The Best Circuit You Never Heard Of: <i>The 1897 Wood County League</i>

Abstract

In late summer and early fall of 1897, there was a minor league that included a number of future major leaguers and featured brief appearances by a pair of future Hall of Famers. One team in this league featured African American players, including a 23-year-old infielder even then recognized as one of best outside major leagues. Improbably, this league wasn't represented in large or even medium-sized cities. It was based in a rural county in Ohio. Even more surprising was small-town league's level of organization: The Wood County League featured a league president, a set schedule, and umpires assigned by league offce.Wood County, Ohio, is located in northwestern part of state, just south of Toledo. After last Ice Age retreated, Wood County was covered by what would later be called the Great Black Swamp. Not surprisingly, swamp was one of last areas of state to be settled. By end of Civil War, swamp was being drained; agriculture became main economic focus, but that would soon change.In 1884 and 1885, oil and natural gas were discovered just south of Bowling Green, county seat. Some of county's wells produced 10,000 barrels a day, and area was nation's leading oil producer into 20th century. Eventually most of money wound up in hands of John D. Rockefeller; but for a few years, county's economic boom spawned new settlements, funded building projects, and-in a little-known sidebar to these developments-set stage for regional organized ball.The first community to have professional baseball in Wood County was Cygnet. Located in southern part of county, Cygnet imported professional players including pitcher Jerry Nops and outfielder Charles Dusty Miller. Cygnet's main rival was another oil town to South-Findlay had more and better professionals, including Bud Fowler and a local teenager named Grant Home Run Johnson. Cygnet's team folded midway through 1894 season, while Findlay's team just got better and better. The independent squad held its own with Western League teams. That fall, Fowler and Johnson formed what would become first great African American team. Originally hoping to stay in Ohio, pair moved to Adrian, Michigan, after securing sponsorship from Page Fence Company.In 1897, only six minor leagues were part of National Agreement. The Western and Interstate had teams in Ohio. Twelve cities in those leagues were located within roughly a 200-mile radius of Wood County. Generally those teams consisted of experienced professional players, making it diffcult for talented young players to break into Organized Baseball. Independent teams offered one solution to this problem. Earlier in summer of 1897, Lima in west-central Ohio had a strong independent team, featuring Bresnahan battery of Roger (pitching) and James (catching). Lima had acquired team after Bryan (a town near Indiana border) failed to support it. At first new team did well. Roger Bresnahan and James Delahanty were stars, and nearby Wapakoneta-led by future major leaguers Bob Ewing and Theodore Whitey Guese- was a natural rival.In early August, these two cities combined with St. Mary's and Piqua to form Northwest Ohio League. But league foundered soon after its formation. Despite strong pitching of Nick Altrock, Piqua was unable to field a competitive team. The situation worsened when Roger Bresnahan and several other promising players were signed by major or minor league teams.Farther north in Wood County, season started quietly. The teams were mostly amateur with perhaps a paid battery. Tontogany probably had best aggregation of local players, including 17-year-old pitcher William Red Wright. Tontogany generally defeated other area teams, and was even competitive against semipro teams from outside county. In mid-July, Togs lost 11-10 in an 11-inning game to a picked nine consisting of players from three Toledo teams. …