The Springfield Browns was a primary moniker of the

minor league baseball Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...

teams based in

Springfield, Illinois Springfield is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Illinois. Its population was 114,394 at the 2020 United States census, which makes it the state's List of cities in Illinois, seventh-most populous cit ...

between 1931 and 1950. Springfield teams played as members of the

Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League was a Class B level Minor League Baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 seasons, with teams based in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymo ...

(1931–1932),

Mississippi Valley League The Mississippi Valley League (MVL) was a baseball Class D level minor league that operated from 1922 through 1933. Playing its last year as a Class B level league, the league franchises were based in Iowa and Illinois. Like many leagues at the ...

(1933),

Central League The or , also known as the for sponsorship reasons, is one of the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League i ...

(1934), Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League (1935, 1938–1942, 1946–1949) and Mississippi-Ohio Valley League (1950), winning the 1939 league championship. Hosting home games at Reservoir Park, Lanphier Park and Jim Fitzpatrick Memorial Stadium, Springfield teams were an affiliate of the 1931

St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they ...

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

(1933–1934), 1935

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

and St. Louis Browns (1938–1942, 1946–1949).

History

Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League 1931–1932

With a new moniker, the 1931 Springfield Browns won the Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League Pennant. The franchise adopted the "Browns" moniker in 1931 after playing as the Springfield Senators from 1925 to 1930 as members of the Class B, level Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League. The moniker resulted from Springfield becoming a minor league affiliate of the

. Springfield ended the 1931 season with a record of 72–45, placing 1st in the Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League standings.

Bill Wambsganss Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak P ...

served as manager for the season. In the Playoffs, the Quincy Indians defeated the Springfield Browns 4 games to 2. Springfield played home games at Reservoir Park. The Springfield Senators continued play in the 1932 Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League, before disbanding mid–season. Springfield (3–7 in second half) and the

Decatur Commodores The Decatur Commodores were a professional minor league baseball team based in Decatur, Illinois that played for 64 seasons. The Commodores are the primary ancestor of today's Kane County Cougars. They played, with sporadic interruptions, from 1 ...

both disbanded July 12, 1932 and the league disbanded on July 19, 1932. The Senators finished with a 32–37 overall record, placing 4th in the Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League standings under Manager Rube Dessau.

Mississippi Valley League 1933/Central League 1934

The 1933 Springfield Senators became an affiliate of the

, playing in the Class B level

Missouri Valley League The Missouri Valley League was an American minor league baseball league which operated from 1901 through 1905. History The Missouri Valley league formed in 1901 as an Independent league. The league consisted of teams in Kansas and Missouri: C ...

. Springfield ended the 1933 season with a record of 43–70, placing 5th in the Missouri Valley League, finishing 38.5 games behind the champion Davenport Blue Sox. Clay Hopper served as manager. The Springfield Red Birds joined the Class B level

for the 1934 season, adopting the "Red Birds" moniker in their second season as a St. Louis Cardinals affiliate. On June 10, 1934, the Red Birds were in 2nd place in the Central League standings with a record of 14–12, under manager Joe Mathes when the Central League permanently disbanded. Springfield began playing home games at Lanphier Park in 1934.

Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League 1935, 1938–1942

Springfield rejoined the Class B level Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League in 1935, becoming a minor league affiliate of the

. The Springfield Senators ended the 1935 season with a record of 74–45, placing 2nd in the Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League standings. Bob Coleman was the manager in 1935. In the Playoffs, the Springfield Senators defeated the Bloomington Bloomers 4 games to 2. However, Bloomington was declared the winner when Springfield refused to replay the protested final game, a ruling that was upheld by the league president. After a two–season absence from minor league baseball, the 1938 Springfield Browns began a long affiliation with the St. Louis Browns and the Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League, playing at Lanphier Park. The Browns ended the 1938 regular season in 4th place with a record of 63–60, under Manager Walter Holke. In the Playoffs, the

defeated the Springfield Browns 3 games to 2. Season attendance at Lanphier Park was 66,944, an average of 1,089 per game. The 1939 Springfield Browns were the Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League Champions. Springfield ended the 1939 regular season with a record of 65–55, finishing 4th in the Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League standings under manager Walter Holke. In the 1939 Playoffs, Springfield defeated the

Evansville Bees Evansville is a city in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 118,414 at the 2020 census, it is Indiana's third-most populous city after Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, the most populous city in S ...

