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Fort Scott Giants
Minor league affiliations
ClassIndependent (1901)
Class D (1902-1903)
Class C (1904–1905)
Class D (1906)
LeagueMissouri Valley League (1901–1905)
Kansas State League (1906)
Major league affiliations
TeamNone
Minor league titles
League titles (0)None
Team data
NameFort Scott Memphis Route (1901)
Fort Scott Giants (1902–1906)
BallparkUnknown

The Fort Scott Giants were a minor league baseball team based in Fort Scott, Kansas. From 1901 to 1905, Fort Scott played as a member of the Missouri Valley League, before joining the 1906 Kansas State League.

History

After Fort Scott first hosted minor league baseball in 1891, when the team played the season as members of the independent Southwest League,[1][2] the "Fort Scott Memphis Route" team became a member of the 1901 independent Missouri Valley League. The Columbus, Kansas, Galena, Kansas, Joplin Colts, Monett Railroadmen, Nevada Reds, Oswego, Kansas and Pittsburg Coal Barons teams joined Fort Scott in league play. The 1901 league records and standings are unknown.[3]

In 1902, Fort Scott continued play in the Class D level Missouri Valley League,[4] as the Nevada, Missouri and Joplin, Missouri teams also continued play. The Coffeyville Indians, Iola Gasbags, Jefferson City Convicts, Joplin Miners, Nevada Lunatics, Sedalia Gold Bugs and Springfield Reds teams joined Fort Scott in beginning league play on May 6, 1902.[5][6]

The Giants placed third in the 1902 Missouri Valley League final standings, as the league held no playoffs.[4] With a record of 80-44, playing the season under manager Warren Gill, Fort Scott finished 6.0 games behind the first place Nevada Lunatics in the standings.[7][8][5]

The 1903 Fort Scott Giants continued as members of the eight–team Class D level Missouri Valley League, as the Leavenworth White Sox replaced Coffeyville in league play before folding during the season, as did Nevada.[9][5] The Giants placed fifth of the six remaining teams in the Missouri Valley League standings.[10] Fort Scott ended the 1903 season with a record of 71–64, with Fred Hornaday serving as manager.[11] After Nevada and Leavenworth had folded during the season, Fort Scott ended the season 15.5 games behind the first place Sedalia Goldbugs, who finished with a record of 86–47.[8][12][5]

The Fort Scott Giants continued Missouri Valley League play in 1904 and finished last as the league became a Class C level League with eight teams.[13][14] The Giants ended the season with a record of 36–89, placing eighth in the standings. Jake Bene and Lou Armstrong served as managers.[15] The Coal Diggers finished 47.5 gamed behind the first place Iola Gasbags.[5][16]

The Fort Scott Giants placed fourth in the final season of the Missouri Valley League, as the league folded during the season.[17][18] With a record of 49–52, the Giants finished 26.0 games behind the first place Pittsburg Miners. Harry Chapman served as manager. Fort Scott was also referred to as the "Hay Diggers" in 1905.[17] The Muskogee Reds disbanded on August 31, causing the Missouri Valley League to end play on September 5, 1905.[19][20][5]

In 1906, the Fort Scott Giants continued minor league play, as the franchise joined the eight-team, Class D level Kansas State League.[21] The Giants joined the Bartlesville Indians, Chanute Browns, Coffeyville Bricks, Independence Coyotes, Iola Grays, Parsons Preachers and Pittsburg Champs in beginning league play on May 3, 1906.[22][23]

On June 6, 1906, the Pittsburg Champs franchise moved to Vinita, Oklahoma. On July 5, 1906, both the Fort Scott and Vinita franchised folded during the season.[5] The Fort Scott Giants ended their final season with a record of 35–18, as Ed Finney, Cy Mason and M. McDonald served as managers. After the two teams folded, the league discarded all games played before July 10 and restarted with a new season. The league did not return to play in 1907.[24][21][5]

The Kansas State League resumed play in 1909, but without a Fort Scott franchise.[5] Fort Scott has not hosted another minor league team.[25][5]

The ballpark

The name and location of the Fort Scott Giants' home minor league ballpark are not directly referenced.[26] 1902 newspaper accounts refer to fans interacting with the "guards" present on the "grounds" at the site of the Fort Scott ballpark.[27] The verbiage corresponds with Fort Scott being home to the Fort Scott National Historic Site.[28]

Timeline

Year(s) # Yrs. Team Level League
1901 1 Fort Scott Memphis Route Independent Missouri Valley League
1902-1903 2 Fort Scott Giants Class D
1904-1905 2 Class C
1906 1 Class D Kansas State League

Year–by–year records

Year Record Finish Manager Playoffs/Notes
1902 80–44 3rd Warren Gill No playoffs held
1903 71–64 5th Fred Hornaday No playoffs held
1904 39–84 8th Jake Bene / Lou Armstrong No playoffs held
1905 49–52 4th Harry Chapman League folded September 5
1906 35–18 NA Ed Finney / Cy Mason
M. McDonald		 Team folded July 5

Notable alumni

See also

Fort Scott Giants players

References

  1. ^ "1891 Southwest League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. ^ "1891 Fort Scott Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. ^ "1901 Missouri Valley League (MVL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  4. ^ a b "1902 Fort Scott Giants Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (Third ed.). Baseball America. ISBN 978-1932391176.
  6. ^ "1902 Missouri Valley League (MVL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  7. ^ "1902 Missouri Valley League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. ^ a b "1902 Fort Scott Giants minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  9. ^ "1903 Missouri Valley League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. ^ "1903 Fort Scott Giants Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  11. ^ "1903 Fort Scott Giants minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  12. ^ "1903 Missouri Valley League (MVL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  13. ^ "1904 Fort Scott Giants Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  14. ^ "1904 Missouri Valley League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. ^ "1904 Fort Scott Giants minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  16. ^ "1904 Missouri Valley League (MVL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  17. ^ a b "1905 Fort Scott Hay Diggers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  18. ^ "1905 Fort Scott Giants minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  19. ^ "1905 Missouri Valley League (MVL) on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  20. ^ "1905 Missouri Valley League (MVL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  21. ^ a b "1906 Fort Scott Giants Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  22. ^ "1906 Kansas State League (KSL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  23. ^ "1906 Kansas State League". Baseball-Reference.com.
  24. ^ "1906 Fort Scott Giants minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  25. ^ "Fort Scott, Kansas Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com.
  26. ^ "Unknown in Fort Scott, KS minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
  27. ^ Fort, Scott; US. "Fort Scott National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov.
  28. ^ "Allen County, Kansas". genealogytrails.com.
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