Tombstone
Formed: December 1946 (as Illinois State League)
Re-Branded: January 1949
Re-Branded: November 28, 1955 – The Mississippi-Ohio Valley League re-brands as the Midwest League1Michigan City Enters Baseball League, The Telegraph-Herald, Nov. 29, 1955
First Game:
Last Game:
Seasons: 7
States: 6
(IA, IL, IN, KY, MO, OH)
Leadership
Trophy Case
Background
The Mississippi-Ohio Valley League was a Class D minor league that operated from 1949 to 1955. The league was originally formed in 1947 and was known as the Illinois State League for its first two seasons (1947-1948). Following the 1955 season, the league changed names again and became the Midwest League, which continues to operate to this day.
The Mississippi-Ohio Valley League featured teams in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio. (But not Mississippi).
Mississippi-Ohio Valley League Franchise List
| Franchise | Years Active | Championships |
|---|---|---|
| Belleville Stags | 1949 | 1947 (ISL) |
| Canton Citizens | 1952 | NONE |
| Centralia Cubs | 1949 | NONE |
| Centralia Sterlings | 1950 | NONE |
| Centralia Zeros | 1951-1952 | 1950 |
| Clinton Pirates | 1954-1955 | NONE |
| Danville Dans | 1951-1954 | 1951-1954 |
| Decatur Commodores | 1952-1955 | 1952-1953 |
| Dubuque Packers | 1954-1955 | 1955 |
| Hannibal Cardinals | 1953-1954 | NONE |
| Hannibal Citizens | 1955 | NONE |
| Hannibal Stags | 1952 | NONE |
| Kokomo Giants | 1955 | NONE |
| Lafayette Chiefs | 1955 | NONE |
| Mattoon Indians | 1949-1952 | NONE |
| Mattoon Phillies | 1953-1955 | NONE |
| Mount Vernon Kings | 1949-1954 | NONE |
| Paducah Chiefs | 1949-1950 | 1949 |
| Paris Lakers | 1950-1955 | NONE |
| Springfield Giants | 1950 | NONE |
| Vincennes Citizens | 1950 | NONE |
| Vincennes Velvets | 1951-1952 | NONE |
| West Frankfort Cardinals | 1949-1950 | 1948 (ISL) |
One Response
At least you note the Class D Illinois league existed in 1947-48. The same six Illinois cities(Belleville, Centralia, Marion, Matton, Mount Vernon and West Frankfurt) fielded teams in both seasons of the Illinois State League. In 1950 , Marion folded its team and the Illinois State League added a team just across the Ohio River in Paducah, KY. Despite its Illinois-based domination, the league name was changed to feature the two great rivers that meet just a bit west of Paducah, and thus was born the Mississippi Ohio Valley League, which as you note, ultimately morphed into the Midwest League. But it all began with the Illinois State League in 1947. whose first Champion was the Belleville Stags, named after the town’s biggest employer, the brewery that produced Stag Beer.