3 games to 1 to advance. In the Finals, the Springfield Browns defeated the Decatur Commodores 3 games to 2 to win the championship. Season attendance at Lanphier Park was 37,916 an average of 632. The Browns placed 3rd in the 1940 Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League and qualified for the playoffs. Springfield finished the 1940 regular season with a record of 73–53, under manager Art Scharein. In the Playoffs, the

Cedar Rapids Raiders Cedar may refer to: Trees and plants *''Cedrus'', common English name cedar, an Old-World genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae *Cedar (plant), a list of trees and plants known as cedar Places United States * Cedar, Arizona * ...

swept Springfield in 3 games. Attendance was 56,569, an average of 898 per game. The 1941 Springfield Browns again qualified for the playoffs in the Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League. Springfield finished with a 65–59 record to place 4th in the league standings under returning manager Art Scharein. In the Playoffs, the Cedar Rapids Raiders again defeated Springfield, 3 games to 1. Season attendance in Springfield was 41,194, an average of 664.< The Springfield Browns placed 2nd in the 1942 Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League. Springfield ended the 1942 season with a record of 67–48, finishing 6.0 games behind the 1st place Cedar Rapids Raiders. Under manager

Jimmy Adair James Aubrey Adair (January 25, 1907 – December 9, 1982) was an American baseball infielder, manager and coach. Although he played only briefly in Major League Baseball, as a shortstop for the Chicago Cubs, Adair had a long career as a minor ...

, the Browns advanced to the playoffs. In the Playoffs, the

Madison Blues "Madison Blues" is a blues song by American blues musician Elmore James. It is an upbeat Chicago-style shuffle featuring James' amplified slide guitar and vocal. He recorded it in 1960 for Chess Records, during a session that also produced " Tal ...

defeated the Browns 3 games to 1. After the 1942 season, the league took a hiatus due to

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League 1946–1949

Returning to play following World War II, The Springfield Browns and the Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League returned to play. Playing at Lanphier Park, Springfield ended the 1946 season with a record of 58–67, placing 6th in the regular season standings, missing the playoffs.

Tony Robello Thomas Vardasco "Tony" Robello (February 9, 1913 – December 25, 1994) was an American professional baseball player who appeared in 16 games in Major League Baseball, primarily as a second baseman, for the – Cincinnati Reds, and later spent 49 ...

served as manager in 1946. The Springfield Browns placed 3rd in the 1947 Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League regular season. With a record of 71–55, under manager

Ben Huffman Benjamin Franklin Huffman (July 18, 1914 – February 22, 2005) was a catcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as th ...

, Springfield qualified for the post–season. In the 1947 Playoffs, the Springfield Browns defeated the

Waterloo Hawks The Waterloo Hawks were a National Basketball League and National Basketball Association team based in Waterloo, Iowa. The Hawks remain the only sports franchise ever based in Iowa from any of the current Big Four Leagues. They are not affili ...

in a one–game playoff for 3rd place. Continuing in the Playoffs, the

Danville Dodgers Danville or Dansville may refer to: Places Canada *Danville, Quebec United States *Danville, Alabama * Danville, Arkansas *Danville, California *Danville, Georgia *Danville, Illinois * Danville, Indiana * Danville, Iowa * Danville, Kansas *Danv ...

defeated the Springfield Browns 3 games to 2. Total season attendance at Lanphier Park was 58,009, an average of 921 per game. The 1948 season began the final two seasons of Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League play, with Springfield finishing in the bottom portion of the standings in both seasons. The Springfield Browns finished the 1948 season in 6th place, with a 56–67 record.

Hank Helf Henry Hartz Helf (August 26, 1913 – October 27, 1984) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians in 1938 and 1940 and the St. Louis Browns in 1946. From 1944 to 1945 ...

and Irv Hall were the 1948 managers. Season attendance was 54,463, an average of 886. In 1949, the Springfield Browns finished last in the Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League in their final season in the league and their final season as a St. Louis Browns affiliate. Springfield ended the 1949 season with a record of 53–73, placing 8th under Manager Jimmie Crandall. 1949 attendance at Lanphier Park was 48,952, an average of 777 per game. The Browns folded from the Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League after the 1949 season.

Mississippi-Ohio Valley League 1950

The 1950 Springfield Giants continued minor league play in Springfield, as the franchise became members of the Class D level Mississippi-Ohio Valley League. The Mississippi Valley League evolved to become the

Midwest League The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...

