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Hannibal Cannibals

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Hannibal Cannibals
Minor league affiliations
Previous classesClass B (1916–1917)
Class C (1947–1948)
Class D (1908–1912, 1952–1955)
Previous leagues
Major league affiliations
Previous teams
Team data
Previous names
  • Hannibal Cannibals (1908–1912)
  • Hannibal Mules (1916–1917)
  • Hannibal Pilots (1947–1948)
  • Hannibal Stags (1952)
  • Hannibal Cardinals (1953–1954)
  • Hannibal Citizens (1955)
Previous parks
  • League Park (1908–1909)
  • Mainland's Park (1910–1917)
  • Clemens Field (1947–1955)

The Hannibal Cannibals was the original moniker of the minor league baseball teams based in Hannibal, Missouri. Hannibal teams played as members of the Illinois–Missouri League (1908), Central Association (1909–1912), Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1916–1917), Central Association (1948–1949) and Mississippi–Ohio Valley League (1952–1955). The Mississippi-Ohio Valley League evolved to become today's Midwest League.

Hannibal was an affiliate of the St. Louis Browns (1947) and St. Louis Cardinals (1953–1954).

Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Jake Beckley played for the 1911 Hannibal Cannibals.

Hannibal is the hometown of author Mark Twain, also known as Samuel Clemens, the namesake of the Hannibal baseball park: Clemens Field.

History

Hannibal teams played under a variety of monikers throughout their history. The first Hannibal minor league team was known as the Hannibal Cannibals, beginning play in the 1908 Illinois–Missouri League and continuing in the Central Association (1909–1912). Baseball Hall of Fame member Jake Beckley played for the 1911 Hannibal Cannibals. On August 25, 1911, Roy Brown of the Hannibal Cannibals pitched a no-hitter against the Monmouth Browns as Hannibal won the game 3–0.[1][2]

The Hannibal Mules were members of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in 1916 and 1917.[3]

After decades without a minor league, the Hannibal Pilots formed as members of the Central Association (1947–1948).[4]

Hannibal was an expansion team in the 1952 Mississippi–Ohio Valley League, the predecessor of today's Midwest League. The 1952 Hannibal Stags, Hannibal Cardinals (1953–1954) and Hannibal Citizens (1955), all were members of the Mississippi–Ohio Valley League. Hannibal pitcher Richard Lessman threw a no-hitter against the Lafayette Red Sox on August 9, 1955 in a 1–0 victory. After the 1955 season, the Hannibal franchise relocated to become the Michigan City White Caps for the first Midwest League season as professional baseball left Hannibal for the last time.[5][6][7]

Through 2019, the Hannibal Cavemen and Hannibal Hoots of the collegiate summer Prospect League played at a renovated Clemens Field, which is also used for youth baseball.[8]

The ballparks

Clemens Field, named for native Samuel Clemens, was built in 1938 as a Works Project Administration (WPA) Project and was home to the Hannibal teams thereafter. After little usage, Clemens Field underwent a major renovation in 2009. Now, the stadium has the original grandstand and brick wall perimeter, holding 2,500. Clemens Field is located at 403 Warren Buffett Drive, Hannibal, Missouri.[9][10]

Previous to Clemens Field, the earlier Hannibal teams played at Mainland's Park (1910–1917), located at Market Street in the Oakwood neighborhood and League Park (1908–1909), located at the corner of Lyon and Glasscock Street, Hannibal, Missouri.[11][12]

Jake Beckley Hall of Fame plaque

Timeline

Year(s) # Yrs. Team Level League Affiliate
1908 1 Hannibal Cannibals Class D Illinois–Missouri League None
1909–1912 4 Central Association None
1916–1917 2 Hannibal Mules Class B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League None
1947–1948 2 Hannibal Pilots Class C Central Association St. Louis Browns
1952 1 Hannibal Stags Class D Mississippi–Ohio Valley League None
1953–1954 2 Hannibal Cardinals St. Louis Cardinals
1955 1 Hannibal Citizens None

Notable alumni

Baseball Hall of Fame alumni

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ "Minor League No-Hitters 1910-1919 - BR Bullpen". www.baseball-reference.com.
  2. ^ "Hannibal, Missouri Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  3. ^ "Hannibal, Missouri Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  4. ^ "Hannibal, Missouri Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  5. ^ "Baseball in Hannibal, Missouri". Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  6. ^ "Hannibal, Missouri Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  7. ^ "No Hit Games". Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  8. ^ Prospect League Standings Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  9. ^ Prospect League Stadiums Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  10. ^ "Baseball in Hannibal". Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  11. ^ "Mainland's Park Minor League History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 30, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  12. ^ "League Park Minor League History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on March 30, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2016.

Baseball Reference Bullpen

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