Misplaced Pages

#360639

27-731: In 1887, the Rutland team began play as members of the Independent level Northeastern League . The 1887 Rutland team won the Northeastern League championship with a 16–6 record, managed by James Harmon. The five–team league began play on July 6, 1887 and the Rutland team was followed by St. Albans (19–9), Burlington (13–17), Malone (3–10) and Montpelier (2–13) in the final standings. Rutland again hosted minor league baseball in 1907. The New Hampshire State League began play in

54-540: A Vermont native. Page had founded the Eastern Canada league as well and was president of both leagues, while Dubuc became the player/manager of the Ottawa franchise. For travel, the two made efforts to structure the league with franchises based in towns having Canadian Pacific stops. T"Sheiks" moniker corresponds with the 1919 novel The Sheik , a best–selling book at the time, written by Edith Maude Hull . Based on

81-619: Is a professional baseball league in the United States or Canada that is not overseen by Major League Baseball or its affiliated Minor League Baseball system (historically referred to as organized baseball ). Independent leagues have flourished in northeastern states, where dense populations can often support multiple franchises . Because they are not subject to the territorial limitations imposed on affiliated minor-league teams, independent clubs can relocate as close to affiliated teams (and one another) as they choose to. For example,

108-705: Is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of the Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since

135-765: The Carolina League and the Quebec -based Provincial League . The Carolina League, based in the North Carolina Piedmont region, gained a reputation as a notorious "outlaw league" during its existence from 1936 to 1938. The Provincial League fielded six teams across Quebec and was independent from 1948 to 1949. Similarly to early 20th-century independent leagues, it joined the National Association in 1950, playing for six more years. Independent leagues saw new growth after 1992, after

162-504: The China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with

189-570: The Montpelier Goldfish , Outremont Canadiens (Montreal's second team) and the Rutland Sheiks. The league played the season in two halves, but the two new Vermont based franchises, the Rutland Sheiks with a 34–20 record and Montpelier Goldfish (16–37) both folded on July 15, 1924. The four remaining Ontario–Quebec–Vermont League teams continued play after losing the two franchises. but Quebec Bulldogs won both half seasons and were

216-686: The National League (founded in 1876) and the American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in the other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with the advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to

243-441: The 1907 season as a Class D level league but was restructured during the season. The New Hampshire State League was an eight–team league that began play on May 11, 1907, and did not include Rutland. The New Hampshire League teams through June 29, 1907, were Barre-Montpelier Intercities , Burlington Burlingtons , West Manchester, Laconia/Plattsburgh Brewers , East Manchester, Franklin, Nashua and Concord. Rutland began play after

270-700: The 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues,

297-545: The 2024 season, there are seven active leagues, with four of them acting as MLB Partner Leagues . Additionally, Major League Baseball co-operatively operates the MLB Draft League , which operates as an amateur collegiate summer baseball league in the first half of each season and a professional league outside of the structure of Minor League Baseball for the remainder. Independent baseball leagues and teams exist outside of North America, though rarer. In Japan,

SECTION 10

#1732797925361

324-608: The Commissioner of Baseball. Independent baseball existed in the early 20th century and has become prominent again since 1993. Leagues operated mostly autonomously before 1902, when the majority joined the NAPBL. From then until 1915, a total of eight new and existing leagues remained independent. Most joined the National Association after one season of independence. Notable exceptions were the California League , which

351-608: The Japan Independent Baseball League Organization, which consists of the Shikoku Island League Plus and Baseball Challenge League , operates independently from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Japan also has a variety of independent semi-professional leagues consisting of industrial teams , where the players are regular employees of the company that own the team and are additionally paid to play baseball for

378-680: The New Hampshire League Champion Barre-Montpelier Intercities, the Burlington Burlingtons and Plattsburgh Brewers in the newly formed Vermont State League. Rutland was managed by T.K. Milne and placed third in the final standings. The Barre-Montpelier Intercities led in the final standings of the Vermont League with a 12–4 record. Barre-Montpelier was followed by the Burlington Burlingtons (6–5), Rutland (5–8) and

