Zanesville Infants
Encyclopedia
The Zanesville Infants was a short-lived baseball franchise located in Zanesville, Ohio
, and affiliated with the regional Central League
. The organization's name was intended to highlight that they were a new minor league club. The Infants proved tough competitors and were runner-ups in the league championship in 1909.
A ball club featuring many players who later formed the core of the Infants was established in Zanesville in 1907, when local investors purchased the Youngstown Ohio Works
. The investors also offered a contract to the Youngstown, Ohio
, club's ex-manager, Marty Hogan
, a former major league outfielder. Although the Zanesville team failed in its bid to join the Ohio-Pennsylvania League
, it secured a spot in the less prestigious Pennsylvania-Ohio-Maryland League
. The Zanesville team disbanded along with the P-O-M League at the close of the 1907 season.
Hogan managed the Infants in the 1908 season but moved on to Lancaster, Pennsylvania
, the following year, leading that team to its first championship in the Tri-State League
. Meanwhile, the Zanesville team competed fiercely with the Wheeling
Stogies, who took the Central League
Championship with a 88-50 record. The Infants were runner-ups in the contest, closing the season with a 75-58 record. In July 1909, the Zanesville Infants earned a spot in baseball history when the team participated in the first electrified night game
in Grand Rapids, Michigan
. The event was made possible by inventor George Cahill, who provided his new portable lighting.
Zanesville, Ohio
Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio...
, and affiliated with the regional Central League
Central League (baseball)
The Central League was a minor league baseball league that operated sporadically from 1903-1917, 1920-1922, 1926, 1928-1930, 1934, and 1948-1951. In 1926, the league merged mid-season with the Michigan State League and played under that name for the remainder of the season...
. The organization's name was intended to highlight that they were a new minor league club. The Infants proved tough competitors and were runner-ups in the league championship in 1909.
A ball club featuring many players who later formed the core of the Infants was established in Zanesville in 1907, when local investors purchased the Youngstown Ohio Works
Youngstown Ohio Works
The Youngstown Ohio Works baseball team was a minor league club that was known for winning the premier championship of the Ohio–Pennsylvania League in 1905, and for launching the professional career of pitcher Roy Castleton a year later...
. The investors also offered a contract to the Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, club's ex-manager, Marty Hogan
Marty Hogan
Martin Francis Hogan , nicknamed "The Indianapolis Ringer", was an Anglo-American right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Browns . After leaving the National League, Hogan moved on to the minor league Indianapolis Hoosiers...
, a former major league outfielder. Although the Zanesville team failed in its bid to join the Ohio-Pennsylvania League
Ohio-Pennsylvania League
The Ohio-Pennsylvania League was among scores of minor league baseball organizations that popped up throughout the country in the early 20th century...
, it secured a spot in the less prestigious Pennsylvania-Ohio-Maryland League
Pennsylvania-Ohio-Maryland League
The class D Pennsylvania-Ohio-Maryland League began in 1906. By 1908, however, this baseball minor league was extinct. Cumberland, Maryland dropped out after 1906, leaving Maryland unrepresented in 1907...
. The Zanesville team disbanded along with the P-O-M League at the close of the 1907 season.
Hogan managed the Infants in the 1908 season but moved on to Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
, the following year, leading that team to its first championship in the Tri-State League
Tri-State League
The Tri-State League was the name of five different circuits in American minor league baseball.-History:The first league of that name played for four years and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia....
. Meanwhile, the Zanesville team competed fiercely with the Wheeling
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
Stogies, who took the Central League
Central League (baseball)
The Central League was a minor league baseball league that operated sporadically from 1903-1917, 1920-1922, 1926, 1928-1930, 1934, and 1948-1951. In 1926, the league merged mid-season with the Michigan State League and played under that name for the remainder of the season...
Championship with a 88-50 record. The Infants were runner-ups in the contest, closing the season with a 75-58 record. In July 1909, the Zanesville Infants earned a spot in baseball history when the team participated in the first electrified night game
Night game
A night game is a sporting event that takes place, completely or partially, after the local sunset. Depending on the sport, this can be done either with floodlights or with the usual low-light conditions.-Cricket:...
in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
. The event was made possible by inventor George Cahill, who provided his new portable lighting.