Pana Coal Miners

Minor league baseball began in Pana, Illinois when the 1907 Pana Coal Miners became charter members of the Eastern Illinois League, which began play as a six–team Class D level league under league president L. A. G. Shoaff.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=d174a923|title=1907 Eastern Illinois League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The 1908 Spalding Guide indicated the league was founded in Pana, Illinois and the league's "godfather" was Joe Adams, also known as "Old Wagon Tongue," who would manage Pana.{{cite book|title=1908 Spalding Guide|author=Price, G.L.|chapter=Eastern Illinois League|page=227|publisher=A.G. Spalding & Bros.|year=1908|url=https://archive.org/stream/spaldingsbasebal09chic/spaldingsbasebal09chic_djvu.txt|accessdate=2012-06-29}}

In 1907, Pana and the other league teams had a salary limit of $600. The Centralia White Stockings, Charleston Broom Corn Cutters, Mattoon Giants, Shelbyville Queen Citys, and Taylorville Tailors joined Pana as the charter members of the league.{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball |editor-first1=Lloyd |editor-last1=Johnson |editor-first2=Miles |editor-last2=Wolff |edition=Third |publisher=Baseball America |date=2007 |isbn=978-1932391176}}

The use of the "Coal Miners" nickname corresponds to local industry, as coal mining was prevalent in the Panaarea during the era. The Pana riot, a mine worker conflict, had occurred on April 10, 1899, resulting in seven deaths.{{Cite web|url=https://hinton-gen.com/coal/christian_mines.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604220227/https://hinton-gen.com/coal/christian_mines.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 4, 2021|title=Christian County, Illinois Coal Mines|website=hinton-gen.com}}{{Cite web |last=Lenstra |first=Noah |date=2009-02-06 |title=The African-American mining experience in Illinois from 1800 to 1920 |url=https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/items/9611 |website=Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship |page=23}}

File:Pana, Illinois - some luminous phases of its every-day life, present activities and future possibilities - a graphic sketch of a thriving city located on the lines of four transcontinental railroads, (14759039284).jpg

In August 1907, in a series between the Coal Miners and the Mattoon Giants, it was reported in The Sporting Life that Mattoon second baseman Fred Wilson repeatedly punched Pana manager Joe Adams during a dispute. “Wilson put Adams down with a straight jab on the jaw. The manager came up, but another blow in the same place fractured his chewing apparatus,” said the report.{{Cite web|url=https://baseballhistorydaily.com/tag/pana-coal-miners/|title=Pana Coal Miners|website=Baseball History Daily}}

After beginning league play on May 12, 1907, the Pana Coal Miners finished the season in fifth place in the six-team league.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-pm13622/y-1907|title=1907 Pana Coal Miners minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1907 Pana Coal Miners Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The Coal Miners finished with a 51–70 record, playing under Adams. Pana finished 24.5 games behind first place Mattoon.

It was reported by the Associated Press that the Eastern Illinois League teams in Charleston, Mattoon, Pana and Paris were supported, “in great part from saloon interests.”

Pana continued play in the 1908 Eastern Illinois League but relocated during the season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1908 Pana/Linton Coal Miners Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-pm13622/y-1908|title=1908 Pana Coal Miners/Linton minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}

An evangelical movement led by former major league player Billy Sunday promoted a ballot item on April 7, 1908 that sought to abolish alcohol in the region. After the election, six of the Eastern Illinois League’s eight franchise cities voted to become dry, and the league began to suffer financially as Sunday games and support from saloons was eliminated.{{Cite web|url=https://baseballhistorydaily.com/2012/11/12/the-league-that-billy-sunday-helped-close-down/|title=The League That Billy Sunday Helped Shut Down|date=November 12, 2012}}{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XgDZAAAAMAAJ&q=Charleston+Evangelists+1908+baseball&pg=PA136|title=Spectacular Career of Rev. Billy Sunday, Famous Baseball Evangelist|first=Theodore Thomas|last=Frankenberg|date=June 4, 1913|publisher=McClelland|via=Google Books}}

On May 27, 1908, Neil Connaughton of Pana pitched a no-hitter in a 2–1 victory over the Paris Parisians.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/401065/1908-05-27/|title=1908-05-27|newspaper=The Daily Review |date=May 28, 1908|pages=5|via=newspapers.com}}

The 1908 Pana Coal Miners relocated in what was the final season of play for Pana. On July 17, 1908, the Pana franchise relocated to Linton, Indiana. The Coal Miners had an 18–44 record at the time of the move. After compiling a 7–26 record while based in Linton, the Pana/Linton team finished the season with an overall record of 25–70 under managers A.S. Hawker, Nig Landon, and Al Holycross, placing last of the six remaining league teams.{{Cite web |last=Emery |first=Tom |date=April 1, 2019 |title=IN THE BEGINNING: Staunton was once home to a minor league baseball team |url=https://www.thetelegraph.com/sports/article/IN-THE-BEGINNING-Staunton-was-once-home-to-a-13732493.php |website=Alton Telegraph}}

After the 1908 season, the Eastern Illinois League permanently folded. Pana has not hosted another minor league team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=Pana, Illinois Encyclopedia|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

File:Entrance to Kitchell Park, Pana, Illinois.jpg. Pana, Illinois]]

The Pana Coal Miners played home minor league games at Kitchell Park, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.{{Cite web |title=Kitchell Park in Pana, IL minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com |url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-2036 |website=www.statscrew.com}}{{Cite web |title=Asset Detail |url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail?assetID=73140f7c-21e3-4f18-b58d-c2e6052fd4ff |website=National Park Service}} Still in use today as a public park with baseball fields and other amenities, Kitchell Park is located at Ninth Street and Kitchell Street in Pana.{{Cite web |title=City Parks |url=https://www.cityofpana.org/parks |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=City of Pana |language=en}}

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• Joe Adams (1907, MGR)

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• Pana Coal Miners players

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Pana&state=IL&country=US Pana - Baseball Reference]

Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams

Category:Defunct baseball teams in Illinois

Category:Baseball teams established in 1907

Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1908

Category:Eastern Illinois League teams

Category:Christian County, Illinois