405-554: The Northern League, an early summer collegiate league, from 1938 to 1941 and 1946 to 1950. The name of the home minor league ballpark of the Rutland teams is not referenced. St. Peter's Field, which was home to the Rutland Royals, was in use in the era and is still in use today. Rutland (minor league baseball) players Rutland Sheiks players Independent baseball league An independent baseball league

432-731: The Plattsburgh Brewers (5–11). The Vermont League permanently folded after the 1907 season ended on July 28, 1907. In 1924, minor league baseball returned when the Rutland Sheiks began play when the Eastern Canada League expanded and added teams to become the Ontario–Quebec–Vermont League . The league was formed from the efforts of Canadian Pacific Railway sports promoter Joseph Page and retired Major League Baseball pitcher Jean Dubuc ,

459-488: The champions as no playoffs were held. The final overall standings were won by Quebec Bulldogs (66–40), followed by the Montreal Royals (54–55), Outremont Canadiens (49–58) and Ottawa-Hull Senators (46–55). The league permanently folded after completing the season on September 3, 1924. Rutland has not hosted another minor league team. Rutland, Vermont later became home of the collegiate Rutland Royals who played in

486-838: The city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania , cannot have an affiliated team because of its proximity to the Harrisburg Senators and Reading Fightin Phils , leaving the Atlantic League to place a team—the Lancaster Barnstormers —to fill the void. Another example is the greater New York City metropolitan area, where there are many independent teams: the Long Island Ducks , Staten Island FerryHawks , New Jersey Jackals , New York Boulders , and Sussex County Miners . The Atlantic League considered as

513-742: The company on the side. South Korea also has series of small independent leagues. Additionally, as of 2024, two Japanese teams without affiliation to NPB teams play within NPB's minor leagues (the Eastern League and the Western League ). Similarly, within KBO Futures League , the minor league of Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), there is an unaffiliated team that consists only of South Korean military personnel . A select number of Japanese independent teams also participate in

540-647: The league folded four teams and changed its name to the Vermont State League , beginning play July 2, 1907. A meeting was held on June 17, 1907, where the New Hampshire State League was restructured. The Vermont State League continued play as an Independent four–team league beginning, July 2, 1907, without the previous New Hampshire franchises. The new franchise in the Vermont State League was Rutland , who joined

567-410: The league. The Atlantic League has had many notable managers and coaches, including Wally Backman , Frank Viola , Tommy John , Sparky Lyle , and Bud Harrelson . The Northern League alumni include Leon "Bull" Durham , J. D. Drew , and Darryl Strawberry . Independent leagues are those professional leagues in the United States and Canada not under the purview of organized Minor League Baseball and

SECTION 20

#1732797925361

594-568: The major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in the United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ")

621-520: The new Professional Baseball Agreement in organized baseball instituted more stringent revenue and stadium requirements on members. The Northern League and Frontier League both started play in 1993, and the Northern League's success paved the way for other independent leagues like the Texas-Louisiana League and Northeast League . Over the next eight years, at least 16 independent leagues formed, of which six existed in 2002. As of

648-422: The novel, the motion picture The Sheik (film) was released in 1921 starring Rudolph Valentino . The movie was a huge box office hit. The Rutland Sheiks began Ontario–Quebec–Vermont League play on May 15, 1924 under manager Punch Daly, but folded before the conclusion of the season. The six–team Class B level league featured the Montreal Royals, Ottawa-Hull Senators and Quebec Bulldogs with three new franchises,

675-491: The off-season Miyazaki Phoenix League alongside Japanese and Korean minor league teams. Professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada consists of

702-587: The top level of competition among the independent leagues, and has had more marquee players than any other independent league, including Jose Canseco , Mat Latos , Steve Lombardozzi Jr. , Francisco Rodríguez , Chien-Ming Wang , Roger Clemens , Rich Hill , Scott Kazmir , Juan González , John Rocker , and Dontrelle Willis . Two former Atlantic League players are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum , Tim Raines and Rickey Henderson . Gary Carter , another Hall of Famer, managed in

729-641: Was independent in 1902 and from 1907 to 1909; the United States Baseball League , which folded during its independent 1912 season; and the Colonial League, a National Association Member that went independent in 1915 and then folded. Another independent league, the Federal League , played at a level considered major league from 1914 to 1915. Few independent leagues existed between 1915 and 1993. Major exceptions included

#360639