Northampton Meadowlarks
Encyclopedia
The Northampton Meadowlarks were a minor league baseball
team based in Northampton, Massachusetts
, which played in the, now defunct, Connecticut League
. The team made its debut in 1909, when a local theatre owner and a former area athlete purchased the Meridan club, which had entered the league in 1908, for $2000 and moved the operation to Northampton. The team played its home games in newly renovated Driving Park
. The Meadowlarks finished seventh that first season.
In 1910, first baseman
Bill Luby replaced Goldie Bowler as manager
, but the Meadowlarks' record failed to improve, and the Larks finished seventh again. In June 1911, with Luby still at the helm, the Connecticut League ejected the Northampton and Holyoke
clubs for "failure to pay their debts." Northampton players went home unpaid or were recruited onto other teams. A few of the 1909-1911 Larks went on to play in the major leagues, most notably Jimmy Walsh
(Philadelphia Athletics
).
Calvin Coolidge
, who was former mayor
of Northampton, presumably at the behest of his wife Grace, "The First Lady of Baseball". The team was allowed to join the Twin States League the following season, with many of the players returning along with manager Luby. The Twin State League did not sign the "National Agreement" that placed the minor leagues under major league control, so the league was not considered "official," yet many major league clubs sent injured or slumping players to Twin State League teams and recalled them at will. Bill Luby, manager from the Connecticut League era, easily led the Meadowlarks to the Twin State pennant in 1912. In 1913 shortstop
Jimmy Burns took over as a player-manager, and the Meadowlarks repeated as champions, edging out Greenfield at the season's end.
A racially-charged incident took place on August 28, 1913. The Bellows Falls team hired Frank Wickware
, a great African-American pitcher of the day, to face Northampton. Manager Burns refused to let the Meadowlarks take the field against Wickware, citing the "color line" in the major leagues, a move which provoked much criticism regionally, and some uneasiness among many in the city as well. In 1914, the Larks fell to last place. During the winter of 1914-15 the directors of the Twin State League, acting upon the complaints of Bellows Falls, issued an ultimatum to Northampton to pay a $1000 guarantee. Northampton dropped out. Greenfield, faced with the same ultimatum, followed suit, and the Twin State League suspended all operations.
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team based in Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
, which played in the, now defunct, Connecticut League
Connecticut League
The Connecticut League, also known as the Connecticut State League is a now defunct minor baseball league based in Connecticut. The league began as off-shoot of the original Connecticut State League in 1902 as a Class D league with teams in eight cities...
. The team made its debut in 1909, when a local theatre owner and a former area athlete purchased the Meridan club, which had entered the league in 1908, for $2000 and moved the operation to Northampton. The team played its home games in newly renovated Driving Park
Driving Park
Driving Park is an urban residential area on the Near East Side of Columbus, Ohio just south of I-70. It neighbors many notable areas including Livingston Park, Old Oaks Historic District, Bryden Road Historic District and the King-Lincoln Bronzeville District, all with the common thread of the...
. The Meadowlarks finished seventh that first season.
In 1910, first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Bill Luby replaced Goldie Bowler as manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
, but the Meadowlarks' record failed to improve, and the Larks finished seventh again. In June 1911, with Luby still at the helm, the Connecticut League ejected the Northampton and Holyoke
Holyoke Paperweights
The Holyoke Paperweights were a professional minor league baseball team based in Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA, that played in the now defunct Connecticut League from 1903 to 1911. From 1907 to 1911, they were also known as the Papermakers....
clubs for "failure to pay their debts." Northampton players went home unpaid or were recruited onto other teams. A few of the 1909-1911 Larks went on to play in the major leagues, most notably Jimmy Walsh
Jimmy Walsh
Jimmy Walsh was an Irish hurler who played as a left wing-forward for the Kilkenny senior team from 1932 until 1944....
(Philadelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
).
Twin States League
A new Northampton Meadowlarks team solicited monies, including $2000 from PresidentPresident
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
, who was former mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Northampton, presumably at the behest of his wife Grace, "The First Lady of Baseball". The team was allowed to join the Twin States League the following season, with many of the players returning along with manager Luby. The Twin State League did not sign the "National Agreement" that placed the minor leagues under major league control, so the league was not considered "official," yet many major league clubs sent injured or slumping players to Twin State League teams and recalled them at will. Bill Luby, manager from the Connecticut League era, easily led the Meadowlarks to the Twin State pennant in 1912. In 1913 shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Jimmy Burns took over as a player-manager, and the Meadowlarks repeated as champions, edging out Greenfield at the season's end.
A racially-charged incident took place on August 28, 1913. The Bellows Falls team hired Frank Wickware
Frank Wickware
Frank Wickware was a baseball player in the Negro Leagues. He would play pitcher and played from 1910 to 1925.Wickware served in the military during World War I....
, a great African-American pitcher of the day, to face Northampton. Manager Burns refused to let the Meadowlarks take the field against Wickware, citing the "color line" in the major leagues, a move which provoked much criticism regionally, and some uneasiness among many in the city as well. In 1914, the Larks fell to last place. During the winter of 1914-15 the directors of the Twin State League, acting upon the complaints of Bellows Falls, issued an ultimatum to Northampton to pay a $1000 guarantee. Northampton dropped out. Greenfield, faced with the same ultimatum, followed suit, and the Twin State League suspended all operations.