Tombstone
Formed:
Disbanded:
First Game: May 20, 1925
Last Game: September 5, 1951
Seasons: 24
States:
Leadership
Trophy Case
Editor's Pick
The Middle Atlantic League
1925-1952
A Baseball History
By William E. Akin
The small and midsized cities of western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia reached their peaks of population and prosperity in the second quarter of the 20th century. The baseball teams from these towns formed the Middle Atlantic League, a circuit that author William Akin argues was once the strongest in the low minors. This thorough history chronicles the MAL through three distinct phases from its 1925 inaugural season up through its decline and dissolution in 1952 as the country underwent seismic cultural and economic shifts following World War II.
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Background
The Middle Atlantic League (or “Mid-Atlantic League”) was a Class C baseball league active for 24 seasons between 1925 and 1951.
Like most of minor league baseball, the Mid-Atlantic League went dark during the peak of World War II in the summers of 1943, 1944 and 1945. Unlike many other leagues, when the Mid-Atlantic League re-organized in 1946, it featured an almost entirely new lineup of cities from the group that last played in the summer of ’42. Only the Erie Sailors returned.
For most of its history, the Middle Atlantic League played a split season format. The first half champions and the second half champions met in a postseason series to determine the league champion. If a team won both halves, there was no playoff at all.
From 1937 to 1942 and 1946 to 1948, the league adopted a format known as “the Shaughnessy playoffs” with no halves and the top four teams advancing to a best-of-five semi-final playoff and then either a best-of-five or best-of-seven championship series.
Over the years the league was active in Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Middle Atlantic League Franchise List
[etable]
Franchise, Years Active, Middle Atlantic League Champions
Akron Yankees, 1935-1941, 1940
Altoona Engineers, 1931, None
Beaver Falls Beavers, 1931, None
Beckley Black Knights, 1931-1934, None
Beckley Miners, 1935, None
Butler Tigers, 1949-1951, 1950
Butler Yankees, 1946-1948, None
Canton Terriers, 1936-1942, 1937-1939
Charleroi Babes, 1927-1928, None
Charleroi Governors, 1929-1931, 1929
Charleston Senators, 1931-1942, 1932
Clarksburg Cyrians, 1925, None
Clarksburg Generals, 1926-1932, None
Clarksburg Ghosts, 1925, None
Cumberland Colts, 1925-1932, 1927-1931
Dayton Ducks, 1933-1938 & 1941-1942, None
Dayton Wings, 1939-1940, None
Erie Sailors, 1938-1939 & 1941-1942 & 1946-1951, 1942-1946-1948-1949
Fairmont Black Diamonds, 1926-1931, 1928
Fairmont Maroons, 1925, None
Hagerstown Hubs, 1931, None
Huntington Boosters, 1931-1933, None
Huntington Red Birds, 1934-1936, 1935
Jeannette Jays, 1926-1931, None
Johnstown Johnnies, 1925-1938 & 1946-1950, 1925-1926-1930-
Lockport Locks, 1951, None
New Castle Chiefs, 1948 & 1950, None
New Castle Indians, 1951, None
New Castle Nats, 1949, None
Niagara Falls Citizens, 1950-1951, 1951
Niagara Falls Frontiers, 1946-1947, None
Oil City A’s, 1951, None
Oil City Oilers, 1946, None
Oil City Refiners, 1947-1950, None
Parkersburg Parkers, 1931, None
Portsmouth Pirates, 1935-1936, None
Portsmouth Red Birds, 1937-1940, 1938
Scottdale Cardinals, 1931, None
Scottdale Scotties, 1925-1930, None
Springfield Cardinals, 1941-1942, None
Springfield Chicks, 1933, None
Springfield Indians, 1937-1939, None
Springfield Pirates, 1934, None
Uniontown Coal Barons, 1947-1949, None
Uniontown Cokers, 1926, None
Vandergrift Pioneers, 1947-1950, 1947
Wheeling Stogies, 1925-1931 & 1933-1934, None
Youngstown A’s, 1949-1951, None
Youngstown Browns, 1939-1941, None
Youngstown Colts, 1947-1948, None
Youngstown Gremlins, 1946, None
Youngstown Tubers, 1931, None
Zanesville Cubs, 1941-1942, None
Zanesville Greys, 1933-1937, 1933-1934-1936
[/etable]
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