Border League (baseball)
# Border League (baseball)

The Border League was the name of two 20th century circuits in North America minor league baseball. The first Border league operated in the 1912 and 1913 seasons as a Class D level league with five teams based in Michigan and one in Ontario. The Border League resumed play from 1946 to 1951 as a Class C level minor league, with teams based in New York, Quebec and Ontario.

## 1912–1913 league in Michigan and Ontario

The first, also known as the Eastern Michigan League, was a Class D minor league in 1912 and 1913 at the Canada–US border. It was composed of five teams from Michigan and one from Windsor, Ontario. This six-team league never really got off the ground, playing a minimal 35 game schedule. The league lost one Michigan team that disbanded in 1913. This action helped cause the league's downfall. There was no known effort to organize the league in 1914.

### 1912–1913 cities and teams

* Mount Clemens, Michigan: Mount Clemens Bathers 1912–1913
* Port Huron, Michigan: Port Huron Independents 1912–1913
* Pontiac, Michigan: Pontiac Indians 1912–1913
* Windsor, Ontario: Windsor 1912–1913
* Wyandotte, Michigan:Wyandotte Alkalis 1912–1913
* Ypsilanti, Michigan: Ypsilanti 1913

## 1946–1951 league in New York, Ontario and Quebec

The name was revived for a post-World War II Class C circuit that operated from 1946 through 1951 before shutting down. It was represented by nine cities, five from across the Canada–US border (four from Ontario and one from Quebec) and four from the state of New York. The four New York, teams, along with the Kingston, Ontario, squad were able to make the full run. The Ottawa Senators entry won three of the league's six pennants.

The league proved to be a good solid competitive group for the first five years. Attendance was good, the league drew over 1,600,000 fans the first five years before finally disbanding on July 16, 1951.

### 1946–1951 cities and teams

* Auburn, New York: Auburn Cayugas 1946–1950, Auburn Falcons 1951
* Cornwall, Ontario: Cornwall Canadians 1951
* Geneva, New York: Geneva Red Birds 1947, Geneva Robins 1948–1951
* Granby, Quebec: Granby Red Sox 1946
* Kingston, Ontario: Kingston Ponies 1946–1951
* Ogdensburg, New York: Ogdensburg Maples 1946–1951
* Ottawa, Ontario: Ottawa Nationals 1947, Ottawa Senators 1948–1949, Ottawa Nationals 1950
* Sherbrooke, Quebec: Sherbrooke Canadians 1946
* Watertown, New York: Watertown Athletics 1946–1951

## Standings & statistics

### 1912 & 1913

1912 Border League schedule

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Wyandotte Alkalis | 19 | 5 | .792 | – | H. R. Brown |
| Pontiac Indians | 14 | 9 | .609 | 4.5 | Henry McIntoch |
| Mount Clemens Bathers | 11 | 15 | .423 | 9.0 | W. Trombley |
| Windsor | 9 | 14 | .391 | 9.5 | J. Wilkie |
| Port Huron Independents | 7 | 17 | .292 | 12.0 | Bill Brown |

No Playoffs Scheduled.

Player statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Frank Loranger | Wyandotte | BA | .376 | Frank Loranger | Wyandotte | Hits | 37 |
| Orville Woodruff | Wyandotte | Runs | 21 |

1913 Border League schedule

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ypsilanti | 24 | 10 | .706 | – | W. C. Pearce |
| Wyandotte Alkalis | 24 | 13 | .649 | 1.5 | H. R. Browne |
| Port Huron Independents | 15 | 19 | .441 | 9.0 | Bill Brown |
| Pontiac Indians | 13 | 18 | .418 | 9.5 | Henry McIntoch |
| Windsor | 10 | 24 | .294 | 14.0 | James Wilkie / Arthur Goodman |
| Mount Clemens Bathers | 7 | 9 | .437 | NA | W.Trombley |

Mount Clemens disbanded July 12.

Player statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Jack Shafer | Ypsilanti | BA | .395 | Ferdy Manning | Wyandotte | W | 10 |
| Carl Stimpson | Ypsilanti | Runs | 30 | George Mueller | Port Huron | SO | 149 |
| Orville Woodruff | Wyandotte | Hits | 49 | Ralph Bell | Ypsilanti | Pct | 1.000; 6–0 |

Home Runs: 4 players tied with 2 each.

