- Russ Hall (1900)
- Pat Hannivan (1902)
- Bill Hassamaer (1892)
- Gil Hatfield (1892)
- Tom Hernon (1892)
- Ed Holly (1902)
- Jim Kelly (1912)
- Jack Kibble (1911)
- Joe Marshall (1900)
- Harry Maupin (1900)
- Gus McGinnis (1892)
- Joe Miller (1892)
- Hap Morse (1912)
- Ambrose Puttmann (1903)
- Don Rader (1914)
- Skipper Roberts (1911)
- Solly Salisbury (1900)
- Danny Shay (1913, MGR)
- Walt Slagle (1902)
- Jack Sullivan (1902)
- Gus Thompson (1902–1903)
- Harry Thompson (1911–1913)
- Art Twineham (1892)
- Jimmy Wiggs (1902–1903)
- Mutt Williams (1913)
- Charlie Ziegler (1903)
{{Div col end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/t-hs12010 Senators - Stats Crew]
- [https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Helena&state=MT&country=US Helena - Baseball Reference]
{{Teams in the Pacific Northwest League}}
Category:Baseball teams established in 1892
Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams
Category:Professional baseball teams in Montana
Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1914
Category:Defunct baseball teams in Montana
Category:Lewis and Clark County, Montana
Category:1892 establishments in Montana
Category:1914 disestablishments in Montana