St. Paul Freezers

Organized baseball in St. Paul was reported in local newspapers as early as 1859.{{Cite web|url=https://sabr.org/journal/article/the-rise-of-baseball-in-minnesota/|title=The Rise of Baseball in Minnesota – Society for American Baseball Research}} Minor league baseball in St. Paul began in 1877, when the St. Paul "Red Caps" joined the League Alliance, which organized numerous teams under some common opponents.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1877 St. Paul Red Caps Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://sabr.org/journal/article/perry-werdens-record-setting-1895-season-and-the-1890s-minneapolis-millers/|title=Perry Werden's Record-Setting 1895 Season and the 1890s Minneapolis Millers – Society for American Baseball Research}} The 1884 St. Paul Apostles of the Northwestern League preceded the St. Paul Freezers in minor league play.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1884 St. Paul Apostles Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

The St. Paul "Freezers" nickname was given to the team by local reporters after cold spring temperatures in 1886 caused the cancellation of some St. Paul games.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oNVs03_8fEcC&dq=St.+Paul+Freezers+1886+baseball&pg=PA265|title=Baseball Team Names: A Worldwide Dictionary, 1869-2011|first=Richard|last=Worth|date=February 21, 2013|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786491247 |via=Google Books}}

In 1886, the St. Paul "Freezers" began play as members of the six-team Independent level Northwestern League, which had reformed after not playing in 1885.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1886 St. Paul Freezers Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The Duluth Jayhawks, Eau Claire Lumbermen, Milwaukee Brewers, Minneapolis Millers and Oshkosh teams joined St. Paul in beginning league play on May 6, 1886.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-NWES2/y-1886|title=1886 Northwestern League (NL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=3dee8a40|title=1886 Northwestern League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

Playing the season under manager John Barnes, the Freezers ended the 1886 season in fourth place. With a record of 37–43, the Freezers finished 9.5 games behind the champion Duluth Jayhawks when the Northwestern League season schedule ended on September 30, 1886. The league held no playoffs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-NWES2/y-1886|title=1886 Northwestern League (NL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}

File:Billy O'Brien 1888.jpg

Overall, the St, Paul Freezers finished behind Duluth (46–33), Eau Claire (43–36), Oshkosh (39–39) and ahead of the Minneapolis Millers (36–26) and Milwaukee Brewers in the 1886 Northwestern League final standings.

In 1887, the team was renamed and the St. Paul Saints continued play under returning manager John Barnes, with the franchise remaining as members of the Northwestern League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1887 St. Paul Saints Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=2023 St. Paul Saints Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} The "Saints" is a nickname that has remained in use in the over one century of play since.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/standings/l-NWES2/y-1887|title=1887 Northwestern League (NL) Minor League Baseball Standings on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}

Today, the St. Paul Saints continue minor league play as the Class AAA level affiliate of the Minnesota Twins in the International League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=St. Paul, Minnesota Encyclopedia|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

File:St Paul baseball grounds 1886 04 08.jpg.]]

The 1886 St. Paul Freezers hosted minor league home games at the new West Seventh Street Park, also called the "St. Paul Grounds." The St. Paul Apostles had played at a nearby ballpark of the same name the previous two seasons. The relocated ballpark was located on Jefferson Street between Toronto Avenue & Warsaw Street, near West 7th Street. Nearby was the Short Line railroad tracks. Today, the St. Clair Playground park is across from the former ballpark site.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-2365|title=West Seventh Street Park in St. Paul, MN minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/park/fort-street-grounds-st-paul/|title=Fort Street Grounds (St. Paul, MN) – Society for American Baseball Research}}{{cite map

| author =

| date =

| title =St. Clair Playground

| url =https://www.google.com/maps/place/St+Clair+Playground,+St+Paul,+MN+55102/@44.9311623,-93.1279928,18z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x87f62aee9128c0df:0x89f2cb5d6d6109c1!8m2!3d44.9334751!4d-93.1246508!16s%2Fg%2F11bvt9lq08?entry=ttu

| publisher =Google Maps

| section =

| access-date = }}

{{Div col|colwidth=25em}}

• John Barnes (1886, MGR)
• Elmer Cleveland (1886)
• Billy Colgan (1886)
• Hugh Daily (1886)
• Jesse Duryea (1886)
• Pete McShannic (1886)
• Billy O'Brien (1886)
• Harry Sage (1886)
• Jim Tray (1886)
• Walt Wilmot (1886)

{{Div col end}}

• St. Paul Freezers players

{{reflist|2}}

• [https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=St.%20Paul&state=MN&country=US St. Paul - Baseball Reference]

Category:Defunct minor league baseball teams

Category:Professional baseball teams in Minnesota

Category:Defunct baseball teams in Minnesota

Category:Baseball teams established in 1886

Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1886

Category:Sports in Saint Paul, Minnesota

Category:Northwestern League teams