. The Springfield Giants ended the 1950 season with a record of 60–59, placing 5th Mississippi-Ohio Valley League. Ham Schulte and Von Price were the Springfield managers. Springfield played the 1950 season home games at Jim Fitzpatrick Memorial Stadium. Season home attendance was 21,126, an average of 355 per game. The Springfield franchise folded after the 1950 season. Springfield remained without a minor league team until 1978 when the relocated New Orleans Pelicans were renamed the

Springfield Redbirds The Louisville Bats are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Louisville, Kentucky, and are named in dual reference to the winged mammal and baseball ...

and played as members of the American Association at Robin Roberts Stadium at Lanphier Park.

The ballparks

The Springfield minor league teams reportedly played home minor league games at Reservoir Park from 1931 to 1933. The ballpark was located on the site where

Lanphier High School Lanphier High School, in the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois, Springfield, is a public high school affiliated with Springfield Public School District 186. It is also the home of the John Marshall Club, a club with open membership dedicated ...

was constructed. The Lanphier High School location is 1300 North 11th Street, Springfield, Illinois. The 1950 Springfield Giants were noted to have played minor league home games at Jim Fitzpatrick Memorial Stadium. The ballpark had previously hosted some games of the

Springfield Sallies The Springfield Sallies were a women's professional baseball team who were members of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the 1948 season and became a development team. The Sallies were based in Springfield, Illinois and playe ...

of the

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women's baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley, which existed from 1943 to 1954. The AAGPBL is the forerunner of women's professional league sports in the Uni ...

from 1948 to 1950. With a capacity of 4,500, the ballpark was located at South 4th Street & East Stanford Avenue, Springfield, Illinois. Beginning in 1934, the Springfield teams reportedly played home games at Lanphier Park. Lanphier Park was built in 1925 at a cost of $49,000. Lanphier Park had a capacity of 4,500 and dimensions of (Left, Center, Right): 320–400–320 (1939). Still in use for baseball today, the ballpark is known as Robin Roberts Stadium at Lanphier Park, named after

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...

member Robin Roberts, who graduated from Lanphier High School. Today, the ballpark is home to the Springfield Sliders, a collegiate summer league

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

team that plays as a member of the

Prospect League The Prospect League is a collegiate summer baseball league comprising teams of college players from North America and beyond. All players in the league must have NCAA eligibility remaining in order to participate. So as to maintain their colleg ...

Timeline

Notable alumni

(1942, MGR) * Andy Anderson (1942) * Hank Arft (1942, 1946–1947) *

Al Baker James Albert London Baker (born December 9, 1956), nicknamed "Bubba", is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) from 1978 to 1990. He played college football for the Color ...

(1932) * Floyd Baker (1941) * Red Barkley (1938) *

Jim Bilbrey James Melvin Bilbrey (April 20, 1924 – December 26, 1985) was an American professional baseball player and a Major League Baseball pitcher who played one game for the St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team t ...

(1942) * Emil Bildilli (1938) *

George Bradley George Washington Bradley (July 13, 1852 – October 2, 1931), nicknamed "Grin", was an American professional baseball player who was a pitcher and infielder. He played for multiple teams in the early years of the National League, the oldest le ...

(1940–1941) * Herb Bradley (1935) * Lindsay Brown (1935) *

Clay Bryant Claiborne Henry Bryant (November 16, 1911 – April 9, 1999) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1935 through 1940 for the Chicago Cubs. Listed at , , Bryant batted and threw right handed. He was born in Madison Heig ...

(1932) * Ed Busch (1940-1942) * Joe Buskey (1932) * Ray Coleman (1940, 1942) *

Roy Cullenbine Roy Joseph Cullenbine (October 18, 1913 – May 28, 1991) was an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman. He played ten seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Browns, Washi ...

(1935) * Perry Currin (1947–1948) *

Tony Criscola Anthony Paul Criscola (July 9, 1915 – July 10, 2001) was an American Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the St. Louis Browns (1942–1943) and Cincinnati Reds (1944). He was a native of Walla Walla, Washington. Criscola is one of ...

(1938) * Frank Croucher (1935) * Art Daney (1932) * Red Evans (1932) *

Owen Friend Owen Lacey Friend (March 21, 1927 – October 14, 2007) was a Major League Baseball second baseman for five different teams between 1949 and 1956. Listed at 6'1, 180 lb., Friend batted and threw right-handed. Nicknamed "Red", he was born in ...

(1947) * Joe Grace (1940) * Irv Hall (1948, MGR) * Jim Hamby (1932) * George Hausmann (1941) * Loy Hanning (1939) *

Mel Held Melvin Nicholas Held (April 12, 1929 – July 20, 2024) was an American professional baseball player. He appeared in four Major League Baseball games as a relief pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles at the outset of the 1956 season, and had a 13-ye ...

