Baker City Gold Diggers
# Baker City Gold Diggers

The Baker City Gold Diggers were a minor league baseball team based in Baker City, Oregon. Between 1891 and 1914, Baker City teams played as members of the 1891 Pacific Interstate League, 1902 and 1908 Inland Empire League and Western Tri-State League in 1913 and 1914, with a different team nickname each season.

## History

Baker City, Oregon first hosted minor league play in 1891, when the Baker Bunch Grassers were one of four charter members of the Independent level Pacific Interstate League. The La Grande Grand Rhonders, Pendleton Ho Hos and Walla Walla Walla Wallas teams joined Baker City in beginning league play on June 6, 1891.

The Baker Bunch Grassers began play in the Pacific Interstate League and finished last in 1891, playing the season under manager W. S. Bowers. The La Grande Grand Rhonders won the Pacific Interstate League championship with a 20–10 record. La Grande was followed by the Pendleton Giants/Ho Hos (18–12), Walla Walla Walla Wallas (16–14) and Baker Bunch Grassers (6–24) in the final Pacific Interstate League standings.

Baker City fielded a franchise as the 1902 Inland Empire League began play as a Class D level four–team league, with the Baker City Gold Diggers, La Grande Beetpullers, Pendleton Indians and Walla Walla Sharpshooters as charter members. The complete 1902 league standings and statistics are unknown. A game report noted Walla Walla defeated Baker 2–0 on July 25, 1902, in front of 300 fans at Baker. Another game report has Pendleton defeating La Grande 2–0 and Walla Walla defeating Baker 6–0 on August 25, 1902.

The team records on August 25, 1902, were reported to be: Pendleton 21–8, Walla Walla 14–15, La Grande 12–16 and Baker City 10–18.

The Inland Empire League formed again in 1908, with the same four cities hosting franchises, including Baker City. The Baker Nuggets/Miners, La Grande Babes, Pendleton Pets/Wheat Growers and Walla Walla Walla Wallas began league play on June 10, 1908. However, the league permanently disbanded on Sunday, July 12, 1908 due to extreme heat.

At the time the league folded in 1908, the La Grande Babes, with a 19–12 record were in first place 2.5 games ahead of the second place Baker Nuggets/Miners, who finished with a record of 15–15 under managers Cryderman and Hosie. They were followed by the Walla Walla Walla Wallas (14–17) and Pendleton Pets/Wheat Growers (14–18) in the final standings. The Inland league did not return to play after the 1908 season.

In 1913, the Baker City Golddiggers began play as members of the six–team Class D level Western Tri-State League but folded before the end of the season. The Golddiggers had a record of 15–40 under managers Con Harlow, Charles Harrod and Troeh when the franchise disbanded on June 23, 1913.

The Baker City Miners continued play in 1914 as members of the four–team the Western Tri-State League in the final minor league season for Baker City. The Miners ended the season in third place with a 44–52 record under manager Karl King, finishing 15.0 games behind the first place Pendleton Buckaroos.

Baker City, Oregon has not hosted another minor league team.

## The ballpark

The name of the Baker City home minor league ballpark is not directly referenced. Geiser-Pollman Park was in use in the era as a private park and became the first public park in Baker City in 1908.

## Timeline

| Year(s) | # Yrs. | Team | Level | League |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1891 | 1 | Baker City Bunch Grassers | Independent | Pacific Interstate League |
| 1902 | 1 | Baker City Gold Diggers | Class D | Inland Empire League |
| 1908 | 1 | Baker Nuggets | Class D | Inland Empire League |
| 1913 | 1 | Baker City Golddiggers | Class D | Western Tri-State League |
| 1914 | 1 | Baker City Miners | Class D | Western Tri-State League |

## Year–by–year records

| Year | Record | Finish | Manager | Playoffs/Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1891 | 6–24 | 4th | W. S. Bowers | No playoffs held |
| 1902 | 10–18 | 3rd | NA | No playoffs held |
| 1908 | 15–15 | 2nd | Cryderman / Hosie | League folded July 8 |
| 1913 | 15–40 | NA | Con Harlow / Charles Harrod / Troeh | Team folded June 23 |
| 1914 | 44–52 | 3rd | Karl King | No playoffs held |

## Notable alumni

* Ray French (1914)
* Lou Mahaffey (1902)
* Con Starkel (1913)
* Suds Sutherland (1914)