### 1946 to 1951

1946 Border League

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Auburn Cayugas | 72 | 44 | .621 | – | 48,683 | Barney Hearn |
| Watertown Athletics | 69 | 51 | .575 | 5.0 | 53,605 | Jim Scott |
| Kingston Ponies | 58 | 55 | .513 | 12.5 | 60,957 | Ben Lady |
| Granby Red Sox | 54 | 60 | .474 | 17.0 | 31,159 | Bill Sisler / Hal Cleves |
| Ogdensburg Maples | 50 | 68 | .424 | 23.0 | 28,395 | Bob Dill |
| Sherbrooke Canadiens | 46 | 71 | .393 | 26.5 | 25,576 | George T. Smith / Dutch Proecher |

Playoffs: Kingston 3 games, Auburn 1. Watertown 3 games, Granby 1. Finals: Watertown 4 games, Kingston 2.

Player statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bob Dill | Ogdenburg | BA | .397 | Arnold Jarrell | Kingston | W | 21 |
| Bob Dill | Ogdenburg | RBI | 118 | Peter Karpuk | Kingston | SO | 175 |
| Bob Dill | Ogdenburg | HR | 20 | Arnold Jarrell | Kingston | ERA | 2.30 |
| James Heximer | Kingston | Hits | 156 |

1947 Border League schedule

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ottawa Nationals | 82 | 42 | .661 | – | 62,607 | Paul Dean |
| Watertown Athletics | 70 | 54 | .565 | 12.0 | 53,600 | Bob Shawkey |
| Auburn Cayugas | 66 | 60 | .524 | 17.0 | 59,637 | Barney Hearn |
| Ogdensburg Maples | 61 | 65 | .484 | 22.0 | 63,486 | Steve Yerkes |
| Kingston Ponies | 49 | 77 | .389 | 34.0 | 52,268 | Ben Lady |
| Geneva Red Birds | 46 | 76 | .377 | 35.0 | 57,308 | Charles Small |

Playoffs: Ottawa 4 games, Auburn 0. Ogdensburg 4 games, Watertown 3. Finals: Ottawa 4 games, Ogdensburg 2.

Player statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Barney Hearn | Auburn | BA | .361 | Frank Fanovich | Watertown | W | 16 |
| Anthony Gudaitis | Ogdensburg | Runs | 122 | Arnold Jarrell | Kingston | W | 16 |
| Fred Gerken | Watertown | Hits | 172 | Charles Schupp | Ottawa | W | 16 |
| Donald Phelps | Geneva | RBI | 103 | Nick Butcher | Ottawa | W | 16 |
| Donald Phelps | Geneva | HR | 25 | Frank Fanovich | Watertown | SO | 182 |
| Anthony Gudaitis | Geneva | HR | 25 | Frank Fanovich | Watertown | ERA | 2.41 |

1948 Border League schedule

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ottawa Senators | 79 | 48 | .622 | – | 76,299 | Bill Metzig |
| Geneva Robins | 72 | 54 | .571 | 6.5 | 66,149 | Charles Small |
| Ogdensburg Maples | 69 | 60 | .535 | 11.0 | 60,116 | Russ Wein |
| Watertown Athletics | 63 | 65 | .492 | 16.5 | 65,590 | Fred Gerken |
| Kingston Ponies | 49 | 76 | .392 | 29.0 | 40,656 | Ben Lady |
| Auburn Cayugas | 49 | 78 | .386 | 30.0 | 43,102 | Barney Hearn |

Playoffs: Ogdensburg 4 games, Ottawa 1. Watertown 4 games, Geneva 3. Finals: Ogdensburg 4 games, Watertown 0.