(1949) *

(1948, MGR) * Walter Holke (1938–1939, MGR) *

(1947, MGR) * Harry Kimberlin (1933) * Dick Kimble (1942) * Elmer Klumpp (1931) * Earl Jones (1940–1941) * Red Jones (1935) *

Don Larsen Don James Larsen (August 7, 1929 – January 1, 2020) was an American professional baseball pitcher. During a 15-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, he pitched from 1953 to 1967 for seven different teams: the St. Louis Browns / Baltimore ...

(1949) Perfect Game: 1956 World Series * Don Lenhardt (1948) * Dutch Leonard (1931) 5x MLB All–Star *

Ed Levy Edward Clarence Levy (''né'' Whitner; October 28, 1916 – October 27, 2008) was a left fielder/first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first ...

(1949) * Bill Lohrman (1933) *

Joe Lutz Rollin Joseph Lutz (February 18, 1925 – October 20, 2008) was an American professional baseball player and coach, as well as the first non-Japanese manager in Japanese professional baseball. Life Lutz was born on February 18, 1925, in Keok ...

(1946) * Red Lynn (1934) *

Max Macon Max Cullen Macon (October 14, 1915 – August 5, 1989) was an American Major League Baseball player, a Minor League Baseball, minor league player-manager and pitching coach, and a professional baseball scout (sports), scout. Born in Pensacola, ...

(1934) * Babe Martin (1942) *

Hersh Martin Hershel Ray Martin (September 19, 1909 – November 17, 1980) was an American professional baseball player and scout. An outfielder born in Birmingham, Alabama, and raised in Ponca City, Oklahoma, Martin played for 23 seasons, mostly in minor le ...

(1933) MLB All-Star * Jerry McCarthy (1949) * Bill Miller (1940) * Bill Mizeur (1931) * Billy Myers (1932) * Lynn Myers (1933) * Al Naples (1949) * Bob Neighbors (1939) * Stan Partenheimer (1946–1947) * Gil Paulsen (1931) * Sid Peterson (1941) * Leon Pettit (1931) * Ed Redys (1946–1947) *

(1946, MGR) * Buster Ross (1931) * Frank Sacka (1947–1948) *

Art Scharein Arthur Otto "Scoop" Scharein (June 30, 1905 – July 2, 1969) was a third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played for the St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as ...

(1940–1941, MGR) * Ham Schulte (1950, MGR) * Len Schulte (1938, 1940) *

Lou Scoffic Louis Scoffic (May 20, 1913 – August 28, 1997) was an American professional baseball player who appeared in four games played, games as a right fielder and pinch runner in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. Nicknamed "Weaser", ...

(1933) * Ray Shore (1942, 1946) *

Roy Sievers Roy Edward Sievers (November 18, 1926 – April 3, 2017) was an Americans, American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman and left fielder from through . A five-time Major League Baseball All-S ...

(1948) 5x MLB All-Star; 1949 AL Rookie of the Year * Elmer Smith (1931) * Woody Smith (1948) * Lefty Smoll (1935) * Jerry Standaert (1931–1932) * Chuck Stevens (1938-1939) * Vern Stephens (1938) 7x MLB All-Star; 3x AL RBI Leader *

Marlin Stuart Marlin Henry Stuart (August 8, 1918 – June 16, 1994) was an American professional baseball pitcher. The right-hander from Paragould, Arkansas, appeared in 196 games pitched (165 in relief) in Major League Baseball for three American League te ...

(1942) * George Susce (1931) * Bud Swartz (1948) *

Birdie Tebbetts George Robert "Birdie" Tebbetts (November 10, 1912 – March 24, 1999) was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and front office executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers, Bos ...

(1935) 4x MLB All-Star * Johnny Tillman (1932) * Mike Tresh (1935) * Frank Waddey (1932) *

(1931, MGR) *

Skeeter Webb James Laverne "Skeeter" Webb (November 4, 1909 – July 8, 1986) was an American professional baseball infielder in Major League Baseball from 1932 to 1949. He played 12 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, ...

(1932–1933) * Roger Wolff (1932) * Ken Wood (1941) * Al Zarilla (1941) MLB All-Star

References

{{Reflist, 2

External links

Baseball Reference
Professional baseball teams in Illinois Defunct baseball teams in Illinois Browns Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League teams Baseball teams established in 1938 Baseball teams disestablished in 1949 1938 establishments in Illinois 1949 disestablishments in Illinois St. Louis Browns minor league affiliates