Missouri Valley League


The Missouri Valley League was an American minor league baseball league which operated from 1901 through 1905.

1901

The Missouri Valley league formed as an Independent league. The league consisted of teams in Kansas and Missouri: Columbus, Kansas, Fort Scott Memphis Route, Galena, Kansas, Joplin Colts, Monett Railroadmen, Nevada Reds, Oswego, Kansas and Pittsburg Coal Barons.

1902

The teams in Nevada, Missouri, Fort Scott, Kansas and Joplin, Missouri remained. Sedalia, Missouri; Coffeyville, Kansas; Jefferson City, Missouri; Iola, Kansas and Springfield, Missouri joined as the Missouri Valley League became designated as a Class D league.
On June 23, the Coffeyville Indians, with a 9-30 record, relocated to Chanute, Kansas, where they compiled a 32-51 record.
Team NameRecord
Nevada Lunatics86-38
Springfield Reds83-40
Fort Scott Giants80-44
Sedalia Goldbugs72-48
Joplin Miners56-66
Coffeyville Indians/Chanute Oilers41-81
Jefferson City Convicts40-85
Iola Gasbags34-90

1903

The teams in Chanute and Jefferson City folded. New teams in Leavenworth, Kansas, and Pittsburg, Kansas, formed and joined the league. The Nevada team, with a record of 21-39, relocated to Webb City, Missouri, on July 13, where their record was 0-4. The teams from Leavenworth and Webb City folded mid-season on July 16.
Sedalia Goldbugs86-47
Springfield Midgets82-48
Iola Gaslighters79-52
Joplin Miners69-62
Fort Scott Giants71-64
Pittsburg Coal Diggers39-95
Nevada Lunatics/Webb City Goldbugs21-43
Leavenworth White Sox15-50

1904

New teams in Leavenworth, Kansas, and Topeka, Kansas, formed and joined the league.
Iola Gasbags83-41
Springfield Midgets77-46
Joplin Miners77-49
Sedalia Goldbugs71-53
Pittsburg Coal Diggers57-64
Leavenworth Orioles48-74
Topeka Saints45-78
Fort Scott Giants36-89

1905

After the 1904 season, the Missouri Valley League essentially reformed under a different name as five member teams formed under a new league. Joplin, Leavenworth, Sedalia, Springfield, and Topeka all joined the new 1905 Western Association. The Iola franchise folded. The Fort Scott and Pittsburg franchises remained in the 1905 Class C Missouri Valley League.
Pittsburg Miners75-26
Parsons Preachers61-40
Muskogee Reds52-46
Ft. Scott Hay Diggers49-52
Webb City Gold Bugs47-54
Tulsa Oilers44-58
Vinita Cherokees41-63
South McAlester Giants/ Ft. Smith Giants33-63

South McAlester moved to Ft. Smith July 6. Muskogee disbanded Aug 31, causing the Missouri Valley League to end on September 5.