Player statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Garland Lawing | Ogdensburg | BA | .379 | Leonard Seamon | Ottawa | W | 21 |
| Garland Lawing | Ogdensburg | Runs | 112 | Arthur Cook | Kingston | W | 21 |
| Garland Lawing | Ogdensburg | Hits | 164 | Bill Gates | Watertown | SO | 232 |
| Garland Lawing | Ogdensburg | RBI | 122 | Leonard Seamon | Ottawa | ERA | 2.00 |
| Bill Reardon | Kingston | HR | 24 |

1949 Border League schedule

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Geneva Robins | 81 | 49 | .623 | – | 67,259 | Charles Small |
| Ottawa Senators | 74 | 55 | .574 | 6.5 | 78,577 | Bill Metzig |
| Ogdensburg Maples | 70 | 60 | .538 | 11 | 58,749 | Russ Wein |
| Auburn Cayugas | 67 | 62 | .519 | 13.5 | 55.634 | Barney Hearn |
| Watertown Athletics | 58 | 71 | .450 | 22.5 | 61,026 | Frank Heller |
| Kingston Ponies | 38 | 91 | .295 | 42.5 | 38,671 | Zeke Bonura / Harold Leach |

Playoffs: Geneva 4 games, Ogdensburg 3. Auburn 4 games, Ottawa 3. Finals: Geneva 4 games, Auburn 2.

Player Statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Doug Harvey | Ottawa | BA | .351 | Donald Bryant | Ogdensburg | W | 20 |
| Doug Harvey | Ottawa | Runs | 121 | Bill Forst | Geneva | SO | 170 |
| William Scally | Ogdensburg | Hits | 177 | Robert Sundstrom | Geneva | ERA | 2.29 |
| Doug Harvey | Ottawa | RBI | 109 | Pete Kousagen | Geneva | HR | 22 |

1950 Border League schedule

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ottawa Nationals | 75 | 53 | .586 | – | 97,091 | Bill Metzig |
| Ogdensburg Maples | 74 | 54 | .578 | 1.0 | 55,291 | Russ Wein |
| Kingston Ponies | 68 | 60 | .531 | 7.0 | 52,453 | Barney Hearn |
| Watertown Athletics | 60 | 68 | .469 | 15.0 | 65,329 | Frank Heller |
| Geneva Robins | 56 | 71 | .441 | 18.5 | 42,353 | Charles Small / Clyde Theriault |
| Auburn Cayugas | 50 | 77 | .394 | 24.5 | 41,755 | Bill Sisler / Tom Accardo / Bill Gates |

Playoffs: Ottawa 4 games, Kingston 1. Ogdensburg 4 games, Watertown 1. Finals: Ogdensburg 4 games, Ottawa 2.

Player statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| John Sosh | Ogdensburg | BA | .348 | Harry Pilarski | Kingston | W | 19 |
| Peter Karpuk | Ottawa | Runs | 111 | Norm Gosselin | Geneva | W | 19 |
| Irvin Schupp | Ogdensburg | Hits | 173 | Joseph Greco | Ogdensburg | SO | 204 |
| Peter Kousagan | Geneva | RBI | 125 | Edward Flanagan | Ottawa | ERA | 1.96 |
| Peter Kousagan | Geneva | HR | 31 |

1951 Border League

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Attend | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kingston Ponies | 38 | 25 | .603 | – | 13,862 | Barney Hearn |
| Ogdensburg Maples | 29 | 35 | .453 | 9.5 | 13,978 | John Sosh / Irvin Schupp |
| Cornwall Canadians | 29 | 18 | .617 | NA | 4,892 | Bill Metzig |
| Auburn Cayugas | 26 | 26 | .500 | NA | 13,826 | Bill Gates |
| Watertown Athletics | 22 | 30 | .423 | NA | 18,055 | Bob Shawkey |
| Geneva Robins | 20 | 30 | .400 | NA | 12,405 | Humberto Baez |

Cornwall and Geneva disbanded June 26; Auburn and Watertown disbanded July 1. The league disbanded July 16. Last game played on July 10.

Player statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bob Masterson | Auburn | BA | .394 | Gideon Applegate | Kingston | W | 10 |
| Pedro Arroyo | Kingston | Runs | 53 | Bill Gates | Auburn | SO | 94 |
| Pedro Arroyo | Kingston | Hits | 79 | Gideon Applegate | Kingston | ERA | 2.85 |
| Olav Kollevoll | Ogdensburg | RBI | 57 | John Sosh | Ogdensburg | HR | 12 |
| Olav Kollevoll | Ogdensburg | HR | 12 |
